Senior Research Programmer

In order for your application to be considered, please attach a cover letter and resume to your employment application.

The Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy and Government Service has been established by a historic gift from USC Trustee Leonard D. Schaeffer. It houses two existing programs under one umbrella—the Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics and the Leonard D. Schaeffer Fellows in Government Service.

The USC Schaeffer Center, a collaboration of the Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Sol Price School of Public Policy with the mission to measurably improve value in health through evidence-based policy solutions, research excellence, and private and public sector engagement, is looking for a Senior SAS Research Programmer to provide programming support on research projects examining health behavior research and related health policy topics.

The Senior SAS Research Programmer will serve as lead programmer and technical specialist on research projects that use administrative healthcare claims data. SAS is required. The programmer is an integral part of the research team and works closely with the principal investigator and a multidisciplinary research team. The key role of the programmer is to develop a plan to adapt data that are complex and very large in scope to answer research questions. Contributes to research designs and participates in the preparation of papers describing the research.  Oversees the analytical design, coding, testing, debugging and documentation activities of project staff and graduate students. Manages large data files. Utilizes creativity and innovation to solve conceptual programming problems raised by cutting-edge research. Works under minimal supervision at a high level of technical proficiency on all phases of programming. Makes technical presentations and demonstrations at conferences and/or meetings. Programmers are also part of a state-of-the-art data core at Schaeffer Center with opportunity for peer interaction and mentoring.

Required Qualifications:

• MA/MS in Statistics, quantitative social science, economics, mathematics or related field. Combined work experience and education as equivalent.

• 3 or more years’ experience with SAS. Working knowledge of Stata, SQL, Microsoft and Linux systems.

• Serves as lead programmer or technical specialist on research projects.

• Experience with health data, including large administrative healthcare claims data from Medicare or private health insurance plans, HCCI in specific (medical, pharmacy, plan benefit/enrollment, etc.). Experience with HCPCs, ICD9/ICD10 and other health related coding systems.

• Experience identifying Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Experience with panel studies.

• Relevant work experience to provide strong technical knowledge of programming and analysis as well as senior or lead experience. Demonstrated ability to stand in for researchers as circumstances require.

• Demonstrated creativity and innovation in solving conceptual programming problems.

• Excellent communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 5 or more years of experience with SAS.

• Experience with large administrative databases, survey data, electronic health records data

Compensation

The annual base salary range for this position is $105,056 - $123,751. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

Competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Position is 100% FTE on a 2-year (renewable) fixed term. Hybrid work arrangement.

Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

Required Documents

Cover letter Resume/CV

About the USC Schaeffer Institute

The USC Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy and Government Service was established by an historic gift from USC Trustee Leonard D. Schaeffer in 2024.  Its mission is to develop and promote strong public leaders; support civic engagement; amplify the reach and impact of USC scholarship, and offer evidence-based policy solutions to the nation’s most pressing political, social, and economic challenges.  It houses two programs under one umbrella—the Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics and the Schaeffer Fellows in Government Service.

About the Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics

Since its establishment in 2009, the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics has served as an intellectual hub for health policy and health economics research at USC. The Schaeffer Center’s mission is to measurably improve value in health through evidence-based policy solutions, research excellence, and private and public sector engagement. As the home to about 150 faculty, staff, and fellows—including 3 Nobel Laureates—the Center produces some of the leading academic research in its field. The Center ranks 4th in the world in health economics, and we have become a trusted resource for Congress, federal agencies (including CMS, FDA, CBO, and NIH), and organizations such as the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine.

In 2023, Schaeffer-affiliated faculty testified before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee; the Senate Finance Committee; and the House Ways & Means Subcommittee on Health. Center experts are regularly sought out by media outlets—including the New York Times, NPR, Stat, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post—to provide insight on health policy issues. As of June 2024, the Schaeffer Center has received approximately $115 million in federal funding, mostly from the NIH. Additional information on the Center and our successful policy efforts can be found in our latest Annual Report.

About the Sol Price School of Public Policy

Ranked among the foremost schools of public policy in the nation, the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy generates uncommon knowledge for the common good. Founded in 1929, the Price School is anchored by four departments: Public Policy and Management, Health Policy and Management, Wilbur H. Smith III Department of Estate Development; and Urban Planning and Spatial Analysis. Rigorous academic programs provide students with the knowledge and distinctive opportunities to make meaningful contributions to their professions. Integrating classroom instruction with real-world experience and led by some of the world’s most renowned faculty in their fields, our students establish a clear pathway to successful careers.

The academic programs are augmented by several highly visible research centers and  institutes that provide additional research expertise and experiences.  Notable among them are: The Judith and John Bedrosian Center on Governance and the Public; The Center for Philanthropy and Public Policy; The USC Lusk Center for Real Estate; The METRANS Transportation Consortium; The Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics; and The Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy.

Together, these departments and research enterprises provide unmatched breadth and depth to tackle an enormous range of challenges facing our country and the world. Price graduates hold leadership positions across diverse sectors – public, private, and nonprofit – championing the advancement of the common good. They come from around the world and from a variety of cultures and socio-economic backgrounds to create a rich intellectual environment that celebrates, supports and benefits from diverse people and opinions.

About the Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is located on the USC Health Sciences Campus, which includes the Keck Hospital of USC, the Norris Cancer Hospital, Doheny Eye Institute, and the flagship LAC+USC Medical Center, along with directing five university- and community-based pharmacies, adding a sixth in South Los Angeles in 2023. Ranked by US News and World Report as the #1 private pharmacy school in the United States, and the #2 overall school according to World Scholarship Forum, the USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is recognized for its more than century-long reputation for innovation and leadership in pharmaceutical education, practice, research, and service to the community and to the profession. The school uniquely spans the entire spectrum of pharmaceutical development and clinical care – from drug discovery to regulatory approaches that promote safety and innovation, from delivery of contemporary patient care services to evaluating the impact of care provision on patient outcomes and costs. The school’s dynamic faculty is involved in all levels of pharmacy education: from undergraduate majors to multiple MS and PhD graduate programs, from the Doctor of Pharmacy degree program with dual degree options to a wide variety of advanced clinical residency and fellowship training, and from laboratory to bedside learning experiences. The school has recently received a $50 million endowment from the Alfred E. Mann Foundation to name the school and to support student scholarships, faculty development and recruitment, and integrated biomedical innovation.

USC is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring ordinance. We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at (213) 821-8100, or by email at uschr@usc.edu.  Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.

Minimum Education: Master's degree Addtional Education Requirements Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education Minimum Experience: 3 years Minimum Skills: Relevant work experience to provide strong technical knowledge of programming and analysis as well as senior or lead experience. Demonstrated ability to stand in for researchers as circumstances require. Demonstrated creativity and innovation in solving conceptual programming problems. Preferred Experience: 5 years