Department Overview

The Center for Evidence-based Policy (Center) is a national leader in evidence-based decision-making and policy design. The Center works with state policymakers in more than 25 states to use high-quality evidence to guide decisions, maximize resources, and improve health outcomes. The Center is objective and non-partisan, working in states across the country to support evidence-based decision-making. The Center does not lobby, and does not accept funding from industry, advocates, or trade associations. Though embedded within OHSU, the Center is entirely self-supporting. The Center staff members work closely with state and federal policymakers to research existing policies, programs, and develop policy options.

The Center actively seeks staff partners who share its commitment to evidence, integrity, innovation, tangible results, and products that are independent, high-quality, evidence-based, and effective in meeting the needs of decision makers. The Center actively recruits and retains the highest quality personnel who are committed and passionate about achieving its mission. The Center strives to be a healthy and thriving work environment where everyone, from any background, can do their best work. We are committed to an inclusive workplace that celebrates and values diversity of age, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical and mental ability, and perspective.

We are dedicated to continuous improvement that enables inclusive collaboration among staff with diverse skills and perspectives with the goal of enhancing quality and accessibility of our work for our clients. The Center promotes leadership that inspires innovation, motivates people to perform at their highest levels, and makes the Center a great place to work.

Function/Duties of Position

The position's primary function is to lead evidence synthesis research products such as systematic reviews health technology assessments, and rapid reviews. The Center's evidence synthesis research is usually in the areas of health technologies, pharmaceuticals and health services, with a focus on their applicability to Medicaid and other state health programs. Successful candidates will have expertise in evidence synthesis methods, which includes topic identification and scoping, study selection, risk of bias assessment, quality of evidence determination, and quantitative and narrative evidence synthesis. Successful candidates will also have a demonstrated record of being able to synthesize evidence in writing and within oral presentations, including presenting in different formats and to different audiences. Candidates should have experience working within and leading teams of people conducting systematic reviews or related types of work. This position will also have research associates as direct reports.

Independently Develop and Write Evidence Synthesis Research Products

• Independently lead the preparation of research products for public payers and health policy decision makers according to Center style or client guidelines and research methods, ensuring accuracy and clarity, and using narrative text, tables, and appropriate illustrations
• Present research findings to clients via webinar or in-person meetings or conferences
• Research and analyze the context of the question(s) that clients are asking and convert questions into structured, answerable research questions
• Work with an information specialist to construct and carry out appropriate search strategies to address research questions posed by clients
• Identify relevant research studies, additional grey literature, and clinical practice guidelines, and determine their relevance to the research question(s)
• Critically evaluate the risk of bias and applicability of included research studies and clinical practice guidelines
• Appropriately assign a quality of evidence rating (e.g., GRADE) from the body of evidence for select outcomes
• Conduct meta-analyses for evidence synthesis projects, as needed.
• Create and manage references in a citation management software program (e.g., EndNote)
• Manage evidence synthesis steps and workflow using structured systematic review software (e.g., DistillerSR)
• Develop interview questions and conduct interviews with key informants, as needed

Provide Leadership for Potential and Ongoing Research Activities

• Lead research teams to produce accurate and timely research products
• Serve as an internal reviewer of selected research reports as directed by the Research Directors
• Contribute to reviewing and the development of research methods as directed by the Research Directors
• Contribute to requests for proposal submissions for relevant projects
• Contribute to the ongoing Center development and various project deliverables via participation in selected project teams and staff meetings
• Provide training, mentorship, and supervision to research associates, policy analysts, and other colleagues at the Center, as needed

Project Management

• Track report progress, anticipating next steps, and gather required information from internal team, colleagues, and external contacts to produce high-quality, timely research products
• Respond to peer review and editor comments in a productive and timely manner and adhere to all timelines for projects

Communication and Dissemination

• Develop and maintain effective relationships with Center clients
• Represent the Center at selected national and state-level conferences, meetings and other events, preparing materials for distribution and making presentations that effectively communicate research and the Center's goals and mission.

Required Qualifications

Education:

• Master's degree in relevant field and at least 10 years of relevant combined experience in epidemiology, clinical research, and evidence synthesis; OR
• PhD in epidemiology or a clinical research field and at least 5 years of relevant combined experience in epidemiology, clinical research, and evidence synthesis

Experience:

• At least 5 years of experience conducting evidence syntheses of health-related research information and communicating this information in written health technology assessments, systematic reviews with or without meta-analyses, and oral presentations of these data
• Significant experience producing evidence syntheses for use in decision-making
• Significant experience adapting systematic review research methods to individual research projects
• Significant experience evaluating health technology assessments, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, clinical practice guidelines and other related types of information, including performing formal risk of bias assessment of these documents
• Significant experience assessing the quality of a body of evidence using the GRADE framework
• Significant experience working with a citation management software application (e.g., EndNote)
• Significant experience working with systematic review software applications (e.g. DistillerSR)
• Experience conducting meta-analysis using common software applications (e.g., RevMan, Stata)
• Significant experience presenting research to various audiences, including public sector decision makers
• Significant experience leading research teams and working collaboratively and closely with colleagues on research projects
• Some health policy (local, state, or federal government or equivalent) experience
• Experience working on multiple research projects simultaneously, with excellent organizational skills

Job Related Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (Competencies):

• Significant expertise in evidence review methods (e.g., systematic reviews, health technology assessments)
• Ability to independently create and implement a search strategy to identify relevant health research. Ability to work effectively with information specialists to develop and review search strategies
• Ability to critically evaluate research products and provide substantive feedback
• Ability to translate complex findings into digestible and actionable written research products, and oral presentations
• Excellent writing, grammatical, and proofreading skills, including the ability to follow Center and client style guides
• Ability to peer review research reports and provide constructive feedback to colleagues
• Proficiency in MS Office applications (e.g., Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to respond positively and proactively to peer review and editor comments
• Ability to exercise discretion when dealing with issues of a sensitive nature and to maintain confidentiality at all times
• Exceptional organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities
• Ability to develop interview questions for interviews with key informants
• Ability to interact with a wide variety of stakeholders and internal and external customers
• Ability to be self-motivated, prioritize effectively, and achieve deadlines

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• PhD with a concentration in epidemiology or biostatistics

Experience:

• All required experience as listed plus:
• Significant experience tailoring evidence synthesis products to decision makers
• Experience working on medical devices and technologies, pharmaceutical, and genetics related projects
• Experience evaluating and synthesizing economic evaluations, economic modeling studies, and cost-effectiveness studies
• Record of peer-reviewed publication
• Experience working with statistical software programs (e.g., SAS, SPSS)
• Experience conducting other data analysis or modeling
• Experience in higher level management or supervisory positions

Job Related Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (Competencies):

• All required knowledge, skills, and abilities as listed plus:
• Knowledge of effective and efficient approaches to searches using Cochrane Library, PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE and skills with Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
• Knowledge of statistical methods and statistical software
• Knowledge of medical devices and technologies, genetic tests and interventions, and pharmaceuticals
• A strong track record of methodological development relevant to health technology assessment and systematic reviews.

All are welcome