About the Role
As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.
UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.
The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) is an independent research center at the University of Washington. Its mission is to deliver to the world timely, relevant, and scientifically valid evidence to improve health policy and practice. IHME carries out its mission through a range of projects within different research areas including the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors; Future Health Scenarios; Cost Effectiveness and Efficiency; Resource Tracking; and Impact Evaluations. Our vision is to provide policymakers, donors, and researchers with the highest-quality quantitative evidence base so all people live long lives in full health.
IHME is committed to providing the evidence base necessary to help solve the world’s most important health problems. This requires creativity and innovation, which is cultivated by an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment that respects and appreciates differences, embraces collaboration, and invites the voices of all IHME team members.
POSITION PURPOSE
IHME has an exciting opportunity for a Data Analyst to join our Resource Tracking Development Assistance for Health research team.
The Resource Tracking Development Assistance for Health (DAH) research team develops research intended to estimate global health financing from 1990 to 2050. The team looks at how DAH is disbursed or received by population, disability-adjusted life years, gross domestic product, and government health spending. The team also looks at all-cause spending for every country from 1995-2050 and HIV/AIDS spending for low- and middle-income countries. Research from this team has been published in a wide set of journals, presented around the globe, and offered online through an interactive visualization. Annually, this team produces the Financing Global Health report. The team’s Data Analyst will work closely with the faculty lead, other data professionals, researchers, and Post-Bachelor Fellows.
The main purpose of the Data Analyst position is to provide support to key research projects through database management, data quality management, computational support to multidisciplinary research projects, data extraction and formatting, and providing key inputs for papers and presentations. Data Analysts must develop an understanding of different research needs and analytic functions across multiple projects to best meet research needs. Data Analysts must be able to independently translate requests into actionable results through interactions with research databases, formulation of displays of results, and development of complex code to be applied to a variety of quantitative data.
This position calls for dexterity working with complex databases and the ability to assess, transform, and utilize quantitative data using multiple coding languages (R or Python). The individual must then quality control results to ensure that other team members have exactly what they need to incorporate the data and results into their own components of the analytic process, presentations, and papers. Additionally, this position will work alongside other Data Analysts on complementary projects and will require knowledge and skill sharing and collective problem solving. Overall, the Data Analyst will be a critical member of an agile, dynamic team. IHME is a grant funded organization and this position is contingent on project funding availability.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Research command
Become familiar with key research areas to understand the dimensions and uses of data and the analytic underpinnings of the Development Assistance for Health project.
Work directly with researchers to identify the source of data used in models and results, understand the context of the data, and ensure that they are relevant to the analyses themselves.
Create and document efficient, effective, and replicable methods for extracting data, developing code, organizing data sources, managing data quality, and explaining complex analytic processes.
Data management and analytics
Problem-solve computational and analytic challenges by investigating the data, understanding the root questions, and coming up with alternative measurement strategies.
Implement code solutions in order to answer analytic questions, perform diagnostics on results, and test and assess new methods.
Maintain, update, and adapt databases containing health data from multiple sources such as surveys, vital registration systems, administrative records, and published studies relevant to demographic estimation.
Maintain, update, and carry out routine but complex computational processes and statistical modeling that are central to generating estimates of key indicators.
Execute queries on databases and resolve intricate questions in order to respond to the needs of senior researchers and external requests from collaborators, media, policymakers, donors, and other stakeholders.
Bring together data, analytic engines, and data visualizations in one seamless computational process.
Use protocols to identify problems with datasets and routine computational processes, rectify issues, and systematize data for future analyses.
Transform and format datasets for use in ongoing analyses. Catalog and incorporate these datasets into databases. Perform quality checks.
General
Create tables, figures, and charts for presentations and publications.
Provide referencing and other support for publications and presentations.
Communicate clearly and effectively while contributing as a member of the Institute.
Work closely with other team members to assist with relevant tasks, facilitate learning new skills, and help resolve emerging problems on different projects.
Participate in overall community of the Institute, carrying out duties as required as team members with other Institute members.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Bachelor’s degree in public health, epidemiology, statistics, biostatistics, math, economics, quantitative social sciences, or related discipline plus two years’ related experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience. As a rule, a bachelor’s degree is equivalent to 4 years’ experience.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Demonstrated success in implementing complex analytic code in R or Python.
Adept diplomacy and exemplary interpersonal skills required. Must be agile at forming respectful and rewarding relationships with people with different levels of experience and expertise from a variety of cultural, linguistic, and professional settings.
Strong organizational skills and the ability to successfully manage multiple tasks and priorities to meet established and changing deadlines.
Proven interest in global health financing, population health, and/or ways in which quantitative research and data science can be used to create valuable global public goods.
Demonstrated self-motivation, ability to absorb detailed information, flexibility, and ability to thrive in a fast-paced, energetic, highly creative, and collaborative environment.
Ability to learn new information quickly and to apply analytic skills to better understand complex information in a systematic way.
Strong quantitative aptitude.
A commitment to working to alongside others at IHME to illuminate the health impacts of systemic racism and to work within IHME to make our organization more diverse and inclusive. See IHME’s DEI statement here
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
Weekend and evening work sometimes required.
This position is open to anyone authorized to work in the US. The UW is not able to sponsor visas for staff positions.
Office is located in Seattle, Washington. This position is eligible to work fully remote in the US; work schedule required to overlap 50% of IHME office hours, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Pacific Time.
Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, the University of Washington will honor your experiences, perspectives and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming.
The University of Washington is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 / 206-543-6452 (TTY) or dso@uw.edu.
Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, the University of Washington will honor your experiences, perspectives and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming.
The University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.
To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu.
Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.
COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENT
Employees of the University of Washington are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 unless a medical or religious exemption is approved. Being fully vaccinated means that an individual is at least two weeks past their final dose of an authorized COVID-19 vaccine regimen. As a condition of employment, newly hired employees will be required to provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination. View the Final candidate guide to COVID-19 vaccination requirement webpage for information about the medical or religious exemption process for final candidates.