Research Associate II - Health Care Programs/Medicaid Research

NORC at the University of Chicago is seeking a Research Associate II to join the Health Care Programs Research Department. The Health Care Programs team provides data-driven research, policy and program analysis, and technical assistance to a mix of clients including federal and state governments and foundations.

NORC’s Health Care Programs team provides a wide array of services and expertise to support federal and state government and foundation clients in addressing health system transformation and delivery, payment reform and implementation, health equity, and a range of policy issues facing public health insurance programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, and Marketplace coverage.

Our subject matter experts employ a variety of methods and approaches to inform client needs, including: research design and implementation, qualitative and quantitative data collection, policy analysis and program design, technical assistance and operational support, data management, linkage, and analysis of large complex administrative and health data sets, and monitoring of quality and performance data.

• Provide general research support related to health policy research and technical support.
• Conduct literature reviews, environmental scans, statistical analysis of primary and secondary data and prepares memos, tables, and graphs based on findings under supervision of experienced professionals.
• Take notes at meetings and prepare initial draft of minutes.
• Develop project materials, such as report outlines, visual exhibits for reports, and serving as an editor for deliverables.
• Support business development efforts through coordination of document preparation and reproduction.
• Under the direction of senior staff, support the development of new business by conducting background research on programs, award history, and client goals and objectives.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor's Degree from accredited college or university in Social Science, Public Health, Health Policy, or a related field.
• 18 months of research experience (or Master’s Degree) in health sciences, public health, health policy with qualitative and/or quantitative methods and analysis public health, health policy with qualitative and/or quantitative methods and analysis required.
• Experience researching public health insurance programs such as Medicaid and Medicare.
• Understanding of routine sampling procedures and working knowledge of statistical software packages (SAS, SPSS, NVivo, Tableau, etc.)
• Must demonstrate effective workplace competencies, including:
  • Effective problem solving skills
  • Adaptability and willingness to work on multiple projects simultaneously
  • Strong written and verbal communications
  • Attentiveness to detail
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively within a team
  • Proficiency with MS Office/M365 applications.
• Occasional travel for site visits and meetings may be required.

Qualified applicants must be eligible to work in the U.S. We regret that we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position.

The pay range for this position is $60,000-$70,000.

This position is classified as regular. Regular staff are eligible for NORC’s comprehensive benefits program. Benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Generously subsidized health insurance, effective on the first day of employment
• Dental and vision insurance
• A defined contribution retirement program, along with a separate voluntary 403(b) retirement program
• Group life insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance
• 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’s Approach to Equity and Transparency

Pay and benefits transparency helps to reduce wage gaps. As part of our commitment to pay equity and salary transparency, NORC includes a salary range for each job opening along with information about eligible benefit offerings. At NORC, we take a comprehensive approach to setting salary ranges and reviewing raises and promotions, which is overseen by a formal Salary Review Committee (SRC).

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.

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.

NORC is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer that values and actively seeks diversity in the workforce. NORC evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other legally- protected characteristics.