Senior Data Scientist II - Program Management and Data Governance

NORC at the University of Chicago • Washington DC, WA

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

NORC at the University of Chicago is seeking a qualified Senior Data Scientist II to join the Statistics and Data Science Department. This role will provide day-to-day program management, technical, and data governance expertise to a large-scale federal data access and record linkage program supporting NIH-funded researchers. The position offers leadership, coordination, and oversight for secure data linkage services involving CMS and other federal datasets within a multi-contractor, multi-cloud environment. It requires close collaboration with technical staff, federal sponsors, external platform providers, and collaborating contractors to monitor progress, resolve challenges, and ensure successful execution of data linkage activities, secure data provisioning, regulatory compliance, project reporting, and stakeholder engagement. This role combines program leadership with substantive expertise in CMS data, record linkage methodologies, federal data governance, and data security. The Senior Data Scientist II will coordinate activities across multiple functional teams and serve as a key point of contact for government stakeholders. Opportunities also exist to work on other projects leveraging expertise in data integration, AI/ML, scientific computing, survey statistics, business development, and collaborative research. The role may involve managing both the activities and work product of data analysts and/or data scientists.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in bioinformatics, information systems, computer science, statistics, data science, health services research, economics, public health, or a related field.
• At least 9 years of experience (at least 12 years of experience if Bachelor's degree) in positions of increasing responsibility, working with large datasets and conducting statistical modeling and analytic programming.
• Leadership experience adhering to service level agreements and tight deadlines on technically challenging tasks in fast moving projects in consulting, government contracting or a similar setting.
• Experience managing teams of statisticians, data scientists, and deep subject matter experts.
• Experience managing advanced technical work in cloud-based environments require extensive engagement and coordination with platform contractors and CSPs.
• Experience in client communications and relationship management.
• Demonstrated experience with managing or implementing data governance processes.
• Proficiency with SAS, SQL, R, and/or Python, and experience working in modern cloud, data warehouse or data lake environments.
• Working knowledge of the methodologies and technologies for integrating data, including probabilistic record linkage and privacy preserving record linkage.
• Demonstrated experience working with Medicare and/or Medicaid administrative or claims data.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with data use agreements and data protection protocols such as statistical disclosure review.
• Experience supporting large-scale federal research data access programs, secure research environments, or programs involving controlled access to sensitive health or administrative data.
• Strong communication skills, including verbal and written communication.
• Occasional travel to sites and business meetings.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day management of a key component of a secure health data access and management program.
• Oversee project planning, staffing, schedules, deliverables, budgets, and performance to ensure successful contract execution.
• Serve as a primary liaison with client, external partners and providers.
• Manage cross-contractor dependencies, risks, issues, and decision points, proactively identifying barriers to milestone completion and coordinating resolution across technical, operational, and governance teams.
• Provide technical and programmatic oversight of the data and technology environments supporting the program, including secure cloud platforms, data systems, applications, access controls, and associated operational workflows.
• Coordinate delivery of record linkage services, linked data products, and researcher support activities across multiple contractors and stakeholder groups.
• Ensure compliance with federal requirements and standards related to data security, privacy, governance, and management of sensitive federal datasets.
• Support establishment and maintenance of standard operating procedures, process documentation, and program reporting.
• Apply knowledge of CMS data, data linkage methodologies, and federal data management practices to support program objectives.
• Prepare and deliver presentations, status briefings, and written communications for federal sponsors and senior organizational leadership.
• Recommend methodology for data management, merging, cleaning, transforming and harmonizing data.
• Contributing to and reviewing code, datafiles, reports, presentations, and other deliverables.
• Engage in business development activities including authoring various sections of the technical proposal.
• Train and supervise staff on specific protocols and tasks.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Generously subsidized health insurance, effective on the first day of employment
• Dental and vision insurance
• A defined contribution retirement program, along with a separate voluntary 403(b) retirement program
• Group life insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance
• Benefits that promote work/life balance, including generous paid time off, holidays; paid parental leave, bereavement leave, tuition assistance, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

What This Job Offers

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