Data Scientist

Alignment Healthcare USA, LLC; Orange (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 225,000; Full time

Job summary

Alignment Healthcare USA, LLC is seeking a Data Scientist for the Stars team focused on HOS analytics in Orange, CA. You will partner with clinical and care management leaders to understand HOS performance drivers and translate them into analytical solutions that support star rating outcomes.

You will build predictive models for HOS measures, analyze item-level responses, and create dashboards showing performance against star-cut points.

Qualifications

• PhD required in a relevant field.
• Strong background in predictive modeling and longitudinal/outcomes data.
• Experience with CMS HOS survey methodology or psychometrics is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Stars and clinical leaders to translate HOS drivers into analytics.
• Segment members by likelihood to complete HOS surveys and trajectory for prioritization.
• Build and tune models for HOS composite decline risk and related health outcomes.
• Analyze item-level HOS data to identify drivers beyond composite scores.
• Create pipelines to track HOS administration cycles and response rates.
• Validate case-mix adjustment logic against CMS methodology.
• Collaborate with engineering to version and deploy models via Git and CI/CD.

Skills

Python

Java

R

Scala

C++

SQL

Data visualization

Statistics

Machine learning

Education

PhD in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or Statistics

Tools

Git

CI/CD

VM environments

Job description

Alignment Healthcare USA, LLC is hiring a mission-driven Data Scientist for its Stars team focused on HOS (Health Outcomes Survey) analytics in Orange, CA.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Stars, clinical, and care management leaders to understand HOS performance drivers and translate them into analytical solutions.
• Segment members by likelihood to complete the HOS survey and by predicted physical or mental health trajectory to prioritize outreach and interventions.
• Build and fine-tune predictive models for member-level risk of HOS composite decline, including Improving/Maintaining Physical Health, Improving/Maintaining Mental Health, Monitoring Physical Activity, and Reducing the Risk of Falling.
• Analyze HOS survey data at the item level to identify which specific questions drive measure performance, beyond composite scores.
• Create pipelines to track HOS survey administration cycles, including baseline and follow-up cohorts, sampling, fielding, and response rates.
• Validate case-mix adjustment logic against CMS methodology.
• Model statistical significance and year-over-year variance to separate genuine performance changes from survey noise or sampling error.
• Coordinate with HOS survey vendors on cohort tracking, sampling methodology, fielding timelines, and case-mix adjustment specifications.
• Work with engineering teams to version, test, and deploy models using Git, CI/CD pipelines, and VM environments.
• Collaborate with clinical, care management, complex case management, Compliance, and Legal teams to ensure HOS-related outputs and interventions align with CMS guidance.
• Build dashboards showing measure-level HOS performance against Star Rating cut points and prior-year trends for each composite.
• Standardize definitions, documentation logic, and reporting workflows to scale HOS analytics enterprise-wide.

Requirements

• 2+ years of relevant experience in predictive modeling and analysis, with demonstrated use on longitudinal or outcomes-based member data.
• Required: PhD in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience with CMS HOS survey methodology, including baseline/follow-up cohort design, case-mix adjustment, and item response theory or other psychometric methods.
• Working knowledge of individual HOS composite measures: Improving/Maintaining Physical Health, Improving/Maintaining Mental Health, Monitoring Physical Activity, Reducing the Risk of Falling.
• Working knowledge of CMS Star Ratings procedures, including HOS measure weighting, cut-point determination, and integration into overall Star Ratings.
• Excellent communication, analytical, and collaborative problem-solving skills.
• Experience delivering end-to-end data science solutions and applying machine learning methods to real-world problems with measurable outcomes.
• Strong fundamentals in data structures and algorithms.
• Strong programming skills in one or more of: Python, Java, R, Scala, or C++.
• Demonstrated proficiency in SQL and relational databases.
• Experience with data visualization and presenting complex longitudinal outcomes analysis in clear, actionable terms for non-technical stakeholders.
• Experience designing experimental or analytical frameworks for complex, ambiguous scenarios, including longitudinal/cohort study design.
• Understanding of statistical measures such as confidence intervals, significance and error measurement, and development/evaluation data sets.
• Experience working with complex, high-volume, high-dimensionality, and unstructured data from varying sources.

Technologies

• Git
• CI/CD pipelines
• Virtual machine (VM) environments
• Python
• Java
• R
• Scala
• C++
• SQL
• Relational databases

Preferred Qualifications

• Healthcare experience, particularly within Medicare Advantage.
• Experience with functional status, frailty, or geriatric outcomes modeling.
• Experience with cloud ecosystems such as Azure or AWS.
• Published work in academic conferences or industry circles related to survey methodology, psychometrics, or health outcomes measurement.
• Demonstrable track record of handling ambiguity, prioritizing needs, and delivering results in an agile, dynamic environment.

Work Environment

• Work environment characteristics described are representative of those an employee encounters while performing essential functions.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Essential Physical Functions

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
• Regularly required to talk or hear.
• Regularly required to stand, walk, sit; use hand to finger; handle or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms.
• Frequently lifts and/or moves up to 10 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required: close vision and ability to adjust focus.

Location

• Orange, CA (onsite)

Compensation

• USD 149,882 - 224,823 per year
• Pay range may be based on market location, education, responsibilities, experience, and related factors.