Health Scientist II

Knowesis is seeking a Health Scientist II to provide senior-level evaluation and performance measurement support and lead national evaluation activities for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Diabetes Translation (DDT), Translation, Health Education and Evaluation Branch (THEEB), and THEEB Evaluation Support Services. This remote contractor position requires occasional travel to CDC facilities in Atlanta, GA and a Low Risk (NACI Background Investigation) clearance. U.S. citizenship is required without sponsorship.

About the Role

The Health Scientist II brings advanced expertise in national program evaluation and implementation research to support DDT's mission to prevent type 2 diabetes and manage diabetes in populations with high burdens of risk or disease.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and refinement of evaluation plans, large-scale program logic models, performance measurement frameworks, and indicator matrices aligned with DDT priorities and funding requirements.
• Conduct national assessments of program inputs, activities, and outputs to determine program value and support continuous improvement across DDT-funded cooperative agreements.
• Lead ongoing evaluation and performance monitoring support to cooperative agreement recipients and national partners, including conducting recurring evaluation support calls and reviewing APRs and recipient evaluation deliverables.
• Provide written feedback and corrective action recommendations to recipients; monitor compliance and identify trends across 77 funded recipients.
• Lead evaluation technical assistance and capacity building activities; develop and deliver evaluation webinars; develop recipient/partner-facing evaluation tools and guidance including tools to support implementation assessment (e.g., fidelity monitoring, adaptation tracking, and barriers/facilitators assessment).
• Participate in virtual and in-person monitoring site visits; review background materials, document findings, and provide performance improvement recommendations.
• Lead structured performance improvement and continuous quality improvement (CQI) processes using data-informed and implementation science-informed approaches; support development of corrective action plans and document lessons learned.
• Lead development and implementation of National Evaluation Plans, including cross-site logic models, standardized indicators, and data collection instruments focused on implementation processes and mechanisms of impact.
• Design and conduct implementation research, including assessing fidelity, adaptations, reach, and other contextual factors; implement national data collection (surveys, interviews, document review) using qualitative and quantitative methods; conduct data triangulation and synthesis and coordinate cross-recipient participation.
• Lead rapid evaluation planning and implementation: develop Rapid Evaluation Plans; review APRs to identify candidate sites; manage nomination and selection processes; conduct landscape analyses; conduct evaluation-specific site visits; and synthesize findings across 12–14 sites annually.
• Identify emerging practices; conduct case study data collection and synthesis using implementation research methods; document facilitators, barriers, and lessons learned for selected case study recipients.
• Prepare national and rapid evaluation reports, executive summaries, leadership briefings, and draft manuscripts for dissemination.
• Comply with all HHS/CDC security, privacy, records management, and Section 508 accessibility requirements, including completion of annual HHS security awareness and privacy training and CDC Non-Disclosure Agreements.

Requirements

• Experience conducting a national assessment of a program or project's inputs, activities, and outputs to determine its value or worth and to improve the program.
• Experience developing an evaluation plan, identifying evaluation questions and indicators, collecting, and analyzing quantitative and qualitative program data, interpreting the data in the context of the program, and reporting findings.
• Experience developing a large-scale program logic model, identifying appropriate program outcomes, facilitating internal and external partner meetings, and providing assistance or training on evaluation, methods, concepts, and tools.
• Experience designing and conducting implementation research, including assessing fidelity, adaptations, reach, and other contextual factors.
• Knowledge of the rules, procedures, and principles that govern intramural and extramural program development, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Ability to use Microsoft Office Applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project, Teams, and SharePoint) efficiently and effectively.
• Ability to use and manage CDC Administrative Systems (HUMAN SUBJECTS, OMB AND IRB, and E-Clearance) efficiently and effectively.
• Previous experience working with government procedures and guidelines.

Qualifications

• Master's or doctoral degree in public health, epidemiology, health science, health education, or a related field (preferred).
• Experience leading evaluation activities for federal public health programs, particularly at HHS or CDC (preferred).
• Subject matter expertise in diabetes, prediabetes, chronic disease prevention, or related public health topics (preferred).
• Proficiency in applying implementation science frameworks (e.g., CFIR, RE-AIM) to national evaluation design and reporting (preferred).
• Experience managing cooperative agreement evaluation support, including APR review cycles, technical assistance delivery, and site visit participation (preferred).
• Experience developing dissemination products, manuscripts, or executive-level briefing materials (preferred).

Pay

Anticipated salary: $90,000 - $110,000

Benefits

• Health (PPO & HDHP) Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability (STD & LTD)
• Basic Life Insurance
• 401k Company Match
• Voluntary Products