Review Vacancy
AgencyPeople With Developmental Disabilities, Office for
TitleResearch Scientist 5 - Health Services Research
Occupational CategoryOther Professional Careers
Bargaining UnitPS&T - Professional, Scientific, and Technical (PEF)
Salary RangeFrom $120117 to $146225 Annually
Appointment Type Contingent Permanent
Minimum Qualifications Candidates must have a master’s degree and six years of professional research experience in the Health Services Research field.
Substitution: Ph.D. in an appropriate field may substitute for one year of experience
Preferred experience should include data modeling, the results of which was applied in a human-services setting. Authorship and publication of technical reports or peer-reviewed journal articles that depend on data collection and analysis performed by the incumbent is desirable.
Duties Description The Research Scientist 5, Director of State Operations Business Analytics, formulates and carries out complete research plans. Findings are accepted as technically authoritative and impact an agency’s approach to problems addressed by the research project. Projects require systematic research on problems that have been recognized as exceptionally difficult and unyielding to research analysis and require unconventional or novel research approaches and use of sophisticated research techniques.
The Research Scientist 5 identifies and explores high impact research areas in relation to an agency’s programs, needs, and the state of science involved. Projects result in a series of publishable contributions that answer important questions in a scientific field, account for previously unexplained phenomena, and open significant new avenues for further study. This position works under broad supervision, which is generally limited to approval of staffing, funds, and facilities and directs lower-level Research Scientists and other staff engaged in research and data analytics projects. Specialized knowledge in predictive modeling techniques will be applied regularly. Additionally, the incumbent will partner with Division of State Operations Directors within the division to identify and create opportunities for data-supported decisions. Individuals with interest and experience in creating decision systems supported by algorithms would be a good fit for this position.
The incumbent will oversee data operations for SO central office and regional staff. The incumbent will guide the Bureau's activities that require reliance on research and information gathering from a variety of sources, ranging from field staff experiences to published journal articles. The incumbent’s duties will include, but not be limited to the following:
· Oversee staff acting as research and data leads within the division
· Be responsible for all partnerships with ITS involving data collection and reporting
· Communicate with agency leadership using a variety of data-driven tools and work with staff on effective tool use
· Review division activities to proactively identify areas where data can help identify division goals and objectives and/or assess progress and performance of division activities
· Deploy staff to address instances where data collection and reporting is necessary to address immediate and/or contemporaneous concerns (e.g. COVID-19 related data collection)
· Collaborate with the Division of Statewide Services Research team to work on projects related to testing the alignment of policy and practice
·Provide statistical background for analyses and provide expertise for evaluative work with staff
·Conduct research independently and over-see research-like projects that support best practices in State Operations
Additional Comments Please note:
•Preference will be given to OPWDD employees impacted by closures. If you are being impacted by closure, please indicate this on your resume/cover letter.
•In order to be eligible for appointment and to maintain employment, you cannot be listed as an excluded individual or entity on any of the Federal and/or State Medicaid and Medicare exclusion lists (or excluded from any other Federal or Federally assisted program). If you are appointed and subsequently listed as an excluded individual or entity on any of these lists (or excluded from any other Federal or Federally assisted program), you may be terminated from your employment.
•OPWDD is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer
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