In order for your application to be considered, please attach a cover letter and resume to your employment application.

The Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics is one of the nation’s premier health policy research centers.  Housed jointly in the School of Pharmacy and Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California (USC), its mission is to measurably improve value in health care through evidence-based policy solutions, research excellence, and private and public sector engagement.  Center experts are frequently cited by the media, White House, Congress, the Congressional Budget Office, the Federal Reserve Board, and other agencies.

A diverse staff of 40+ work alongside 60+ affiliated faculty to ensure the Center’s activities are rigorous, independent, and policy-relevant.  This includes research staff, a finance team, and media and communications experts.  The Center also supports a microsimulation group and a research programmer core with access to models, methods, and an extensive data library.    

Job Summary

The Schaeffer Center is seeking a Research Programmer to provide programming support on research projects that use administrative healthcare claims data.  Knowledge of and extensive experience with SAS and Stata required.  Programmers are an integral part of the research team and work closely with the principal investigator and a multidisciplinary research team.  The key role of the programmer is to develop a plan to adapt data that are complex and very large in scope to answer research questions.  Programmers also execute the analytical plan for the project in conjunction with graduate students and other team members. In addition, the programmer must manage large data files and utilize creativity and innovation to solve conceptual programming problems raised by cutting-edge research.  Programmers are also part of a state-of-the-art data core at Schaeffer Center with opportunity for peer interaction and mentoring.

Required Qualifications:

• BA/BS in Statistics, quantitative social science, health economics, mathematics or related field

• 2 or more years of experience with SAS, a statistical programming language

• Working knowledge of Stata

• Ability to work independently on complex programming while collaborating in a multidisciplinary team setting

• Experience with large, administrative health databases, including administrative healthcare (medical, pharmacy, plan benefit/enrollment, etc.) claims from Medicare, Medicaid, or health insurance plans, and electronic medical/health records

• Attention to detail

• Ability to work to deadlines

Preferred Qualifications:

• MA/MS in Statistics, quantitative social science, health economics, mathematics or related field

• 3 or more years of experience with SAS and Stata.

• Experience with SQL

• Experience with survey data

• Demonstrated creativity and innovation in solving conceptual programming problems.

Compensation

Competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications. This is a full-time, 2-year (renewable) fixed term position.

USC is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring ordinance. We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at (213) 821-8100, or by email at  uschr@usc.edu Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.