University Associate, Disputes & Economics - Healthcare and Life Sciences

Ankura; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 50,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Ankura invites a University Associate to join the Disputes & Economics Business Group in Chicago. You will work on healthcare and life sciences disputes, regulatory matters, and data-driven investigations, supporting provider, payer, and pharmacy clients.

The role emphasizes developing financial, accounting, and statistical analyses, building computer models, gathering data, and delivering expert reports with rigorous documentation and client-focused service.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with a 3.2+ GPA, graduation date between Dec 2026 and Jun 2027.
• Interest in the healthcare industry and in working with large data sets.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; creative problem-solving and collaboration.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and travel as needed.

Responsibilities

• Developing financial, accounting, economic, and statistical analyses
• Providing detailed fact finding, research and analysis
• Developing computer models including detailed and complex spreadsheet analyses
• Assisting with data gathering activities including document review, research, and quality control of data entry activities and preparation of expert reports and exhibits
• Demonstrating proper documentation of analysis
• Providing excellent client service.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Communication

Teamwork

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance/Economics/Statistics/Public Policy

Tools

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Access

SQL

R

SAS

SPSS

Job description

Ankura is a team of excellence founded on innovation and growth. This position supports the Ankura Disputes & Economics Business Group - one of five practices focused on client delivery services across the Firm.

Practice Overview:

The Healthcare & Life Sciences practice focuses on assisting healthcare and life science clients and their counsel in addressing the issues associated with complex disputes, investigations, regulatory and compliance, and technology services. Our practice professionals have a thorough understanding of the issues facing a broad range of clients in the healthcare industry including but not limited to provider, payer, and pharmacy clients. We bring the deep industry knowledge and experience necessary to assist these clients with their most pressing and sensitive matters. Ankura’s provider team has experience assisting hospitals, long term care centers, outpatient and diagnostic centers, DME providers, home health agencies, hospice centers and their legal counsel to provide effective solutions for their most complex litigation and compliance issues. Ankura’s payer team brings a combination of compliance, operations, audit, clinical coding, data analytics, financial, valuation, and systems professionals to support payer executives and their counsel with regulatory compliance, operations, disputes, investigations, and transaction support and due diligence. Ankura’s pharmacy team assists counsel across the entire spectrum of pharmacy benefits, including retail, hospital, and specialty pharmacies; distributors; pharmacy benefit managers; and plan sponsors. Our expertise includes: the quantification of financial exposure through analytic and statistical methods; prescription drug claims submission and payment; pharmacy benefit administration; Medicare Part D compliance; and the preparation of expert and consultative reports shared with prosecutors or used in commercial litigation.

Role Overview:

Associates, working as part of a project team, perform critical, value-added work that directly impact a client’s bottom line. You may be involved in projects supporting our provider, payer or pharmacy clients with disputes, investigations, regulatory and compliance, or technology services related issues.

Responsibilities:

• Developing and performing financial, accounting, economic, and statistical analyses
• Providing detailed fact finding, research and analysis
• Developing computer models including detailed and complex spreadsheet analyses
• Assisting with data gathering activities including document review, research, and quality control of data entry activities and preparation of expert reports and exhibits
• Demonstrating proper documentation of analysis
• Providing excellent client service.

Requirements:

• Candidates should be top academic performers, be interested in the consulting industry, and meet the following criteria:
• Bachelor’s Degree with an expected graduation date between December 2026 to June 2027, with a major in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Statistics or Public Policy.
• A cumulative GPA of 3.2 or better.
• Interest in the healthcare industry.
• Interested in working with large data sets and developing analytical models.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Creative problem-solving ability and a collaborative, consultancy mindset.
• Ability to multi-task and effectively prioritize tasks.
• Highly motivated, driven, and dynamic attitude towards work and career.
• Ability to excel within a team environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint; familiarity with Microsoft Access, SQL, or statistical packages such as R, SAS, SPSS.
• Ability to work overtime or travel as requested.
• Please note that this role requires permanent authorization to work in the U.S. (i.e. U.S. citizen or permanent resident).
• Internships and full-time University Associate roles are not eligible for U.S. immigration sponsorship, work visa or any other temporary work authorization (i.e. OPT, CPT).

Ankura is required to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This compensation range is specific to the said markets and considers a broad range of factors including but not limited to skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The disclosed range estimate has not been adjusted for the applicable geographic differential associated with the location at which the position may be filled. The range does not include additional benefits outside of salary. At Ankura, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each role. A reasonable estimate of the current base pay range is between $50,000 to $120,000; this range is not a promise of a particular wage.

Ankura is an affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against based on disability. Equal Employment Opportunity Posters, if you have a disability and believe you need a reasonable accommodation to search for a job opening, submit an online application, or participate in an interview/assessment, please email [e-mail] or call toll-free +1.312-583-2122. This email and phone number are created exclusively to assist disabled job seekers whose disability prevents them from being able to apply online. Only messages left for this purpose will be returned. Messages left for other purposes, such as following up on an application or technical issues unrelated to a disability, will not receive a response.

Ankura Consulting Group, LLC is an independent global expert services and advisory firm that delivers services and end-to-end solutions to help clients at critical inflection points related to conflict, crisis, performance, risk, strategy, and transformation. The Ankura team consists of more than 2000 professionals serving 3,000+ clients across 55 countries who are leaders in their respective fields and areas of expertise.

Collaborative Lateral Thinking That Delivers, hard-earned experience, expertise, and multidisciplinary capabilities drive results and Ankura is unrivalled in its ability to assist clients to Protect, Create, and Recover Value. For more information, please visit, ankura.com.