Programmer II

Harvard University • Boston, MA

4h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Center for Biostatistics in AIDS Research (CBAR), an organization within the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, is responsible for the design, monitoring and statistical analysis of clinical trials and observational studies for several major national and international NIH-funded clinical research networks. CBAR employs over 60 statisticians and epidemiologists including Harvard faculty, research scientists, and staff. Investigators within CBAR have provided statistical leadership and support for clinical research networks for thirty-five years. Currently this includes infectious disease networks such as: Advancing Clinical Therapeutics Globally for HIV/AIDS and Other Infections (ACTG) and the International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials Network (IMPAACT). Results from studies have helped to establish the paradigm for the treatment and prevention of HIV and other infectious diseases, and contributed to international treatment and prevention guidelines.
This position is located in the Center for Biostatistics in AIDS Research (CBAR) within the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts. Programmers are valued contributors to the strategic and research goals of the organization and enjoy an environment of learning and growth. CBAR features a well-defined promotional track and support system for staff professional development.
CBAR has a hybrid work environment which includes a combination of on-campus/in-person work and remote work.

Requirements

• 2+ years post‐secondary experience required, or combination of education and/or relevant work experience
• Experience in R programming and/or R package development required
• Bachelor's Degree in a quantitative or scientific field such as mathematics or computer science
• Experience designing, developing, testing, documenting, and maintaining R functions or packages
• Experience with tidyverse, pharmaverse, or other CDISC-focused R packages
• Experience with data cleaning or preparing data for statistical analysis
• Experience working in a clinical trials or clinical research setting
• Experience following organizational standard operating procedures and project-specific work instructions
• Experience working independently to assess needs, identify solutions, develop specifications, and implement finalized programming solutions
• Interest in learning and applying emerging artificial intelligence technologies to improve programming processes
• Knowledge of information technology applications, processes, software, and equipment
• Demonstrated team performance skills, service mindset approach, and the ability to act as a trusted advisor.
• Desire to remain informed of new developments in programming that are relevant to the industry and the development of tools in R
• Strong attention to detail, as well as a high level of self-motivation
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Strong deductive reasoning and organizational skills

Nice To Haves

• Experience programming in SAS, BASH, or Linux environments is desirable but not required
• Experience with CDISC standards is desirable but not required

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and enhance reusable R programs, R packages, BASH programs, prepare analysis datasets, create tables, listings, and figures for statistical reports, and produce professional graphics
• Develop and refine large-scale programs that facilitate data manipulation and improve researchers’ experience for organizing and analyzing data
• Write and maintain Linux utilities and related guidance documents for researchers
• Test, validate, and document R, BASH, and Linux programs to ensure they meet CBAR and applicable CDISC requirements
• Develop and enhance programs that maintain and use metadata repositories, including CRAN, pharmaverse, CDISC, MedDRA, and WHODrug metadata
• Translate existing SAS macros and programs into validated, well-documented R functions and packages while maintaining the accuracy and reproducibility of existing processes
• Partner with senior management and programmers to learn and apply artificial intelligence technologies that may improve CBAR systems and processes
• Serve as a programming resource for statisticians, epidemiologists, and other programmers by troubleshooting complex programming problems and providing general programming support
• Educate statisticians and programmers on advanced R data manipulation, package development, programming techniques, and best practices
• Collaborate with researchers to implement standard operating procedures and other programming standards
• Participate in relevant CBAR committees and collaborate with researchers, clinicians, programmers, and data managers to advance CBAR’s research
• Mentor programming personnel to strengthen their skills and technical knowledge
• Maintain and expand technical knowledge by attending relevant workshops or conferences
• Develop and deliver statistical programming presentations, seminars, and other training activities for research staff
• Contribute to the programmer recruitment and hiring process as an interviewer
• Perform other duties as assigned

Benefits

• Generous paid time off including parental leave
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one
• Retirement plans with university contributions
• Wellbeing and mental health resources
• Support for families and caregivers
• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement
• Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level