Hybrid Research Scientist - Health Affairs Institute

Overview

The Health Affairs Institute at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a (Hybrid) Research Scientist.

West Virginia University's Health Affairs Institute (HAI) is seeking candidates for a full-time Research Scientist position. Established in 2017, HAI serves as the University partner for the State‑University partnership with the West Virginia Medicaid program, is the only nationally recognized Public Health Institute serving West Virginia (WV), and engages in collaborative activities with the WV Department of Human Services, the WV Department of Health, and a variety of other local, state, and federal partnering organizations.

With office locations in both Morgantown and Charleston, HAI employs over 80 full‑time staff and also engages with faculty and staff from other units of the University to fulfill its service mission to the state. HAI capabilities and areas of expertise include health data analytics, mixed methods research, survey research, large‑scale program evaluations, and professional project management. See healthaffairsinstitute.org for additional organizational information.

The Research Scientist is a key participant in HAI's State‑University partnership and interdisciplinary research and evaluation project teams and reports directly to an HAI Portfolio Director. Overarching responsibilities include providing scientific and technical leadership for projects, overseeing study/evaluation design, ensuring methodological rigor, and maintaining supportive client relationships.

We strongly believe in work‑life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5‑hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year (employee leave)
• 18 sick days per year (for illness, caring for sick family, or medical appointments; includes immediate relatives, in‑laws, and others considered members of the household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. For more retirement benefits information, see retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ's.
• Wellness programs

• Serve as the scientific lead for designated projects and complete task elements of projects under other leadership as needed
• Collaborate with project directors and project managers to create and implement workplans, determine scientific approach and research staffing needs
• Lead development of study protocols, IRB submissions, analytic plans, and evaluation frameworks
• Ensure scientific rigor, validity, and quality of all deliverables
• Oversee research teams in analysis, synthesis, and dissemination of results
• Identify and address complex methodological or implementation challenges
• Coordinate work across a portfolio of projects, ensuring integration of methods, staffing, and deliverables
• Lead proposal development and contribute to the organization's strategic business development goals
• Build and maintain relationships with funders, state agencies, and nonprofit partners
• Participate in internal strategic planning, methodological innovation, and staff development initiatives
• Supervise, mentor and guide the professional development of assigned science team personnel
• Lead hiring or selection processes for project staff as needed
• Ensure that data analytic and research/evaluation activities are compliant with university-level policies for the responsible conduct of research as well as federal and state policies, laws, and regulations.
• Lead composition of reports as required by the University, the Health Sciences Center administration, and external agencies
• Communicate results of analytic projects and program evaluations with external stakeholders and project sponsors
• Lead the development of publications for peer‑reviewed manuscripts and contribute to institutional visibility through conference presentations

• Earned Ph.D. in a health‑related field.
• A minimum of five (5) years of experience in at least one…