Data Science Specialist – Health Economist, St. Michael’s Hospital (Toronto, ON)

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The Centre for Excellence in Economic Analysis Research (CLEAR) is an academic research organization that provides health economics analysis services to various audiences such as researchers, health care professionals, and decision-makers in Ontario, nationally and internationally. Our mission at CLEAR is to help communicate the value of a health innovation/intervention/program/technology using economic evidence. We are recruiting a determined and well-rounded health economist who would like to be a part of a team that aims to help create knowledge that facilitate decisions to better society. Reporting to the Director of CLEAR, the Health Economist will interact and collaborate with various stakeholders to create evidence that will illustrate the value for money of a health intervention of interest.

Our centre collaborates with other research teams at St. Michael’s Hospital such as the mathematical Modeling for Program Science at the Centre for Urban Health Solutions and the HUB Health Research Solutions. The HUB is composed of three research centres, namely the AHRC (Applied Health Research Centre), CLEAR (health economics), and BREAKTHROUGH (knowledge generation and translation) and provides comprehensive clinical research support spanning a broad range of research methodologies.

This position requires a willingness and enthusiasm for self-directed learning and to adapt methodological approaches based on relevant research questions, and a willingness to help make analytical approaches a transparent and inclusive process with knowledge users. The type of analysis to conduct would depend on questions of interest (i.e., some analyses will be simpler than others and some will require more complexity to the level required by the question). The position involves collaboration with communities (in various sectors), other researchers, health care providers, public health teams, and community members across socio-cultural context including vulnerable populations such as persons living with mental health and addictions.

The incumbent must be flexible to work beyond the job description at times as work demands. This position will offer the successful candidate a challenging and rewarding career in Health Technology Assessment (HTA) and Health Economics, an opportunity to work in a fast-paced environment with real-world application and impact.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Collaborate, engage, and coordinate with relevant groups to complete projects at CLEAR
• Design, conduct, and interpret health economics analyses using a variety of methods (e.g., statistical regression models, person-level cost-effectiveness analysis, decision analytical models or techniques, budget impact analysis, and other quantitative methodologies) based on the available data and question(s) of interest
• Propose and execute a statistical analysis plan customized to the question(s) of interest
• Perform descriptive and exploratory statistical analysis
• Maintain high quality coding practices, version control, and documentation of coding for reproducibility
• Systematically review and critically appraise relevant literature and data sources
• Research and understand the foundation and underlying processes of the topic area of interest
• Prepare tables, figures, and reports for knowledge users such as clinicians, researchers, community-based organizations, and decision-makers
• Produce high quality reports customized per study
• Prepare findings for publications, presentations, or report (tailored to different audiences)
• Communicate and present findings effectively (both orally and in writing) to a variety of audiences in a clear manner
• Adapt research findings to the development of new research studies
• Initiate and develop research proposals and protocols
• Effectively manage projects and organize competing priorities in order to deliver projects within established time frames
• Lead research meetings
• Coordinate research processes (e.g., grant submission, research ethics review)
• Provide ongoing updates in issues related to various research guidelines and regulations (e.g., TCPS2, ORA, CADTH, HQO, NICE, etc.)
• Identify areas of potential risk to project timelines and achievement of deliverables and, when applicable, escalate issues to team and Director for resolution
• Maintain data and records pertaining to the analyses and communications in the projects
• Support other duties and tasks as required

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Graduate degree (minimum Masters) in Health Economics, Health Services Research, Health Technology Assessment or similar field
• Previous experience in Health Technology Assessment or Health Economics is preferred
• Knowledge of statistical and economic analysis, problem solving, and structured approaches to identifying solutions
• Technical proficiency in at least one of the following statistical software: SAS, STATA, Microsoft Excel, TreeAge, or R
• Robust knowledge of statistical and quantitative analytical techniques
• Fundamental understanding of epidemiology principles is an asset
• Value the importance of team
• Have the willingness to learn new skills and to undertake new challenges
• Able to work independently with demonstrated initiative and self-direction
• Effective written and oral communications skills including presentation skills to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Have and recognize the importance of the following skills: problem-solving, organizational, multi-tasking, listening, attention to details, and interpersonal skills (exhibiting professionalism and cooperation in a team environment)
• Proven ability to respond to a wide variety of issues and deal with unclear situations and conflicting demands
• Capable of working on multiple projects with various teams under tight timelines
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment in setting priorities, identify issues, and determine action required