Research Economist - Prescription Drug and Healthcare Data Analysis

RTI International is an independent, scientific research institute dedicated to improving the human condition. Our vision is to address the world's most critical problems with technical and science-based solutions in pursuit of a better future. Clients rely on us to answer questions that demand an objective and multidisciplinary approach-one that integrates expertise across social, statistical, data, and laboratory sciences, engineering, and other technical disciplines to solve the world's most challenging problems.

We believe in the promise of science and technical solutions, and we push ourselves every day to deliver on that promise for the good of people, communities, and businesses in the US and around the world. If you are looking for the opportunity to make a real difference, RTI is the place for you.

RTI International's Center for Health Care Financing and Payment has an opening for a Research Economist in the Health Care Systems Research Department to serve as a task and project leader for implementation, analysis, and evaluation of innovative health care delivery and prescription drug policies, programs, and models.

As a Research Economist, you will provide cutting-edge analyses that will influence healthcare policy and healthcare system innovation, particularly within the Medicare and Medicaid programs and with respect to prescription drug pricing. Using large healthcare datasets, you will design and conduct quantitative analyses related to healthcare insurance, payment, and delivery models; prescription drug pricing, coverage and access; and healthcare financing, costs, utilization, and quality. You will lead analytic projects as an integral part of a team, apply an in-depth understanding of critical prescription drug policy issues and methods, contribute to and lead proposals to funding entities, and publish and present on findings for scientific audiences. You will support projects in operationalizing analyses of complex health care programs using a range of data sources including administrative claims data from the Medicare and Medicaid programs and other public and non-public data sources.

Candidates may choose to work remotely within the United States or at the Research Triangle Park, NC office.

• Lead and/or contribute to quantitative research activities related to prescription policy/research and other health policy and health services research topics.
• Design and develop analytic data files, integrating a variety of data sources including Medicare claims, enrollment data, prescription drug data sources, and other commercially and publicly available data.
• Conduct and supervise descriptive and statistical analyses of large, complex datasets.
• Succinctly present results for a diverse technical and policy audience.
• Author technical reports, memoranda, articles, documentation, regulations, and contract proposals.
• Ensure high quality and accuracy of work products.
• Supervise and manage research staff in completing project tasks.
• Collaborate with teams of mixed levels of technical skills and experience.
• Develop expertise in several health care policy, research methods, and healthcare data areas.
• Lead and/or contribute to contract proposals including methodological design, management plans, and project budgets.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A Master's degree in health services research, health economics, health policy, actuarial science, operations research, finance or related quantitative field with at least 3 years of relevant experience; or a Bachelor's degree in the same fields with at least 5 years of relevant experience.
• In-depth knowledge of and experience using prescription drug event and pharmacy data, formulary data, and FDA drug data sources to address research or policy questions.
• Experience analyzing large healthcare datasets, especially Medicare or Medicaid claims and administrative data, using Python, SQL, R, SAS, and/or Stata.
• Experience with and skills in quantitative, financial, actuarial, and statistical analysis.
• Experience with domestic (United States) health policy, particularly Medicare Part D and/or other prescription drug policies and programs.
• Ability to communicate (both written and verbal) complex ideas and information clearly and precisely to diverse audiences.
• Ability to support multiple projects simultaneously and manage competing deadlines.
• Ability to collaborate effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).
• To qualify, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States and should not require, now or in the future, sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H-1B visa status, etc.).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous health policy consulting experience or experience working with clients in the federal government.

For San Francisco, CA USA Job Postings Only: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Further information is available here.

RTI accepts applications to our job openings from candidates with criminal histories or conviction records in accordance with all applicable laws, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

For Applicants in Massachusetts Only: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

The anticipated pay range for this role is listed below. Our pay ranges represent national averages and may vary by location as a geographic differential may be applied to some locations within the United States. RTI considers multiple factors when making an offer including, for example: established salary range, internal budget, business needs, and education and years of work experience possessed by the applicant. Further, salary is merely one element to our offer.

At RTI, we demonstrate our commitment to rewarding individual and team achievement through a total rewards package. This package includes (among other things) a competitive base salary, a generous paid time off policy, merit based annual increases, bonus opportunities and a robust recognition program. Other benefits include a competitive range of insurance plans (including health, dental, life, and short-term and long-term disability), access to a retirement savings program such as a 401(k) plan, paid parental leave for all parents, financial assistance with adoption expenses or infertility treatments, financial reimbursement for education and developmental opportunities, an employee assistance program, and numerous other offerings to support a healthy work-life balance.