Biostatistician II

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Established in 1959, the Alcohol Research Group (ARG) conducts and disseminates research on the epidemiology of alcohol and other drug consumption and problems, alcohol health services research, and alcohol policies while also training future generations of researchers. ARG is also home to the National Alcohol Research Center.

Reporting directly to the Lead Biostatistician/Scientific Director, the Biostatistician II provides (1) statistical programming and statistical and epidemiologic data analysis support in consultation with the Manager Statistical and Data Services/Scientific Director/Scientists; (2) maintenance support for the ARG survey databases; (3) consultation for the design and analysis of sample surveys in support of scientists and research staff; and (4) aid in the drafting of manuscripts/grants, especially methods, analyses (and results on manuscripts), and power estimation sections. In addition, the position supports the programming, data analytic, and data maintenance activities of other staff including Research Associates.

This is a regular, part-time, 75% FTE position with a work schedule of 30 hours per week. This position may be fully remote, hybrid, or working in-person in the office located in Berkeley, CA. The individual hired is expected to work some business hours for the Pacific Time zone.

Full salary range for this position: $112,565 to $171,086 per year based on 100% FTE. The typical hiring range for this position is from $84,423.75 (minimum) to $106,369.50 (midpoint), based 75% FTE. The starting salary is determined using a variety of factors, such as the candidate’s knowledge, skills, and experience, as well as internal equity consideration and budget availability.

Employment Type: Part Time

Primary Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:

Statistical Programming and Statistical/Epidemiologic Data Analysis

• Provides statistical and epidemiologic data analysis consultation to scientists;
• Meets with Manager Statistical and Data Services /Scientific Director on an ongoing basis. Formulates appropriate analysis strategies. When necessary, this includes collaboration with Biostatistical personnel to develop/modify statistical/ epidemiologic methods most appropriate for testing study hypotheses;
• The range of statistical techniques a Biostatistician II is expected to implement are those taught in Master’s and Ph.D. level courses in statistics, social epidemiology and health services research. Implementations of more advanced methods are carried out in collaboration with Senior Statistician/s and appropriate consultants.
• Provides consultation for appropriate statistical tools for analysis, and statistical programming involving such tools.

Assisting in Drafting of Manuscripts/Grant Applications

• Provides statistical consultation for the design and analysis of sample surveys for doctoral-level research scientists and other research staff.
• In collaboration with individual scientists, helps draft the technical, statistical methodology, analyses and power estimation sections of grant applications.
• Aids in the drafting of technical publications based on survey data findings. This typically involves drafting Methodology/Analysis/Results Sections of manuscripts. On occasion, however, a Biostatistician II will also be expected to author, or serve as the sole/first author of a manuscript in interest areas, particularly those emphasizing statistical and epidemiologic methods.

Maintenance of Archival Survey and other Databases

• Ensures that accurate protocols are followed in the storage and maintenance of survey and other data and accompanying materials;
• Develops code databases for cleaning/merging/documenting data;
• Creates and transforms variables as well as creating dataset documentation;
• Monitors work of the Research Associate staff in collaboration with the Manager Statistical and Data Services/Scientific Director and Principal Investigators to ensure that all contributions to ARG datasets conform with ARG database standards.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Minimum Qualifications

• 5 years of experience in Statistics, Public Health, Alcohol, Epidemiology, Social Science, or Economic fields with extensive application to the analysis of survey/services research data.
• Master’s degree in Statistics, Economics, or other related fields.

Other Required Qualifications

• Publication of 1-5 first/sole authored research articles in peer reviewed journals. Publication of 6-20 co-authored publications.
• D. preferred in fields such as Statistics/Economics/ Epidemiology and extensive familiarity with social science and alcohol-related survey and/or services research.
• Experience with analyses of both public administrative data, particularly mortality data, and complex survey data, including the following:
  • Experience with autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models for time-series analyses as well as error-correction modeling (ECM) for time-series where cointegration is observed.
  • Experience with generalized least squares (GLS) models for the panel data such as US states over time and difference in differences (DID) methods such as synthetic control method (SCM) and synthetic DID methods for policy evaluation.
  • Experience with advanced survival analysis, additive and multiplicative interactions, propensity score methods, and multilevel models for longitudinal within- and between-person decomposition.
• Thorough knowledge of the motivation, theory, and applicability of more advanced statistical tools
• Thorough knowledge of the application of advanced data analytic techniques such as non-parametric and non-linear methods, psychometric methods such as dimension reduction, non-linear scaling and latent variable techniques, longitudinal and stochastic modeling, mediation/moderation analyses, and analysis of clustered data from complex sampling designs.
• Ability to tailor analyses to study goals.
• Strong computer skills (i.e., proficiency in the programming of multiple statistical software packages including Stata, SPSS, Mplus, R, potentially SAS, etc.).
• Excellent oral and technical written communication skills
• Good organizational skills
• Strong team participation skills
• Exceptional analytical skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to solve problems of a complex nature.
• Excellent working relationships with individuals, professional groups and communities
• Creative, resourceful and possesses initiative
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with machine learning and causal inference and mediation analysis.
• Knowledge of, or evidence of ability to acquire skills in methods such as Machine Learning and AI applications; geospatial data and analyses, and surveys linked to geographic data; survival analyses with mortality or morbidity data; analytic techniques for policy evaluation (e.g., difference-in-differences models); and behavioral simulation modeling is also desirable.

FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT (FLSA) STATUS

This position is classified as exempt based on the job duties. However, based on the FTE, salary level of the employee, or federal/state/local laws, the employee may be classified as nonexempt.

Salary & Benefits

Salary Range

$84,423.75 (minimum) to $106,369.50 (midpoint), based 75% FTE

About the Organization

The Public Health Institute (PHI) is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting health, well-being, and quality of life for people throughout California, across the nation and around the world. As one of the largest and most comprehensive public health organizations in the nation, we are at the forefront of research and innovations to improve the efficacy of public health statewide, nationally, and internationally.

PHI was distinguished as one of the top 50 "Best Non-Profit Organizations to Work For" by the Non-Profit Times in a national search.