| JOB SUMMARY: |
The Health Care Evaluation Research Department at NORC seeks a Senior Data Scientist II. In this role, the Senior Data Scientist II will lead analytic work using large administrative and claims-based data to support the implementation, evaluation, and ongoing monitoring of CMS Innovation Center (CMMI) models, Medicare and Medicaid programs, and related payment and delivery system reforms. The position emphasizes technical leadership, analytic execution, and deep familiarity with CMS data systems, and includes mentoring data analysts and data scientists while collaborating closely with other project leaders, policy researchers, economists, and methodologists.
At NORC, you will work alongside nationally recognized experts supporting some of the most significant health care reforms in the country. This role offers the opportunity to apply deep technical expertise to CMS Innovation Center models and Medicaid initiatives, lead analytic contributions to new business efforts, manage complex workstreams, and mentor others within a mission-driven, nonpartisan research organization.
The Data Science job family exists across multiple departments at NORC and provides advanced analytical expertise for a portfolio of research and evaluation projects. The Senior Data Scientist II (SDS II) plays a strategic, hands-on role in delivering high-quality analytics for complex health care initiatives by leading large-scale data efforts, providing technical leadership to multidisciplinary teams, establishing resources and best practices for health care data work across NORC, and taking leadership on relevant business development initiatives.
Work Location
NORC supports hybrid work arrangements for this position in either our Washington, DC or Chicago, IL offices. Remote work status may be considered for outstanding candidates. Occasional travel may be required based on project needs and client meetings.
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| DEPARTMENT: Health Care Evaluation Research |
NORC’s Health Care Evaluation Research department conducts advanced analytics and evaluations for Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial insurance programs. NORC’s health work supports the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of health care payment and delivery reforms, with a particular emphasis on CMS Innovation Center (CMMI) models, state Medicaid demonstrations, and other federal health projects across Health and Human Services, states, and foundations.
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| RESPONSIBILITIES: |
- Lead advanced analytic work supporting the implementation, evaluation, and monitoring of CMS Innovation Center (CMMI) models, including alternative payment models and delivery system reforms.
- Lead projects and manage major project workstreams including but not limited to advanced analytic work supporting the implementation, evaluation, and monitoring of CMS Innovation Center (CMMI) models, including alternative payment models and delivery system reforms.
- Apply claims-based and administrative data to assess program operations, utilization, quality, access, and cost across Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial populations.
- Lead analyses using Medicaid T-MSIS (including TAF), state Medicaid claims and encounter data, Medicare fee-for-service claims, Medicare Advantage encounter data, and Medicare Part D prescription drug data.
- Access and analyze data in CMS secure data environments, including CCW/VRDC and, as appropriate, Model Space, IDR, and other CMS data platforms.
- Lead data acquisition, ingestion, cleaning, transformation, linkage, and harmonization for large and complex health care datasets.
- Develop and implement quality assurance protocols, documentation standards, and reproducible analytic workflows.
- Serve as a technical lead and mentor to data analysts and data scientists.
- Lead or co-lead analytic and data-focused components of business development efforts, including proposal writing and capture discussions.
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| REQUIRED SKILLS: |
- Bachelor’s degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Data Science, Economics, Public Health, or a related field.
- At least 9 years of relevant experience (or 12 years with a Bachelor’s degree) in positions of increasing responsibility involving large-scale data analysis and statistical modeling.
- Demonstrated experience leading project teams or teams conducting substantial workstreams on larger projects.
- Demonstrated experience working with Medicare and/or Medicaid administrative or claims data.
- Experience accessing and analyzing CMS data through the Chronic Conditions Warehouse (CCW) / Virtual Research Data Center (VRDC).
- Demonstrated ability to lead complex analytic work, mentor technical staff, and communicate results to technical and non-technical audiences.
- Qualified applicants must be eligible to work in the U.S. We regret that we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position.
Strongly Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s degree or higher in a relevant field.
- Experience supporting CMS Innovation Center (CMMI) model implementation, monitoring, or evaluation.
- Experience working with CMS data environments, including Model Space and the Integrated Data Repository (IDR).
- Hands-on experience with T-MSIS/TAF, state Medicaid claims and encounter data, Medicare Advantage encounter data, and Medicare Part D prescription drug data.
- Proficiency with SAS, SQL, R, and/or Python, and experience working in modern data warehouse or data lake environments.
- Experience leading or contributing to technical proposal writing for federal health care analytics or evaluation work.
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| SALARY AND BENEFITS: |
The pay range for this position is $160,000 - $200,000.
This position is classified as regular. Regular staff are eligible for NORC’s comprehensive benefits program. Benefits include, but are not limited to:
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Generously subsidized health insurance, effective on the first day of employment
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Dental and vision insurance
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A defined contribution retirement program, along with a separate voluntary 403(b) retirement program
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Group life insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance
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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).
NORC is committed to equity and transparency in its pay practices. We publish salary ranges and benefit information for every job. The listed hiring range reflects what we, in good faith, expect to pay at the time of posting, though actual compensation may vary and may be adjusted over time. A candidate’s placement within the range depends on factors such as competencies, education, qualifications, experience, skills, performance, and organizational needs. This role is bonus eligible. Bonus payment is contingent upon program terms and individual performance.
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| WHAT WE DO: |
NORC at the University of Chicago is an objective, non-partisan research institution that delivers reliable data and rigorous analysis to guide critical programmatic, business, and policy decisions. Since 1941, our teams have conducted groundbreaking studies, created and applied innovative methods and tools, and advanced principles of scientific integrity and collaboration. Today, government, corporate, and nonprofit clients around the world partner with us to transform increasingly complex information into useful knowledge.
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| WHO WE ARE: |
For over 80 years, NORC has evolved in many ways, moving the needle with research methods, technical applications and groundbreaking research findings. But our tradition of excellence, passion for innovation, and commitment to collegiality have remained constant components of who we are as a brand, and who each of us is as a member of the NORC team. With world-class benefits, a business casual environment, and an emphasis on continuous learning, NORC is a place where people join for the stellar research and analysis work for which we’re known, and stay for the relationships they form with their colleagues who take pride in the impact their work is making on a global scale.
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| EEO STATEMENT: |
NORC is an equal opportunity employer. NORC evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, sexual orientation, and other legally protected characteristics.
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