Postdoctoral Fellow, Health Services Research

Harvard University; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salaried and benefits eligible

Job summary

Harvard University is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow in Health Services Research within the Health Care Policy Department. The role focuses on analyzing Medicaid claims to assess the impact of policy factors on maternal health. Ideal candidates will have a Ph.D. and strong analytical skills in Stata, R, or Python. The position is salaried, benefits-eligible, and slated to start around April 1, 2026, with flexibility for an earlier start. Candidates must have a clear track record in scientific writing and publication.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. required in a relevant quantitative field.
• Strong skills in Stata, R, and/or Python.
• Experience analyzing complex data, especially administrative or claims data.

Responsibilities

• Conduct analyses of large administrative datasets.
• Examine features of insurance coverage and payment policy.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams.

Skills

Stata

R

Python

Scientific writing

Education

Ph.D. in health services research, health policy, economics, statistics, or a related quantitative field

Tools

Large administrative datasets

Job description

Postdoctoral Fellow, Health Services Research

Title: Postdoctoral Fellow, Health Services Research

School: Harvard Medical School

Department/Area: Health Care Policy

Position Description

The Department of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School seeks a highly motivated postdoctoral research fellow in health services research. The ideal candidate will have experience working with insurance claims data and a research interest or background in maternal health. The fellow will work under the mentorship of Prof. Leila Agha and collaborate with an interdisciplinary team of economists, physicians, and health policy researchers.

This position will use large administrative datasets to study how policy and system factors shape birth outcomes, health care spending, and maternal well‑being. The postdoc will work with a national dataset of Medicaid claims to examine how features of insurance coverage and payment policy shape patterns of care, spending, and clinical outcomes. Projects may include both descriptive analyses and quasi‑experimental studies of policy changes, with the goal of producing several focused papers that inform Medicaid and maternal health policy.

Responsibilities

• Conduct analyses of large administrative datasets to study policy and system factors that shape birth outcomes, health care spending, and maternal well‑being.
• Work with a national dataset of Medicaid claims to examine how features of insurance coverage and payment policy shape patterns of care, spending, and clinical outcomes.
• Carry out descriptive analyses and quasi‑experimental studies of policy changes to produce focused papers that inform Medicaid and maternal health policy.
• Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team of economists, physicians, and health policy researchers.

Basic Qualifications

• Ph.D. in health services research, health policy, economics, statistics, or a related quantitative field.

Additional Qualifications

• Strong skills in Stata, R and/or Python and experience analyzing complex data.
• Demonstrated experience working with large administrative or claims data (e.g., Medicaid, commercial claims, or similar).
• Clear scientific writing and communication; a track record of publications.

Employment Details

Start date: Around April 1, 2026, with flexibility to start earlier.

Term: One‑year term from the date of hire, with the possibility of a second year contingent upon work performance, business need, and continued funding.

Harvard is represented by the Harvard Academic Workers (HAW) – UAW for benefits and collective bargaining purposes.

Salaried and benefits eligible. Salary determined by the number of years post‑PhD and can be found at https://postdoc.hms.harvard.edu/guidelines.

EEO/Non‑Discrimination Commitment Statement

Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, sex, ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university’s non‑discrimination policy.

Contact Information

Email: [e-mail]