Research Associate-Behavioral Health

Westat•Bethesda, MD

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

Westat is seeking a Research Associate to support behavioral health and health policy projects addressing the needs of people with mental health conditions and substance use disorders. The role works collaboratively with project leadership and multidisciplinary teams to translate research into resources for audiences such as federal and state policymakers, clinical service providers, and people affected by behavioral health conditions. The position contributes to technical reports and may collaborate on peer-reviewed journal articles. It also supports research, technical assistance, and training for communities and federal grantees on topics including behavioral health system transformation, healthcare financing, program evaluation, mental health and substance use services, recovery and resilience, substance misuse and overdose prevention, opioid and stimulant use disorders, and access to effective behavioral health care. Westat values regular in-person collaboration and gives preference to candidates able to work two days per week at its Bethesda, Maryland office or another Westat office location. Candidates must be authorized to work full time in the United States; U.S. citizenship is required by contract. Westat does not offer employment-based visa sponsorship for this role. Depending on project requirements, some positions may require specific residency criteria. An employment offer may be contingent on acceptable post-offer background-screening results, if required for the specific position.

Requirements

Master's degree in public policy, economics, a social science discipline such as sociology, political science, or psychology, or an analytical methods discipline such as applied statistics.
1–3 years of relevant experience.
Experience working on mental health and substance use evaluations and/or technical assistance and training activities.
Experience with quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods evaluation approaches and use of analytic software as appropriate.
Ability to translate technical information into plain-language written products and data visualizations for varied audiences.
Experience using Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to produce reports, tables, graphs, and presentation slides.
U.S. citizenship is required by contract.
Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

Nice To Haves

Experience writing technical reports, such as literature reviews, study plans, methodology reports, and summaries of research findings, or contributing to peer-reviewed journal articles.
Experience with data collection, developing analysis plans, and overseeing analysis.
Experience working on federal government contracts.
Experience working on contracts with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) or another HHS agency.
Ability to develop and deliver presentation content for varied audiences.
Ability to work at a fast pace across several projects simultaneously.
Excellent written, verbal, and organizational skills.
Ability to take initiative and maintain attention to detail in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

Support all stages of evaluation, from study design through data collection and management, analysis, and product development.
Conduct literature searches, synthesize research findings, and contribute to writing on health policy and behavioral health topics.
Translate research findings into accessible products for diverse audiences.
Participate in developing data collection plans, instruments, and materials.
Oversee and conduct data collection, including surveys, interviews, site visits, observation protocols, and acquisition of administrative data.
Lead and assist with qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods data analysis.
Lead presentations during federal client meetings, with federal grantees, and within Westat.
Assist with business development by working with internal and external staff on proposals and projects for federal agencies, states, and foundations.
Provide research, technical assistance, and training to communities and federal grantees on behavioral health topics.