Research Associate II - Public Health & Health and Human Services

Job Description

Job Description

At  Vital Research , we believe data is most powerful when it drives positive social impact. We partner with government agencies, nonprofits, foundations, and community organizations to evaluate programs and generate insights that advance health equity, public health, aging services, supports for people with disabilities, and community well-being.

We’re seeking a curious, analytical, and mission-driven Research Associate II to join our collaborative team and contribute to high-impact research and evaluation projects within the public health and Health & Human Services (HHS) sectors.

This position is based in Los Angeles, California. Local candidates are required due to collaboration, client engagement, and business needs. This is not a fully remote position. This is a full-time position (40 hours per week). The position may require additional hours, including occasional evenings and weekends, based on project needs and deadlines.

Candidates must have professional research and/or evaluation experience within public health, Health & Human Services, healthcare, Medicaid, or a closely related health or human services setting. General research experience without relevant public health or HHS experience does not meet the requirements for this position.

About the Role

The Research Associate II plays a key role in the management and execution of multi-sector research and evaluation projects. Operating with a degree of independence, this role applies qualitative and quantitative research methods to lead project activities, analyze data, develop reports, and present findings that inform programs, policy, and practice.

This role requires demonstrated consulting experience and is designed for an experienced research consultant who can independently manage multiple concurrent client engagements. The ideal candidate is comfortable serving as a client-facing project lead, balancing competing priorities and deadlines, coordinating project teams, and driving projects from planning through final deliverables while maintaining strong client relationships and delivering high-quality work.

What You’ll Do

Lead Research and Evaluation Projects

• Manage multiple research and evaluation projects from planning through final deliverables.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for clients and project partners.
• Coordinate project timelines, budgets, communications, and deliverables.
• Ensure research activities meet quality standards and project objectives.
• Support business development efforts, including proposal writing and client relationship management.

Conduct Mixed-Methods Research

• Design and implement surveys, interviews, focus groups, and other data collection activities.
• Support participant recruitment and stakeholder engagement efforts, including outreach to diverse and hard-to-reach populations.
• Manage, clean, and organize quantitative and qualitative datasets.
• Maintain data integrity, confidentiality, and compliance with research protocols.
• Apply research and evaluation methods to public health and HHS programs and populations.

Analyze Data and Communicate Findings

• Conduct rigorous qualitative and quantitative analyses using appropriate methodologies.
• Develop charts, dashboards, visualizations, and other tools to support data interpretations.
• Prepare reports, presentations, literature reviews, and client-facing deliverables.  
• Translate complex findings into clear, actionable recommendations.

Contribute to Team Success

• Mentor junior staff and support team development.
• Supervise field staff, consultants, and project team members as needed.
• Contribute to proposal development, business development initiatives, and client relationship management.
• Participate in professional development, conferences, publications, and knowledge-sharing activities.

What You’ll Bring

Required

• Master’s degree in public health, social science, healthcare, human services, or a related field.
• 4+ years of post-master's experience in research and/or evaluation.
• Professional experience conducting research, evaluation, or analytics in public health, Health & Human Services, healthcare, Medicaid, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated consulting experience independently managing multiple concurrent research, evaluation, or client engagements from planning through completion, including timelines, deliverables, client communication, and competing priorities.
• Strong client-facing experience, including facilitating meetings, managing expectations, and translating client needs into project deliverables.
• Experience working with government agencies, healthcare organizations, health and human service systems, nonprofits, or community-based organizations.
• Expertise in mixed-methods research, including survey design, qualitative research, and quantitative data analysis.
• Proficiency with statistical software such as SPSS, SAS, R, Stata, and/or survey platforms.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate complex findings to varied audiences.
• Ability to prioritize competing demands, work independently, and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with diverse communities, stakeholders, clients, and project teams.
• Must be based in or near Los Angeles, California, and able to work in a hybrid environment.

Preferred

• Experience evaluating Medicaid or other publicly funded health and human services programs.
• Experience working with state or local public health agencies or government partners.
• Experience conducting community-based research or engaging underserved or hard-to-reach populations.
• Bilingual English/Spanish proficiency.
• Experience contributing to proposal development, business development, or client relationship growth.

Why Join Vital?

• Conduct meaningful work that improves programs, policies, and community outcomes.
• Work across diverse projects in public health, healthcare, aging, disabilities, and human services.
• Collaborate with experienced researchers and mission-driven professionals.
• Opportunities for professional growth, publishing, conference participation, and ongoing learning.
• Flexible, hybrid work environment with up to 20% travel.
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, flexible vacation and work hours, 401(k) after one year, EAP, and annual professional development stipend.

Apply Today

At Vital, we don’t just measure impact, we elevate community voices, inform policy, and embed equity in all we do. If you're passionate about research that creates real-world impact, we’d love to hear from you.

If you have professional research or evaluation experience in public health, Health & Human Services, healthcare, Medicaid, or a related field and are based near Los Angeles, we’d love to hear from you.

Please note: Candidates who do not meet the required public health/Health & Human Services experience, demonstrated consulting experience managing multiple concurrent projects, and local work-location requirements will not be considered.

To apply, by September 25, 2026 , please submit:

• Resume/CV
• Brief cover letter describing your relevant experience and interest in the role.
• One writing sample, such as:

• • A client-facing report or large-scale survey project report, or

• • A peer-reviewed article (applicant must be the primary author)

Vital is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.