Biostatistician- Child Health Research Center

Position: Biostatistician- The Child Health Research Center

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location.

For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.

This position is funded for 1 year(s); continuation past 1 year(s) will be based on university need, performance, and/or availability of funding.

POSITION SPECIFICS

The Child Health Research Center is seeking a Biostatistician. We welcome applicants with strong consulting, communication, and partnership skills who are interested in serving as a statistical advisor, collaborator, and mentor within a multidisciplinary research setting.

ABOUT

THE ROLE

This is a highly collaborative, relationship-focused position embedded within an interdisciplinary team. The successful candidate will serve as a trusted statistical partner to investigators, clinicians, research staff, postdoctoral scholars, and students across the Center. We seek someone who enjoys working directly with others, the challenge of translating complex statistical concepts into rigorous study protocols, data management pipelines, advanced analytical models, and peer-reviewed publications while directly mentoring developing researchers and driving project execution from initial study design through final publication, including data management.

LOCATION

This position is based at Penn State's University Park campus and offers a hybrid work arrangement. Regular face-to-face collaboration, problem-solving, and engagement with research teams are essential to success. The ideal candidate values teamwork, builds strong working relationships, and thrives in an environment where partnership and communication are as important as technical expertise. We may consider remote work arrangements for exceptionally qualified candidates who demonstrate a proven track record of independent methodological leadership, high-impact peer-reviewed publications, and a history of successful cross-functional collaboration within complex academic or clinical research ecosystems.

WHAT

YOU'LL DOStudy Design & Methodology

• Consult and advise researchers on study design, statistical analysis strategies, reliability, data collection procedures, statistical power, sample size, and randomization schemes.

• Oversee the design, development, and coordination of study forms, instruments, measurement protocols, and equipment.

Statistical Analysis & Data Management

• Perform statistical analyses using R, SAS, or other statistical software and apply advanced methods such as regression, mixed-effects, and longitudinal models.

• Interpret findings, identify gaps, and translate results into meaningful insights that inform research and policy.

• Develop and oversee data management processes to ensure data quality, integrity, and reproducibility.

• Advise on and develop REDCap projects, databases, surveys, and other data collection tools, ensuring efficient, secure, and high-quality data capture.

Collaborative Research Support

• Provide strategic pre-award methodological support by partnering with investigators to operationalize pediatric research hypotheses into rigorous protocol designs, define primary endpoints, construct robust randomization schemes, and author defensible sample size and power justifications for extramural grant applications.

• Translate complex statistical modeling strategies into clear methodological frameworks for multidisciplinary child health investigators, establishing trusted consultative partnerships to align study designs, analysis plans, and pediatric-specific clinical interpretations across the Center.

• Serve as the primary technical pivot across interdisciplinary research teams to troubleshoot data integrity anomalies, optimize reproducible statistical workflows, and resolve complex data pipeline bottlenecks during ongoing study execution.

Scientific Communication & Dissemination

• Co-author extramural grant proposals, peer-reviewed manuscripts, and technical reports, leading the drafting of rigorous methodology sections and ensuring the precise articulation of complex inferential frameworks.

• Direct the preparation of comprehensive statistical reports and communicate primary findings to diverse audiences through structured written summaries, interactive data visualizations, and formal presentations to multi-disciplinary child health investigators.

Mentorship & Capacity Building

• Mentor postdoctoral scholars, graduate students, undergraduate researchers, and other junior team members on the development of research questions, data analysis…