Director of Data and Analytics

Company Description

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The Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies (HCPDS) is a university‑wide initiative dedicated to interdisciplinary research focused primarily on the quantitative social science of population change, socioeconomic development, and public health. Our goal is to produce population‑based evidence that will better inform policies needed to create healthy and resilient societies. The HCPDS is seeking a full‑time, experienced Director of Data and Analytics to serve on its NIH‑funded study, Health and Aging in Africa:
Longitudinal Studies in South Africa (HAALSA). HAALSA is a community‑based longitudinal cohort study nested within the health and socio‑demographic surveillance system (HDSS) in Agincourt, South Africa. The project explores aging in South Africa, with focal areas in cognitive health, cardiometabolic disease, HIV and HIV treatment, public policies, social determinants of health, and health inequalities.

HAALSA is in the middle of its third renewal, incorporating a nationally representative survey. The studies are aligned with the international Health and Retirement (HRS) sister studies, while addressing research questions specific to the South African context. The project is led by Dr. Lisa Berkman and Dr. Thomas Gaziano, with collaborators at the University of the Witwatersrand, University of Cape Town, and other institutions in South Africa and the US.

The Director of Data and Analytics will oversee research analyses for multiple papers related to the aims of the study, supervise data management processes, and contribute to study design and analytic strategy.

• Leads and oversees research plans for papers related to project aims
• Supports and reviews manuscript development, including co‑authorship and contribution to scientific publications with coinvestigators
• Supervises data management processes, including quality assurance protocols and public‑use dataset development to ensure consistency across outputs
• Directs technical project activities, including analytic dataset production and data analysis
• Oversees the public release of data and ensures timely and appropriate dissemination of research findings
• Leads the identification and adoption of innovative statistical methods to address evolving analytic challenges and enhance the scientific impact of HAALSI outputs
• Oversees and coordinates statistical and data management activities across projects to ensure alignment with study goals and timelines
• Oversees the development of analytic tools and resources addressing key data challenges
• Provides strategic oversight and guidance on statistical approaches across HAALSI projects, ensuring methodological rigor and alignment with study objectives
• Reviews and advises on the selection and implementation of statistical method, including complex longitudinal analyses and advanced modeling techniques, working closely with the Senior Statistical Analyst
• Reviews statistical outputs, models, and results to ensure quality, reproducibility, and readiness for publication and reporting
• Oversees the preparation of analytic…