MEPS – Bilingual Field Interviewer

About the role

Westat is seeking motivated and detail‑oriented individuals to work as Bilingual Field Interviewers for the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). MEPS is a study of health care costs and usage in the United States, sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), part of the Department of Health and Human Services. It is a panel survey featuring several rounds of interviews with the same respondents to collect information for two full calendar years. Bilingual Field Interviewers conduct in‑person and computer‑assisted video interviews in English and Mandarin with adult household members from a nationally representative sample, using a Westat‑provided laptop computer.

Responsibilities

• Contact households in‑person and/or by phone to gain cooperation.
• Set appointments for interviews.
• Complete the interview using the provided laptop.
• Collect and follow up with electronic and hard‑copy signed documents.
• Travel to the mandatory in‑person MEPS training in January 2027.
• Travel to local and, at times, long‑distance households, with some assignments requiring overnight travel.
• Transmit electronic data daily on days worked.
• Comply with all required data security and confidentiality requirements.
• Complete and submit administrative paperwork.
• Report to a field supervisor.

Requirements

• Be 18 years or older (or an emancipated minor) with the ability to enter binding confidentiality agreements.
• Available to complete mandatory web‑based home study training, including required Microsoft Teams video sessions, between January 4 and January 15, 2027, prior to in‑person training.
• Available to travel to and attend mandatory in‑person training: travel on January 19, 2027, and complete a five‑and‑a‑half‑day training that starts January 20 and ends January 25, 2027.
• Available to complete additional mandatory web‑based and virtual training activities, including a post‑training home study between January 26 and January 31, 2027.
• Fluent in both written and spoken English and Mandarin.
• Successfully complete the Westat language assessment protocols.
• Reside in and travel within project‑designated areas to contact assigned households and conduct in‑person interviews, including local and occasional overnight travel as needed.
• Available to work the data collection period, expected to extend from January 2027 to December 2030.
• Available to work a minimum of 20 hours per week when work is available, mostly evening and weekend hours, with limited daytime work based on household preferences.
• Able to meet the physical requirements: lift and carry up to 20 pounds of equipment and materials, walk several blocks, and climb stairs while carrying equipment to gain entry to sampled households.
• Have consistent access to a fully insured, reliable vehicle that meets Westat’s minimum insurance coverage requirements.
• Hold a current and valid driver’s license that is not under suspension.

Qualifications (Preferred)

• In‑person interviewing experience and/or computer‑assisted video interviewing experience.
• Public contact and/or cold‑calling experience.
• Comfortable working in unfamiliar locations, knocking on doors, and communicating with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Commitment to treating all respondents with respect.

Benefits

• Eligible for overtime pay.
• Health and welfare payment of $5.35 per week (may be reduced based on group benefit election), paid for up to 40 work hours per week.
• Paid vacation and holiday leave based on hours worked.
• Sick leave accrual based on hours worked.
• Eligibility to participate in the 401(k) program; employer matching depends on hours worked and plan rules.
• To qualify for health insurance and an HSA, must work 1,560 hours