Senior Research Associate- Implementation and TA - Hybrid

Westat•Bethesda, MD

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

Westat is seeking a Senior Research Associate with expertise in technical assistance and implementation/operations to lead tasks supporting the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ alternative payment models within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI). Senior Research Associates work collaboratively with others in multidisciplinary teams and may serve as project managers, task leads, or task contributors. The successful candidate will have demonstrated experience working on health services research projects for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. We value regular in-person collaboration and preference will be given to candidates who can work 2 days per week at our Bethesda, Maryland office or at one of our other Westat office locations.

Requirements

A master’s degree in social sciences, public health, public policy, or a related field with at least 6 years of relevant experience in technical assistance, process-oriented implementation, and qualitative or quantitative data collection and analysis; or a Ph.D. in social sciences, public health, public policy or a related field with 2 or more years of relevant experience in technical assistance, process-oriented implementation, and qualitative or quantitative data collection and analysis
Experience with implementation/operations, technical assistance, technical support, or education and outreach to support CMMI models
Experience working on Federal government contracts for CMS

Nice To Haves

Experience leading contracts funded by the Federal government
Experience translating CMMI model policies, participant needs, and operational needs into requirements for CMMI model systems
Experience with Medicare or Medicaid policy, such as value-based care, payment reform, or care delivery improvement
Demonstrated communication skills and ability to translate complex technical information into plain language for various audiences
Demonstrated ability mentoring more junior staff and working collaboratively with more senior staff
Excellent attention to detail and quality assurance

Responsibilities

Creating content for and facilitating virtual events, including webinars and office hours
Developing and delivering customized technical assistance resources and support
Drafting memos, reports, tipsheets, tools, and other resources or deliverables
Supporting Help Desk operations
Developing and executing processes for tracking payment model operations using Excel or Smartsheet and regularly reporting on model status
Establishing protocols, standard operating procedures, specifications, and other process and quality assurance documentation
Working in multidisciplinary teams and serving as a mentor to staff
Managing a team by making assignments, monitoring timelines, identifying next steps, and conducting quality assurance
Interacting closely with clients and being responsive to client needs
Coordinating with subcontractors and other contractors, as needed
Working on multiple projects and tasks simultaneously
Presenting research findings to a variety of audiences
Designing and leading research projects or tasks using qualitative and/or quantitative methods
Writing technical proposals for government clients and working on business development activities