Principal Research Associate - Behavioral Health

26753BR

Job Title:

Principal Research Associate - Behavioral Health

Location:

MD - Rockville

Job Description:

Westat is an employee-owned corporation providing research services to agencies of the U.S. Government, as well as businesses, foundations, and state and local governments. Westat's research, technical, and administrative staff of more than 2,000 is located at our headquarters in Rockville, Maryland, near Washington, DC.

Westat is committed to building a diverse workforce and a culture of inclusivity, belonging and equity for all. We believe that our greatest strength draws on the different backgrounds, cultures, perspectives and experiences of our employees.

Westat has an immediate opening for a Principal Research Associate to join our team of leading researchers and evaluators in our Behavioral Health and Health Policy Practice. As a Principal Research Associate, you will lead and support tasks on both large- and small-scale evaluation studies involving a range of domestic program and policy contexts, especially those involving vulnerable populations. Your work will focus on a variety of behavioral health topics and address the needs of individuals with substance misuse and mental health conditions. Our multidisciplinary group of research and evaluation professionals work on a wide range of cutting-edge studies funded by federal, state, and local governments and study how changes in social policies impact our communities.

In this role, you will work closely with project leadership and multi-disciplinary project teams. These teams will be both internal and external to Westat and they will translate science into practice and provide resources for diverse audiences including federal and state agency partners, and provider and consumer organizations. You will collaborate with staff on projects and provide direction, management and support to projects that include, in addition to evaluations, technical assistance, social science research, and training contracts. Some of these projects will include substantive opportunities to work on health equity, social determinants of health, and opioids.

Some examples of the type of work you can be involved with and help make an impact on include:

• Mixed-methods evaluations of national and local behavioral health prevention initiatives for youth, families, and vulnerable populations;

• Development of innovative methods for assessing the effectiveness of a range of evidenced based interventions.

Your research and evaluation expertise will enable you to consult on behavioral health issues as needed and contribute to peer-reviewed journal articles and technical reports based on your project work. You will work with senior management team members on business development activities and proposals from a variety of federal agencies, states, and foundations and be available to consult on technical issues as needed.

A hybrid work arrangement (1-2 days per week on-site) is preferred, remote work arrangements will be considered.

Job Responsibilities:

• Manage day-to-day operations of complex behavioral health research and evaluation projects including project management; data collection, management, and analysis; and presentation and manuscript preparation.

• Lead or support federal contracts that require evaluation, dissemination, technical expert panels, policy analyses, and technical assistance and training, as appropriate.

• Supervise staff and interact with subcontractors and clients.

• Take a role in operationalizing project scope, goals, and deliverables.

• Lead qualitative or quantitative data analysis and interpretation for multiple audiences.

• Lead the development and presentation of research findings at conferences and other meetings.

• Contribute to publications based on project evaluations.

• Manage project budgets, develop technical, staffing and cost proposals.

• Supervise staff and interact with subcontractor and clients.

• Take a leadership role in business development with networks of internal and external staff on proposals and projects from a variety of federal agencies, states, and foundations.

Basic Qualifications:

• PhD in public health or a social science discipline such as psychology or analytical methods such as applied statistics with 5 or more years of relevant post-doctoral experience or a Master's degree in public health, behavioral health, a social science discipline such as psychology or analytical methods such as applied statistics with 8 or more years of relevant post-degree experience working in behavioral health and research with federal and state clients.

• Experience with federal contracts project management.

• Proficiency in designing evaluation studies.

• Experience with quantitative or qualitative research.

• Experience managing and directing staff and subcontractors.

• Experience managing project budgets, and developing technical, staffing and cost proposals.

Preferred Qualifications:

• A strong background in the design and implementation of a range of evaluation studies and experience with mixed-methods approaches.

• Demonstrated experience with strong quantitative and qualitative analytical skills.

• Experience writing technical reports (such as literature reviews, study plans, methodology reports, summaries of research findings) or contributing to peer-review journal articles

• Experience in behavioral health conditions research.

• Experience in proposal writing.

• Experience as a Project Manager for federal or state contracts.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Demonstrated communication skills

• Collaboration with teams, managers and/or clients

• Organization skills, including time management ability

• Detail oriented

Westat offers a well-rounded and comprehensive benefits program focused on wellness and work/life balance. Subject to plan requirements, employees may participate in:

• Employee Stock Ownership Plan

• 401(k) Retirement Plan

• Paid Parental Leave

• Vacation Leave (20 days per year)

• Sick Leave (10 days per year)

• Holiday Leave (7 government holidays and 2 floating holidays)

• Professional Development

• Health Advocate

• Employee Assistance Program

• Travel Accident Insurance

• Medical Insurance

• Dental Insurance

• Vision Insurance

• Short Term Disability Insurance

• Long Term Disability Insurance

• Life and AD&D Insurance

• Critical Illness Insurance

• Supplemental Life Insurance

• Flexible Spending Account

• Health Savings Account

This opportunity will be posted for a minimum of 5 days and applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis.

Westat is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, genetic information, gender identity or expression, or any other protected status under applicable law.

Job ID:

26753BR

Career Area:

Research

Pay Range:

The anticipated salary range is $111k-160k per year and will be commensurate with experience.

Bonus Eligibility:

Yes