Research Scientist 2 (Health Services Research)

Duties Description

OPWDD's Division of State Operations (DSO) oversees the delivery of state-operated supports and services to over 8,000 individuals across New York State. The Research Scientist 2 position is located within DSO's Bureau of Business Analytics and Research, which oversees the Division's activities involving operational research, program evaluation, and data analytics. The Bureau consists of three units: (1) Enterprise Software Solutions, (2) Application Development, and (3) Data, Statistics, and Operational Research. The incumbent will be assigned to the third unit, which is responsible for conducting data-driven research to inform policy and practice, maintaining reporting systems, and developing new analytic and research tools. The Research Scientist 2 will perform work that bridges data analytics with applied research, contributing directly to the Division's core mission of improving services and outcomes for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Supporting the development of a comprehensive (Employee Health Record) EHR DataMart by defining data requirements and ensuring data structures meet research and analytic needs.
• Designing and executing data validation studies to ensure the integrity of research datasets.
• Extracting and analyzing data from complex administrative systems (e.g., electronic health record, tracking and billing) to identify trends, evaluate program outcomes, and inform operational decisions.
• Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, including IT and operations staff, to translate research findings into actionable recommendations.
• Preparing data visualizations and dashboards to communicate results in accessible, policy-relevant formats.
• Contributing to applied and original research under the general direction of senior research staff. Projects will be moderate in scope and demonstrate sound scientific judgment in the selection of research methods and analytical techniques. Statistical models will test hypotheses relevant to service delivery, health outcomes, and quality improvement.
• Summarizing research findings for research reports, manuscripts, and technical briefs aimed at internal and external audiences.
• Disseminating findings through presentations and publications.
  
  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nys-office-for-people-with-developmental-disabilities/posts/?feedView=all

Minimum Qualifications

Non-Competitive:

Bachelor’s degree and three years of professional research experience in an appropriate field.

Substitutions:

Master’s degree in an appropriate field may substitute for one year of experience, and Ph.D. in an appropriate field may substitute for an additional year of experience.

Preferred Qualifications: Experience conducting applied research in a public health or human services setting. Strong statistical and data management skills with demonstrated experience using SAS and/or SPSS to manage and analyze large administrative data sets. Familiarity with data visualization software such as Tableau. Experience designing and conducting quantitative and qualitative research studies and preparing manuscripts, technical reports, or presentations. Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively in a multidisciplinary team environment.

Additional Comments

• The assignment of PS&T employees will be made in accordance with any agreed upon Memorandum of Understanding between PEF and the local DDSO regarding the posting of job vacancies.
• Preference will be given to OPWDD employees impacted by closures. If you are being impacted by closure, please indicate this on your resume.
• All OPWDD employees must be eligible and maintain eligibility for full and unconditional participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Continued employment will depend on maintaining eligibility.
• If you are employed by state government you may be able to receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on Direct Loans after 120 qualifying monthly payments have been made under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. For more information on PSLF, please visit www.studentAid.gov/publicservice.
• Employees on long term leave can bid on positions but must be able to report to work within fourteen (14) days and be able to perform the essential functions of their positions with or without reasonable accommodation (RA).
• If an employee or job applicant believes that they need a reasonable accommodation, they should contact the Reasonable Accommodation Unit at (518) 486-7222 or email accommodationrequests@opwdd.ny.gov to obtain information and RA forms.
• Savings programs such as the U.S. Savings Bond and the College Savings Plan.
• Voluntary pre-tax savings programs such as Health Care Spending Account and the Dependent Care Advantage Account offer employees options to pay for uncovered health care expenses or dependent care expenses.
• Access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) an assessment and referral service that connects employees with local service providers and support services to address their personal needs.
• Life insurance and Disability insurance.
• The New York State Deferred Compensation Plan is a voluntary retirement plan that offers employees the option to invest a part of their salaries for retirement on a tax-deferred basis.
• Paid Holidays and Leave:
  
  

° Thirteen (13) paid holidays each year.

° Thirteen (13) days of paid vacation leave initially.

° Five (5) days paid personal leave each year.

° Thirteen (13) days of paid sick leave each year (PEF/CSEA), which may carry over from year to year.

° Up to three (3) days professional leave each year to participate in professional development events.

• Health Care Coverage:
  
  

Employees and their eligible dependents can choose from a variety of affordable health insurance programs. Employees are provided family dental and vision plans at no extra cost.

• Paid Parental Leave:
  
  

Paid Parental Leave allows eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave at full pay for each qualifying event. A qualifying event is defined as the birth of a child or placement of a child for adoption or foster care.

• Retirement Program:
  
  

Participate in The NYS Employees’ Retirement System (ERS), which is recognized as one of the best-managed and best-funded public retirement systems in the nation.

• Professional Development and Education and Training:
  
  

NYS offers training programs and tuition assistance to eligible employees to maintain and increase their professional skills and prepare them for promotional opportunities. For more information, please visit https://oer.ny.gov/training-and-professional-development.

• Additionally, the Public Service Workshops Program (PSWP) offers certain professional training opportunities for PEF represented and M/C designated employees that may grant continuing education credits towards maintaining professional licensure. For more information, please visit https://oer.ny.gov/public-service-workshops-program-pswp.
• OPWDD is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer dedicated to creating and sustaining a culture of inclusion. We believe that we are most effective in managing and improving our service system with a diverse team of employees. With such a large workforce, we rely on the collective individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, self-expression, ideas and talent that our employees bring to their work. This speaks to our culture and is a key part of our successes. As we continuously recruit people for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that applicants bring in terms of their education, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, color, religion, disability, sexual orientation and beliefs.
  
  

***All people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.***