Research Data Specialist I

The Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) is the leader in collecting data and disseminating information about California's healthcare infrastructure. Under the direction of the Staff Services Manager I of the Health Care Payments Data (HPD unit), the Research Data Specialist I (RDS I) will serve as the data quality and access specialist. The HPD unit, is responsible for the collection of data including medical and pharmacy claims and encounters, member enrollment data, provider information, and claims and encounters for specialty services such as dental and behavioral health. The data supports California cost transparency efforts and informs policy decisions regarding the provision of health care, and the reduction of health care costs and outcome disparities. In a lead capacity, the RDS I will be responsible for contributing to the development and maintenance of the HPD system including collection, analysis, quality control of data, structuring data for presentation, and evaluating requests from internal and external stakeholders seeking access to program data.

In HCAI’s Information Services Division work environment, staff handle confidential patient data. Specific statutes and regulations, and HCAI policies and procedures, govern the collection, storage, disclosure, and use of confidential data. The incumbent is responsible for the safe and secure handling of this data in compliance with these policies and procedures.

Incumbents must possess 12 semester or 18 quarter units course work in any combination of a data driven research-related field, such as economics, mathematics, psychology, sociology, demography, geography, anthropology, statistics, data science or a research-related field. This must include at least one course in statistical methods; and

 

Equivalent to graduation from an accredited college with a bachelor's degree. Work experience may be substituted on a year-for-year basis by applicants who have the required units mentioned above.

 

A Master's Degree in economics, mathematics, psychology, sociology, demography, geography, anthropology, statistics, data science or a related research-oriented field may be substituted for two years of the required experience. A doctoral degree in the same areas may be substituted for three years of the required experience.

 

Experience applicable to one of the following patterns may be combined on a proportional basis with experience applicable to the other pattern to meet the total experience requirements.

One year in the California state civil service performing data research-oriented duties at a level of responsibility equivalent to a Research Analyst II; or

Four years of progressively responsible technical research experience engaged in the collection, compilation, analysis, and interpretation of data. (Experience applied toward this requirement must include one year of experience performing duties with a level of responsibility equivalent to a Research Analyst II.)