Research Data Scientist

University of Southern California • Los Angeles, CA

2d • $105,665 - $122,142 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics is seeking a Research Data Scientist (HR title: Research Programmer II) to support health policy and economics research through advanced analytics, data infrastructure development, and project leadership. The role is part of a data core and collaborates with principal investigators and a multidisciplinary research team. It is a full-time, one-year fixed-term position that is renewable, with a hybrid work arrangement.

The position applies advanced analytics to large-scale health care data to address real-world policy questions and contribute to research intended to improve value in health. The successful candidate will lead analytic efforts, develop data pipelines and research tools, ensure data quality and reproducibility, manage projects, and supervise and mentor junior staff. The minimum education requirement is a master's degree, with combined experience and education accepted as a substitute. The posting also lists a minimum of three years of experience and preferred experience of five years, alongside role-specific programming experience requirements.

Requirements

• Master's degree in statistics, data science, economics, applied mathematics, or a related quantitative field, or equivalent combined education and work experience.
• At least five years of experience with statistical programming, such as SAS, R, or Python.
• Experience with administrative health care claims data, including Medicare, Medicaid, or commercial claims.
• Experience with SQL, data warehouses such as Snowflake, and cloud platforms such as AWS.
• Demonstrated experience leading analytic efforts and contributing to research projects.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to develop innovative solutions for complex data challenges.
• Eligibility to work in the United States; visa sponsorship is not available.
• Minimum experience of three years and relevant work experience providing strong technical knowledge of programming and analysis, as well as senior or lead experience.
• Demonstrated ability to stand in for researchers as circumstances require.
• Demonstrated creativity and innovation in solving conceptual programming problems.
• Applicants must attach a cover letter and resume/CV to the employment application.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in health economics, health policy, public health, or a similar discipline.
• At least seven years of experience with statistical programming.
• Experience with CMS secure environments, such as VRDC or IDR, and NIA LINKAGE.
• Experience using AI-assisted tools to enhance coding, data analysis, and workflow efficiency, including iterative or semi-automated workflows.
• Preferred experience of five years.

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute complex data analyses using large-scale health care data, including Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial claims.
• Design and build data pipelines, research tools, and analytic infrastructure.
• Ensure data quality and reproducibility through rigorous quality assurance processes.
• Manage projects, including timelines, deliverables, and coordination with cross-functional team members.
• Supervise and mentor junior staff.
• Translate complex data into actionable insights to support policy-relevant research.
• Perform other related duties as assigned or requested; the university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

What This Job Offers

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