About the Position

West Virginia University invites applications and nominations for the position of Senior Research Associate – Office of Health Affairs beginning immediately upon availability.

The Senior Research Associate is a key participant in the State-University partnership between the West Virginia University Health Sciences Center and the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR). The Senior Research Associate will serve as a principal investigator on contracts leading interdisciplinary research, policy research, or program implementation and trainings translating research findings. Overarching responsibilities include working with the State to leverage their data and conducting relevant policy and evaluation research, or program implementation training. This position reports to the Director of Program Evaluation and Research.

West Virginia University’s Office of Health Affairs frequently engages in collaborative efforts with West Virginia’ DHHR. Ideal candidates will have work experience that aligns with the mission of DHHR’s Bureau for Medical Services, Bureau for Children and Families, Bureau for Behavioral Health and Bureau for Public Health.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSONSIBILITIES

• Lead multidisciplinary research and evaluation teams in using Medicaid claims data or other state data sources to answer research questions of interest to the state
• Demonstrated expertise through successful publication and program funding in the areas of mental or behavioral health, resiliency, or person-centered care
• Supervise and mentor research associates
• Facilitate communication and efficient collaboration between research partners at the West Virginia University Health Sciences Center and the staff of the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources
• Ensure that data analytic and research/evaluation activities are compliant with University-level policies for the responsible conduct of research as well as federal and state policies
• Provide consultation to faculty and government partners regarding preparation of research proposals, design and methodology, data analytics and interpretation of results
• Serve as a University representative and liaison to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources for the planning and performance of projects, programs and activities involving health data analytics and program evaluation
• Work as part of a team to advance the partnership between the West Virginia University Health Sciences Center and the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources
• Identify opportunities for potential collaborations between the Health Sciences Center and the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources as well as other state and nonprofit partners
• Prepare reports as required by the University, the Health Sciences Center administration, and external agencies. Communicate results of analytic projects and program evaluations with relevant leadership and stakeholders
• Work closely with OHA leadership and the Director of Evaluation Services to proactively identify and resolve issues that may adversely affect OHA research and evaluation programs
• Conduct or direct special projects as assigned. Act in other matters and capacities as delegated by the Assistant Vice President for Health Affairs or the Director of Evaluation Services
• Lead the development of publishing relevant findings
• Contribute to building a national reputation for excellence in research and scholarship for the Office of Health Affairs

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Experience designing and overseeing large research projects
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams
• Extensive knowledge and experience in utilizing large health databases for research, program evaluation, and policy development
• Experience analyzing Medicaid administrative claims data or other government program data
• Extensive knowledge in the use of standard statistical analysis packages such as SAS or R
• Record of successfully publishing peer-reviewed manuscripts in the field of health services research
• Experience training and/or supervising other individuals in using statistical analysis packages to analyze administrative claims data
• Ability to project and maintain a positive and collaborative attitude
• Record of accomplishments in the area of health data analytics
• Strong ability to communicate goals, methods, and results of research initiatives with key stakeholders
• Proficiency presenting the results of data analyses to diverse groups of stakeholders

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Earned PhD in health or data science-related field and 3-5 years of experience post-terminal degree leading grants or contracts
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel

To view the complete Position Profile or Apply for the position, go to https://www.highereducationleadershipsearch.com/searches/

To nominate someone for this position, e-mail: nominations@highereducationleadershipsearch.com

Martha Lavender, Ph.D. and Thomas Moorman, Ed.D. will be the consultants for the search. If you have questions or would like to have a confidential conversation about the position, call 256-239-2305 or e-mail mlavender@highereducationleadershipsearch.com or tmoorman@highereducationleadershipsearch.com

Candidates for this position will be considered through November 12, 2021

West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to excellence through diversity and encourages applications from historically underrepresented groups, veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

About West Virginia University

West Virginia University is a public, land-grant institution founded in 1867 whose mission is to create a diverse and inclusive culture that advances education, healthcare and prosperity for all by providing access and opportunity; by advancing high-impact research; and by leading transformation in West Virginia and the world through local, state and global engagement.

Part of the broader WVU System, its flagship campus is located in Morgantown, W.V., a vibrant city consistently named one of the best places to live in the U.S. Home to 26,269 students (nearly 30,000 in the WVU System), the Morgantown campus offers a combined 359 majors at the baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral levels across 14 colleges and schools: agriculture; natural resources and design; arts and sciences; business and economics; creative arts; dentistry; education and human services; engineering and mineral resources; law; media; medicine; nursing; pharmacy; physical activity and sport sciences; and public health. Hundreds of distance education and online classes are also available. The student-faculty ratio is 18-1.

WVU Morgantown prides itself on diversity, with students coming from 110 nations, all 50 U.S. states (plus D.C.) and all 55 West Virginia counties. Educational opportunities are top-notch, with 79% of full-time instructional/tenure-track faculty holding the highest academic degree in their field and 19 having been named Carnegie Foundation Professors of the Year.

In March 2014, Dr. E. Gordon Gee was appointed to his second term as president of West Virginia University (the first was 1981-85). A leader in higher education for more than three decades with extensive service on education-governance organizations and commissions, Dr. Gee was named one of the top 10 university presidents in the U.S. by Time magazine as well as the nation’s top university president by Great Value Colleges. In addition to his service at West Virginia University, Dr. Gee has also served as president of The Ohio State University twice, Vanderbilt University, Brown University and the University of Colorado.

In the fiscal year ending in 2020, WVU reached a new record of $195 million in research funding. This includes $95 million from the federal government (the top three federal agencies were the National Institutes of Health, Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation), $43 million from industry/other and $39 million from the State. The WVU Foundation also recorded $197.8 million in new gifts and pledges in 2020, bringing its total assets to $1.82 billion.

Spanning across 1,892 acres, the Morgantown campus features 245 buildings, 11 of which are on the National Register of Historic Places. Woodburn Hall, completed in 1876, is the centerpiece of the University and one of the oldest and most beautiful buildings on campus, dubbed “the beating heart of WVU.”

WVU boasts a vibrant and varied student life, offering more than 500 recognized student organizations as well as a plethora of intramural programs and club sports. Athletically, the Mountaineers compete at the NCAA DI level as members of the Big 12 Conference. One of the most storied athletics programs in the nation, the Mountaineers have amassed 22 national championships in men's and women's sports, almost 100 team conference titles and more than 200 first-team All-Americans, contributing to an enormous sense of pride in the community and across the state.

Collectively the WVU System spans 518 buildings across 15,880 acres, and includes the Morgantown flagship campus; WVU Potomac State College in Keyser; WVU Institute of Technology in Beckley; Health Sciences campuses in Charleston and Martinsburg; seven farms and five forests throughout the state; and WVU Jackson’s Mill State 4-H Camp. All are united under the vision of being purposeful in studies and work in order to partner with communities near and far to bring needed and valued solutions to real-life problems within the pillars of education, healthcare and prosperity.

For more information visit www.wvu.edu

The Office of Health Affairs is an independent office within the WVU Health Science Center whose goal is to deliver expertise through partnerships to improve the health of West Virginians via the provision of world-class services. It focuses on partnering with organizations that share a common purpose; delivering professional services that enhance and extend the capabilities of those partners; and engaging in work that positively transforms the community, by promoting the use of data to drive informed decision making, contributing to development of policies that foster a positive health impact and cultivating West Virginia’s national reputation through research and scholarship.

The OHA maintains a professional staff with broad expertise in several areas of health services research, including Program Evaluation, Data Management and Analysis, Policy Analysis, Behavioral Health and Public Health. Program Development and Management staff are master-level trained and have subject-matter expertise in public health, public administration and business administration, as well as Project Management Professional (PMP) and/or Certified Project Manager (CPM) certifications.

This position works collaboratively with the Health Sciences campus in Morgantown, which is the largest concentration of health care, research and health professions resources in the state. Nearly 4,000 students studying here have access to WVU Medicine hospitals and clinics, scores of research labs and opportunities for service across the region. This position also supports the work of the Health Science campus in Charleston.

As the academic home to more than 1,000 faculty members, the WVU Health Sciences Center is committed to education, research, service and patient care. The five health schools share a common goal: to educate the next generation of healthcare providers, biomedical researchers, and health policy leaders for West Virginia.

Across its schools, the HSC offers 47 degree and certificate programs and 50 medical and dental residency and fellowship programs.

The campus also includes Ruby Memorial Hospital and other clinical facilities associated with WVU Medicine, all of which serve as teaching locations for students. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention operates a major occupational health research facility on this campus.