PT Research Assistant

Penn State; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 39,000 - 55,000; Part time

Job summary

Pennsylvania State University Park is seeking a part-time Research Assistant in Health Policy and Administration to work with Dr. Jess Williams on Total Worker Health adoption in nursing homes.

The position supports quantitative and qualitative analyses of survey and Medicare data and interviews, with potential for manuscript authorship and grant preparation. This 50% FTE, limited-term role is funded through 8/31/2027 and offers a $35.00 hourly rate.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Health Policy, Health Services Research, Public Health, Gerontology, Health Economics, or related field.
• Demonstrated experience with statistical programming and quantitative data analysis (Stata strongly preferred; R acceptable).
• Strong written communication skills, with experience contributing to peer-reviewed manuscripts.

Responsibilities

• Conduct quantitative statistical analyses of survey and Medicare data using Stata (R acceptable); data management and cleaning.
• Support qualitative data analysis of interview transcripts with Directors of Nursing; coding and theme development.

Skills

Statistical programming with Stata

Scholarly writing

Literature reviews

Education

Ph.D. in Health Policy or related field

Tools

Stata

NVivo/Atlas.ti

Job description

## PT Research AssistantApply: Penn State University Park: Part time: Posted Today: REQ\\_0000083065# **APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:*** ## CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.* ## CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.* ## If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants. **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.** **JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS**The Department of Health Policy and Administration in the College of Health and Human Development is seeking applicants for part-time job of Research Assistant- Health Services Research (Long-Term Care) ## Position DescriptionThe Department of Health Policy and Administration in the College of Health and Human Development at Pennsylvania State University is seeking a part-time Research Assistant to work with Dr. Jess Williams on a program of research examining Total Worker Health (TWH) adoption and implementation in nursing homes. This NIOSH-funded project (Implementation of Total Worker Health in Nursing Homes) has two aims: (1) assessing organizational factors — such as chain membership and community resources — that influence TWH adoption in nursing homes in Federal Region VII, using survey data linked with Medicare data; and (2) using in-depth interviews with Directors of Nursing to examine the decisional processes, competing priorities, and cultural factors that shape TWH implementation.This position offers an excellent opportunity for a postdoctoral scholar interested in long-term care, health services research, and occupational health policy to develop an independent research trajectory while contributing to an active, externally funded project. The appointment is part-time and may be well suited to a candidate balancing another academic appointment, clinical role, or research position. ## Responsibilities* Conduct quantitative statistical analyses of survey and Medicare claims/administrative data, primarily in Stata (R also acceptable), including data management, cleaning, and merging of complex datasets.* Support qualitative data analysis of interview transcripts with Directors of Nursing, including coding, theme development, and interpretation (training provided as needed).* Conduct literature reviews and synthesize prior research to inform manuscript introductions, discussion sections, and grant proposals.* Co-author and lead the drafting of peer-reviewed manuscripts, conference abstracts, and presentations reporting project findings.* Contribute to the preparation of research reports, dissemination materials, and stakeholder communications for academic and nursing home industry audiences.* Assist with the preparation of grant proposals and progress reports as opportunities arise.* Participate in regular research meetings with the PI and project team.## **Required Qualifications and Experience**The following are required for this position:* In progress or earned Ph.D. in Health Policy, Health Services Research, Public Health, Gerontology, Health Economics, or a closely related field.* Demonstrated experience with statistical programming and quantitative data analysis (Stata strongly preferred; R acceptable).* Strong written communication skills, with experience contributing to peer-reviewed manuscripts.* Experience conducting literature reviews.## Preferred ExperienceExperience in one or more of the following areas is strongly preferred:* Research related to long-term care, nursing homes, aging services, or occupational health and safety.* Experience with Medicare claims data or other large administrative/secondary datasets.* Qualitative data coding and analysis of interview transcripts (e.g., using NVivo, Atlas.ti, or comparable software).* Experience preparing or contributing to federal grant applications (e.g., NIH, NIOSH, AHRQ).## Application MaterialsTo be considered for this position, applicants must submit:* A cover letter describing their research experience and interest in occupational and health policy research.* A current Curriculum Vitae (CV).* Contact information for two professional references.This is a part-time (50% FTE), limited-term position located at Penn State University Park and is funded until 8/31/2027. Compensation:The hourly rate for this job is $35.00