Research Systems Programmer/Analyst - Python

$98,000 - $121,000/Yr

RTI International - Durham, NC

Full-time - Mid Level

Remote - Durham, NC

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About the position

RTI's Division of Healthcare Payment and Quality in the Health Practice Area is seeking dynamic and detail-oriented candidates for a full-time Programmer / Analyst with Python analytic programming experience. The Programmer / Analyst will work with researcher teams to analyze and synthesize complex qualitative and quantitative administrative health data from multiple sources into meaningful results. Individuals in this role will provide analytic development and statistical programming knowledge to project teams conducting research using healthcare data, especially large and complex health insurance claims and survey data, in a fast-paced environment. This position is based in Research Triangle Park, NC; Waltham, MA; Washington, DC; or any other U.S. location as a telecommuter. Core responsibilities include applying coding expertise and best practices to query, merge, and analyze complex healthcare data from large relational databases. The role requires leveraging a variety of quantitative methods to standardize, blend, and distill data from multiple disparate sources, transforming them into analytic insights for use in client reports, journal manuscripts, abstracts, or posters for professional meetings. The Programmer / Analyst will iteratively develop and maintain Python code with an emphasis on increasing efficiency, minimizing computational errors, implementing process improvements, and other approaches that add value to business processes and analytic results. Additionally, the role involves participating in thorough code review and documentation, as well as parallel coding efforts for other programmers to maintain quality standards and ensure that code may be efficiently transferred among team members. The position also includes constructing analytic datasets and databases to support deliverables for various public health and healthcare financing engagements. Collaboration with project team members to review, critically evaluate, and refine business requirements, and then translate those requirements into programming logic is essential. The Programmer / Analyst will demonstrate emerging functional leadership skills on projects, including working independently, proactively resolving day-to-day issues of small complexity, adopting sound coding best practices and standards, and developing these behaviors among early-career staff. Approximately 15% of working time will require supporting strategic initiatives within the larger programming group and health practice area, such as studying emerging technologies, partnering with senior technical staff members within and across projects, and collaborating with analysts and other programmers to support research objectives. Participation in continuing education courses on healthcare-related and/or technical coding topics is also expected, along with sharing insights gained from these activities with fellow programmers, leaders, and other division staff through presentations and contributions to collective codebase utilities.

Responsibilities

• Applying coding expertise and best practices to query, merge, and analyze complex healthcare data from large relational databases.
• Leveraging a variety of quantitative methods to standardize, blend, and distill data from multiple disparate sources, transforming them into analytic insights for use in client reports, journal manuscripts, abstracts, or posters for professional meetings.
• Iteratively developing and maintaining Python code with an emphasis on increasing efficiency, minimizing computational errors, implementing process improvements, and other approaches that add value to business processes and analytic results.
• Participating in thorough code review and documentation, as well as parallel coding efforts for other programmers to maintain quality standards and ensure that code may be efficiently transferred among team members.
• Constructing analytic datasets and databases to support deliverables for various public health and healthcare financing engagements.
• Collaborating with project team members to review, critically evaluate, and refine business requirements, and then translate those requirements into programming logic.
• Demonstrating emerging functional leadership skills on projects, including working independently, proactively resolving day-to-day issues of small complexity, adopting sound coding best practices and standards, and developing these behaviors among early-career staff.
• Supporting strategic initiatives within the larger programming group and health practice area such as studying emerging technologies, partnering with senior technical staff members within and across projects, and collaborating with analysts and other programmers to support research objectives.
• Participating in continuing education courses on healthcare-related and/or technical coding topics (including learning new coding languages) as applicable to the role and evolving business needs.
• Sharing insights gained from the above activities with fellow programmers, leaders, and other division staff through activities such as presentations at staff meetings, contributions to collective codebase utilities, and training early career staff.

Requirements

• BS/BA or advanced degree in data science, computer science, statistics, social sciences, health policy or related field with at least 5 years of programming experience OR the equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience with Python analytical coding with demonstrated familiarity with the linkage of various types of data files.
• Programming experience using data stored in relational databases such as Teradata, Snowflake, DB2, Oracle, and SQL Server.
• Experience designing and implementing flexible, reusable, scalable, programming code for use across multiple projects.
• Commitment to analytic programming quality and best practices, including experience with QA/QC procedures (e.g., peer review of code, parallel programming).
• Familiarity with all phases of the Analytic Development Life Cycle and demonstrated experience in working with at least 1 of these phases.
• Organizational and planning skills that enable independent work while contributing to a team effort.
• Analytic thinker with exceptional attention to quality and detail.
• Good interpersonal skills, including written and oral English-language skills, the ability to effectively manage competing deadlines, and the ability to work independently on a day-to-day basis while regularly collaborating with project teams.

Nice-to-haves

• Demonstrated understanding of relational database management concepts.
• Healthcare industry experience, analytic experience in work with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and/or knowledge of healthcare terminology and taxonomy/classification systems (e.g., ICD-10, CPT, HCPCS).
• Programming experience within CMS data systems such as the Integrated Data Repository (IDRC), Chronic Conditions Warehouse (CCW), or Centralized Data Repository (CDR).
• Understanding and use of issue tracking and code versioning tools such as Jira or Git.
• Ability to provide quality programming output while also identifying overall enhancements to programming or project team processes to advance quality, efficiency, and collaboration efforts.
• Experience with SAS or SQL analytical Coding.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary
• Generous paid time off policy
• Merit based annual increases
• Bonus opportunities
• Robust recognition program
• Competitive range of insurance plans (including health, dental, life, and short-term and long-term disability)
• Access to a retirement savings program such as a 401(k) plan
• Paid parental leave for all parents
• Financial assistance with adoption expenses or infertility treatments
• Financial reimbursement for education and developmental opportunities
• Employee assistance program
• Numerous other offerings to support a healthy work-life balance.