Research Assistant III

SDSU Research Foundation•Sd, CA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

A research position is available as part of a California Department of Insurance-funded initiative to evaluate the effects of Medi-Cal expansions regardless of immigration status. This project aims to generate evidence on how these policy changes influence health insurance coverage, healthcare utilization, program financing, and employment patterns across the state. The researcher will work closely with the project PI, Dr. Wilton Choi, and the SDSU School of Public Health research team. This position will focus especially on the project’s financing and economic modeling aims, including analyses of premiums, out-of-pocket costs, tax liabilities, disposable income, and employment effects. The work may include preparing and analyzing large administrative and survey datasets, developing simulation inputs, and supporting TAXSIM, IMPLAN, or related policy simulation models. This position is a good fit for someone with strong quantitative skills and an interest in health economics, health policy, public insurance programs, California health systems, or policy evaluation. Experience with large datasets, econometric or quasi-experimental methods, microsimulation, TAXSIM, IMPLAN, ACS/CHIS data, Medi-Cal claims, or reproducible data analysis is especially helpful.

Requirements

Strong quantitative research skills in health economics, health services research, public policy, public health, economics, statistics, data science, or a related field.
Experience cleaning, managing, and analyzing large administrative or survey datasets.
Proficiency in at least one statistical programming language, such as R, Python, Stata, SAS, or SQL.
Ability to develop reproducible code, analytic files, data dictionaries, tables, and figures.
Familiarity with policy evaluation methods, including quasi-experimental designs, regression analysis, survey-weighted analysis, or microsimulation.
Ability to support analyses related to health insurance coverage, healthcare spending, premiums, out-of-pocket costs, tax payments, disposable income, and employment outcomes.
Strong attention to detail and ability to check data, code, assumptions, and model outputs carefully.
Ability to summarize technical findings clearly for manuscripts, reports, policy briefs, and presentations.
Understanding of research ethics, confidentiality, data security, IRB requirements, and data-use agreements.
Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
Ability to work independently while communicating regularly with faculty, research staff, and policy partners.
Flexibility in adjusting research direction as needed.
Completion of sufficient upper division coursework OR -Equivalent of two years full time progressively responsible related experience in lieu of coursework.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree required in Public Health, Economics, Public Policy, Statistics, Data Science, Health Services Research, or a related field.
Master’s degree or current graduate enrollment preferred.
Experience in designing, conducting, and analyzing quasi-experiments in the relevant field.
Experience with ACS PUMS, CHIS, CPS, MEPS, Medicaid claims, Medi-Cal data, or other health policy datasets.
Experience with TAXSIM, IMPLAN, microsimulation, input-output modeling, economic-impact analysis, or cost analysis.
Experience preparing analytic files for tax, insurance coverage, health spending, or employment-related analyses.
Familiarity with Medicaid, Medi-Cal, Covered California, health insurance coverage, healthcare financing, premiums, out-of-pocket spending, or employer-sponsored insurance.
Strong oral and written communication skills for writing research papers, presenting findings at conferences, and collaborating with colleagues.
Ability to mentor or supervise graduate students or junior researchers may also be preferred in some cases.
Experience presenting research findings at national or international conferences.
Demonstrates eagerness to learn new techniques, tools, or concepts.

Responsibilities

Assist with cleaning, managing, and analyzing large administrative and survey datasets (e.g., CHIS, ACS PUMS, Medi-Cal claims).
Conduct statistical and econometric analyses under faculty supervision.
Prepare and process TAXSIM input files and summarize tax simulation outputs.
Assist with economic impact analyses using IMPLAN or similar input-output modeling tools.
Help prepare model inputs, conduct quality checks, and document data processing and analytical procedures.
Perform literature reviews and summarize relevant research findings.
Support data visualization, preparation of tables and figures, and preliminary interpretation of results.
Maintain research documentation and comply with data security and IRB requirements.
Assist in preparing tables, figures, and supporting materials for manuscripts, policy reports, and presentations.
Contribute to literature reviews and background sections of research papers.
Help prepare presentation materials for conferences, seminars, and stakeholder meetings.
Assist with editing and formatting manuscripts and reports.
Participate in seminars, workshops, and training related to health economics, health policy, and applied econometrics.
Meet regularly with faculty mentors to discuss research progress and develop analytical skills.
Engage with interdisciplinary research teams and collaborative meetings.
Perform other research-related tasks that support the objectives of the project.