Research Analyst

Duke University Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America’s leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools.

With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

At Duke, we celebrate individuality and the unique experiences, perspectives, and talents that each member of our community brings. As a Research Data Technician / Pre-Doctoral Research Fellow
, you'll join a collaborative research team working at the intersection of health economics, mental health policy, and applied microeconomics.

You will support research in health economics and applied microeconomics, with a focus on mental health and substance use. Work under the research direction of Assistant Professors Jonathan Zhang at Duke University and Sydney Costantini at the University of British Columbia. Use Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) electronic health record data to conduct econometric analyses, interpret and present findings, and contribute to research design.

The role advances evidence on the effects of mental health interventions and supports the school’s policy research mission.

• Analyze large Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administrative and electronic health record datasets using R, Stata, Python, or similar statistical software.
• Apply causal inference and econometric methods to evaluate mental health and substance use interventions.
• Refine analytical approaches and validate findings in collaboration with faculty investigators.
• Support studies examining psychotherapy, medication treatments, residential programs, suicide prevention initiatives, and other VA mental health services.

• Clean, organize, and prepare complex healthcare datasets for research analysis.
• Create analytical datasets and construct research variables.
• Perform quality assurance checks and maintain clear documentation of data management and coding decisions.
• Ensure compliance with data security standards and VA data access requirements.

• Assist with research design, empirical strategy development, and study implementation.
• Evaluate data availability and analytical feasibility for current and future projects.
• Participate in the development of innovative research questions in health economics and public policy.

• Interpret findings and discuss policy implications with research collaborators.
• Prepare tables, visualizations, written summaries, and research materials.
• Present research progress and findings to faculty and project teams.
• Incorporate feedback into ongoing analyses and publications.

• Work directly with faculty mentors who are actively engaged in leading research programs.
• Participate in research seminars and academic discussions.
• Develop skills that support future doctoral study and research careers.

• Education
• Bachelor's degree in Economics or a related quantitative field.

• Experience
• Two years of research, data analysis, or related experience.

Equivalent combinations of relevant education and experience will be considered.

Strong quantitative reasoning and analytical problem solving; ability to write clear,…