Data Science and Informatics Specialist 3 (DSIS3/SPI)
State of Washington
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Job summary
Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) is seeking a Data Science and Informatics Specialist 3 (DSIS3/SPI) to lead a senior data team focused on behavioral health analytics. You will ensure high-quality health data sources, develop advanced analytics, and support policy decisions through data storytelling.
The role interfaces with development teams, business analysts, product owners, and community stakeholders, with telework eligibility and occasional onsite work in Olympia, WA.
Qualifications
- Experience leading or managing project teams.
- Strong background in health data analytics and reporting to support behavioral health programs.
- Ability to design data pipelines and analytics for large health datasets.
Responsibilities
- Supervise data analysts, data scientists, informaticists, epidemiologists, and econometricians.
- Develop advanced data analytics and data storytelling for behavioral health programs.
- Lead audits to ensure SAMHSA block grant reporting compliance and data quality.
- Create and maintain dashboards and reports using SAS, R, Power BI, Tableau, or Excel pivot tables.
- Collaborate with leadership to translate data requests into analytic projects.
- Guide cross-functional teams on data infrastructure investment and transformation projects.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
This position will require an individual who can rapidly master the data infrastructure and data streams supporting behavioral health data work and recommend improvements in data management strategies. This individual will work on a wide range of projects interfacing with development teams, business analysts, product owners and members of the community while constantly ensuring that their work is aligned with the agency’s strategic direction.
All HCA employees will apply an equity lens to their work, which may include but is not limited to all analyses of core business and processes
The DATA (Data Acquisition, Transformation and Analytics) team of the Health Care Authority, within the Strategy, Policy, and Innovation (SPI)division, is responsible for leading agency data strategy; and leading the implementation, maintenance, and enhancement of the data management, analytics and reporting systems that inform agency leadership in support of HCA’s goals, as well as for monitoring program performance to ensure accountability and alignment with agency activities.
This position reports to the manager of the Behavioral Health Data and Analytics team. This supervisory position will be responsible for ensuring HCA compliance with SAMSHA block grant reporting requirements, including submissions of the Treatment Episode Dataset (TEDS), Uniform Reporting System-National Outcome Measures (URS-NOM), URS Client-Level Data (URS-CLD), Inventory of Treatment Facilities (I-TF) and State Opioid Response prevention reports. This position utilizes mathematics, statistics, and specialized programming to extract knowledge from structured and unstructured health care data. As a highly experienced Data Scientist, the position focus is on ensuring high-quality data sources, creating advanced data analytics, applying statistical techniques, and developing data storytelling, in support of publicly funded behavioral health programs. This position will provide senior guidance for developing actionable insights that can be used to improve health care outcomes, solve problems, meet reporting requirements and make informed policy decisions.
This position is eligible to telework and is typically not required to report on-site. The default assigned work location of all Health Care Authority (HCA) positions – both on-site and telework eligible positions – is within the State of Washington. This position reports to Olympia, WA. Frequency of onsite work will vary based on business and operational needs. All agency employees are required to report on-site in Olympia on their first and last days of employment to pick up and return state-issued equipment, regardless of telework status or location.
- Supervise a team of data analysts, data scientists. informaticists, epidemiologists, and/or econometricians.
- Serve as key data science technical specialist for the agency, within behavioral health populations, programs and services.
- Develop a deep understanding of data limitations and known data quality and completeness issues present in the behavioral health data ecosystem.
- Conduct and oversee audits and quality reviews to develop improved, transparent processes ensuring compliance with SAMSHA block grant reporting requirements.
- Offer recommendations on strategies, needs, priorities, gaps, and tactics focused on improving behavioral health data ecosystem and high-quality data products.
- Propose and lead technical solutions informed by health care systems knowledge.
- Independently use health care claims and supplementary data sources to design and develop senior-level health care reporting and visualizations for behavioral health programs to help the agency make data-driven decisions.
- Lead and/or oversee the development of advanced algorithms, data models and interactive visualizations using SAS, R, PowerBi, Tableau, and/or Excel pivot tables.
- Determine resolution of complex issues using innovative methods to solve complex technical challenges.
- Advise, strategize and lead the development of health care data science, data quality improvement, modeling, evaluation, research, and statistical analysis.
- Lead cross-functional teams to support the design, build, and enhancement of data pipelines and infrastructure.
- Advise and strategize to meet the team’s business needs during data infrastructure investment and transformation projects.
- Communicate orally and in writing to concisely explain data quality issues, impacts on agency objectives, and potential solutions for leadership review.
- Partner with agency leadership and data requestors to develop and/or translate data requests into analytic projects focused on behavioral health programs and services.
- Provide consultation to data requestors and data users regarding data access, feasibility, statistical validity, data system capabilities and limitations.
- Develop, interpret, communicate, and present data science findings to a variety of audiences, including colleagues, policymakers, and the public.
- Experience must include at least one (1) year of supervisory experience, which may include experience leading or managing project teams.
- Master’s degree in informatics, data science, mathematics, computer science, statistics, biostatistics, epidemiology, or related technical or quantitative field.
- One (1) year of experience working with complex health care, behavioral health, or public health analytics, data visualization software and R, SAS, SQL, M code and/or Python programing.
- Bachelor’s degree in informatics, data science, mathematics, computer science, statistics, biostatistics, epidemiology, or related technical or quantitative field.
- Three (3) years of experience working with complex health care, behavioral health, or public health analytics, data visualization software and R, SAS, SQL, M code and/or Python programing.
- Seven (7) years of experience working with complex health care, behavioral health, or public health analytics, data visualization software and R, SAS, SQL, M code and/or Python programing.
- The ability to take action to learn and grow.
- The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to collect, organize, analyze, and disseminate significant amounts of information with attention to detail and accuracy.
- Expert-level SAS programming skills with five years demonstrated experience building large and complex data sets from health care claims and/or encounter data.
- Knowledge of medical and/or pharmacy coding such as ICD-10, Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes; healthcare business and systems.
- Comfortable interacting with staff members at all levels of the agency; high level of workload management including organization and prioritization of tasks; ability to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team; excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Highly advanced experience working with large and complex data sets; advanced level SQL, R, Python, SAS or other programming skills; significant experience with data visualization using Power BI, Tableau and other similar visualization tools.
- Proficiency in problem identification, ability to view issues from multiple perspectives, and generate a variety of solutions.
- Demonstrated skills in team management, facilitating group meetings, setting meeting agendas, seeking diverse perspectives, identifying action steps.
- Demonstrated skills in written communication, concisely worded and professional e-mail communication, plain language explanations of technical problems and solutions, memoranda and technical documentation.
- Demonstrated skills in the presentation of ideas and analytic results using flow diagrams, logic models, graphical and other visualizations.
Functioning as both the state's largest health care purchaser and its behavioral health authority, the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) is a leader in ensuring Washington residents have the opportunity to be as healthy as possible.
There are three pillars of our work: Apple Health (Medicaid); the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) and School Employees Benefits Board (SEBB) programs; and behavioral health and recovery. Under these pillars, HCA purchases health care, including behavioral health treatment for more than 2.7 million Washington residents and provides behavioral health prevention, crisis, and recovery supports to all Washington residents.
- Meaningful work with friendly co-workers who care about those we serve Voices of HCA
- A clear agency mission that drives our work and is person-centered HCA's Mission, Vision & Values
- A healthy work/life balance, including alternative/flexible schedules and mobile work options.
- A great total compensation and benefit package WA State Government Benefits
- A safe, pleasant workplace in a convenient location with restaurants, and shopping nearby.
- And free parking!
Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment.
HCA is an equal opportunity employer. We value the importance of creating an environment in which all employees can feel respected, included, and empowered to bring unique ideas to the agency. HCA has five employee resource groups (ERGs). ERGs are voluntary, employee-led groups whose aim is to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace aligned with HCA’s mission. Our diversity and inclusion efforts include embracing different cultures, backgrounds and viewpoints while fostering growth and advancement in the workplace. Studies have shown women, racial and ethnic minorities, and persons of disability are less likely to apply for jobs unless they feel they meet every qualification as described in a job description. Persons over 40 years of age, disabled and Vietnam era veterans, as well as people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are also encouraged to apply. If you have any questions about the required qualifications or how your experience relates to them, please contact us at HCAjobs@hca.wa.gov. Persons with disabilities needing assistance in the application process, or those needing this job announcement in an alternative format may contact Angelic Matthews at Angelic.Matthews@hca.wa.gov.
The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) is an E-Verify employer. All applicants with a legal right to work in the United States are encouraged to apply.
E-Verify® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
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