DSHS FTAA Data Science & Informatics Specialist 1

Washington State Department of Social and Health Services; Olympia (WA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Washington State Department of Social and Health Services seeks a data-focused FTAA – Data Science & Informatics Specialist 1 to advance research using SAS, SQL, and REDCap. You will build reproducible analytic files, conduct statistical analyses, and support program evaluation with health and social service datasets.

The role emphasizes data quality, privacy, and clear communication of methods to researchers and policymakers.

Qualifications

• Proficiency in SAS for extracting, transforming, validating, and analyzing data.
• Experience writing SAS data steps, procedures, macros, and reusable code.
• Strong SQL skills to query and join data across relational databases.
• Experience with large administrative datasets related to health or social services.
• Knowledge of data-management practices, documentation, and reproducible workflows.
• Familiarity with REDCap for data collection and data governance.

Responsibilities

• Write, test, document, and maintain SAS programs and SQL queries for research and program evaluation.
• Extract, link, clean, transform, and manage large administrative datasets from multiple state systems.
• Develop reproducible analytic datasets, cohorts, variables, measures, and data documentation.
• Perform descriptive and inferential analyses, data tabulations, and quality assurance.
• Ensure data quality and resolve data issues with stakeholders and source systems.
• Translate research questions into analytic specifications and reproducible results.
• Prepare tables, reports, visualizations, and technical documentation for varied audiences.
• Apply HIPAA/FERPA and data-sharing requirements when handling sensitive data.

Skills

SAS programming

SQL queries

REDCap

Data cleaning & validation

R / Python / Excel / Power BI / Tableu

Large administrative datasets

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in statistics, biostatistics, epidemiology, economics, public policy, sociology, public health, data science, mathematics, computer science, informatics, or another quantitative field

Tools

REDCap

Job description

DSHS FTAA – Data Science & Informatics Specialist 1 Join our team as a research-focused statistical programmer and use your data analyst skills to support studies that improve social and health services for more than 2.6 million DSHS clients. The Research and Data Analysis (RDA) Division within the Finance, Technology, and Analytics Administration (FTAA) uses linked administrative data to evaluate programs, examine service use and outcomes, and inform policy and operational decisions. In this role, you’ll use SAS and SQL to extract, link, clean, validate, and analyze large person-level administrative datasets, as well as primary data collected using REDCap. Working alongside researchers, program experts, and partner agencies, you’ll create reproducible analytic files, statistical tabulations, measures, and reports that support applied research and program evaluation.

Some Of What You'll Do

• Write, test, document, and maintain SAS programs and SQL queries for research, evaluation, and program performance projects.
• Extract, link, clean, transform, and manage large person-level administrative datasets from multiple state systems, including service, eligibility, claims, encounter, cost, and outcome data, with an emphasis on substance use and mental health conditions and health-related social needs.
• Develop reproducible analytic datasets, cohorts, variables, measures, and data documentation using sound research data-management practices.
• Conduct descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, data tabulations, quality assurance, and validation to support applied research and program evaluation.
• Assess data completeness, consistency, and fitness for use; investigate anomalies and resolve data-quality issues with source-system and program experts.
• Translate research questions and study specifications into clear analytic approaches, programming logic, and accurate results.
• Prepare tables, reports, visualizations, technical documentation, and presentations that communicate methods, limitations, and findings to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Apply confidentiality, privacy, security, and data-sharing requirements when working with sensitive administrative data, including HIPAA and FERPA requirements.

Desired skills, knowledge, and abilities:

• Proficiency as a statistical programming for data extraction, manipulation, linkage, validation, analysis, and reporting; experience with SAS and knowledge of DATA steps, procedures, macros, and reusable code is highly valued.
• Experience using SQL to query and combine data from relational databases.
• Experience working with large, complex administrative records, such as eligibility, enrollment, claims, encounters, services, costs, transactions, or program outcomes. Experience using Medicaid or behavioral health related claims data is ideal.
• Knowledge of applied research and program evaluation methods, including cohort construction, measure development, descriptive statistics, statistical testing, and interpretation of results.
• Strong data-quality and documentation practices, including code review, validation, version control concepts, metadata, data dictionaries, and reproducible workflows.
• Familiarity with primary data collection tools, such as REDCap, and applied knowledge with managing user access and privileges and providing support and technical assistance to end-users.
• Ability to understand how research questions translate into analytic specifications and be able to explain methods, assumptions, limitations, and findings from analytic datasets with other research staff clearly.
• Experience with R, Python, Excel, Power BI, Tableau, or similar tools is helpful but does not replace the need for strong SAS programming skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with researchers, program staff, database professionals, and external partners while protecting confidential data.

Who should apply?

• A bachelor’s degree in statistics, biostatistics, epidemiology, economics, public policy, sociology, public health, data science, mathematics, computer science, informatics, or another quantitative or research-focused field and one (1) year of experience performing data analysis, statistical programming, or applied research.

OR

• An equivalent combination of education and relevant experience totaling five (5) years.

Additional required experience:

Qualifications

In addition to the qualifications above, applicants must have at least one (1) year of experience in each of the following areas:

• Using SAS to manage, transform, validate, and analyze data.
• Working with large administrative datasets, such as social or health service records, eligibility or enrollment files, medical claims or encounters, transactions, costs, or other person-level program data.
• Supporting research, program evaluation, policy analysis, or performance measurement by preparing analytic datasets, statistical tabulations, measures, or reports.
• Documenting code, data sources, variable definitions, analytic decisions, and quality-assurance results so work can be reviewed and reproduced.
• Using REDCap, or other primary data collection tools, for data administration and survey design, as well as user management and providing technical assistance.
• Creating dashboards using Excel, Power BI, Tableau, or similar data visualization tools.
• Using SQL or another query language to retrieve and join data is preferred.

Questions?

Please reach out to DSHS Recruiter Ricky Luna at [e-mail] and reference job number #07396.

Supplemental Information

Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history may be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the job. This announcement may be used to fill multiple vacancies. Employees driving on state business must have a valid driver's license. Employees driving a privately owned vehicle on state business must have liability insurance on the privately owned vehicle.

The Department of Social and Health Services’ (DSHS) vision that people find human services to shape their own lives requires that we come together with a sense of belonging, common purpose, shared values, and meaningful work. It is crucial to our agency’s vision that you bring a fairness, access, and social justice commitment to your work with DSHS. We strive to support all Washingtonians, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, people with physical, behavioral health, and intellectual disabilities, elders, LGBTQIA+ individuals, immigrants and refugees, and families building financial security.

Washington State Department of Social and Health Services is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in any area of employment, its programs or services on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, marital status, race, creed, color, national origin, religion or beliefs, political affiliation, military status, honorably discharged veteran, Vietnam Era, recently separated or other protected veteran status, the presence of any sensory, mental, physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, equal pay or genetic information. Persons requiring accommodation in the application process or this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the Recruiter at [phone]. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.

Relationship and Reporting Structure (Conven?) Disclosure: If you are selected for hire, you must disclose whether you have a relative, household member, close friend, or romantic partner within your potential supervisory chain of command. DSHS has a Relationships and the Reporting Structure policy that prohibits nepotism and can be reviewed here . Applicants whose appointment would result in a prohibited reporting relationship are not eligible for appointment to that position.

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