Job Description

The Senior Health Services Researcher is a senior-level researcher responsible for leading rigorous, and policy- and practice-relevant health services research using real-world data, including electronic medical records (EMR/EHR), claims, and workforce data. The role requires strong grounding in biostatistics and epidemiology to ensure rigorous study design, valid inference, and high-quality analysis of real-world clinical data.

This individual will serve as a hands-on analyst and methodological leader, designing and executing advanced quantitative studies that inform primary care delivery, workforce development, and health outcomes in community-based settings, particularly Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). The role emphasizes applied, implementation-oriented, and health services research that understands clinical systems and outcomes.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Methodological Leadership and Data Analysis

• Independently lead at least one complex multi-year research and evaluation project.
• Lead the design and execution of advanced quantitative and mixed-methods studies using EMR/EHR, claims, and other real-world data sources
• Apply rigorous methods such as causal inference, longitudinal analysis, multilevel modeling, quasi-experimental designs, and machine learning
• Serve as a hands-on analyst, directly working with large, complex datasets
• Independently design studies grounded in epidemiologic principles and execute analyses that meet peer-reviewed publication standards

EMR/EHR & Real-World Data Expertise

• Extract, clean, and analyze structured and unstructured data from electronic medical records
• Partner with clinical and IT teams to understand data architecture, workflows, and data quality limitations for analytical purposes
• Use EMR data to evaluate care delivery, patient outcomes, and quality improvement initiatives

Research & Implementation Science

• Lead and contribute to implementation and evaluation studies focused on:
  • Primary care delivery models
  • Care coordination and team-based care
  • Workforce development and career pathways
  • Cancer screening and chronic disease management
• Translate findings into actionable recommendations for health centers and partners

Funding & Scholarly Leadership

• Work closely with multidisciplinary teams including clinicians, data scientists, educators, and external partners
• Lead or contribute to grant development (federal, foundation, industry)
• Serve as Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on funded projects
• Publish in peer-reviewed journals and present findings to national audiences

Staff Leadership & Capacity Building

• Supervise and mentor Research Scientists, and Research Associates.
• Provide high-level scientific review and methodological consultation across teams.
• Develop junior investigators toward increasing independence and funding success.
• Lead internal learning sessions to strengthen analytic and writing capacity.
• Contribute to recruitment and talent development within the research team.
• Contribute to building a strong, methodologically rigorous research culture.

External Engagement & Institutional Representation

• Serve as scientific contact for major funders and national collaborators.
• Represent Weitzman Institute in national advisory and research networks.
• Strengthen relationships with federal agencies (e.g., HRSA, NIH, CDC), foundations, academic institutions, and corporate partners.
• Ensure compliance with complex reporting requirements and performance metrics.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required Education

• Doctoral degree (PhD, ScD, DrPH, or equivalent) in public health, epidemiology, health services research, health policy, implementation science, or related field

OR

• Masters degree with at least 7 years of research experience commensurate with other requirements.

Required Experience

• Minimum 3 years of progressively responsible research experience.
• Sustained peer-reviewed publication record with evidence of scholarly impact.
• Demonstrated experience working with electronic medical record (EMR/EHR) data
• Strong track record of hands-on data analysis using large, complex datasets
• Experience working in or with primary care settings, preferably FQHCs or safety-net systems

Required Skills

• Strong foundation in biostatistics and epidemiology, including study design, bias, confounding, and causal inference
• Advanced proficiency in statistical software (Python, SAS, Stata, R, or equivalent)
• Demonstrated ability to apply statistical and epidemiologic methods to real-world healthcare data, including EMR/EHR and claims
• Experience with:
  • Data cleaning and transformation of EMR/EHR data
  • Statistical modeling and causal inference methods
  • Machine learning and/or natural language processing (preferred)
  • Familiarity with healthcare data standards (e.g., ICD, CPT, LOINC)

Preferred Qualifications

• Established professional network in primary care or health services research.
• Experience integrating innovative analytic approaches (e.g., data science, AI-enabled methods).
• Experience contributing to and leading grant proposals

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORK ENVIRONMENT

Remote with occasional travel to healthcare sites, meetings, and conferences

Confidentiality of Information

Confidentiality of business information is a requirement. Confidentiality must be maintained according to CHC policies

This Position is available for remote work.

Organization Information:

The Moses/Weitzman Health System is a global leader addressing challenges faced by organizations caring for the poor and diverse populations, and is home to programs focusing on education, research, and process improvement support for safety net providers. The system delivers primary care to more than 150,000 patients in Connecticut, and extends access to specialty care for more than 2.5 million individuals across the U.S. It is a national accrediting body for organizations training advanced practice providers, and offers accredited education and training for Medical Assistants in multiple states. As an incubator for new ideas in areas including social justice, the environment, and social determinants of health, the MWHS is addressing challenges faced by providers caring for underserved communities, creating innovative and impactful initiatives led by nationally and internationally recognized experts. As it forges pathways into the future of primary care, the MWHS honors Lillian Reba Moses (1924-2012), a granddaughter of slaves, and Gerard (Gerry) Weitzman (1938-1999), whose ancestors escaped pogroms in Eastern Europe. Their vision and commitment to justice and equity in healthcare is the foundation upon which the Moses/Weitzman Health System was built.

Time Type:

Full time