MEPS – Field Interviewer

About the role

Westat is seeking Field Interviewers for the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), a study of health care costs and usage in the United States sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). MEPS is a panel survey with multiple rounds of interviews over two calendar years. Field Interviewers conduct in‑person and computer‑assisted video interviews with adult household members using a Westat‑provided laptop, contact households in‑person or by phone to gain cooperation, set appointments, complete interviews, collect signed documents, transmit electronic data daily, and comply with data security and confidentiality requirements.

Responsibilities

• Contact households in‑person and/or by phone to introduce the study and gain cooperation.
• Set appointments and complete in‑person and computer‑assisted video interviews.
• Collect and follow up with electronic and hard‑copy signed documents.
• Transmit electronic data daily on work days.
• Comply with all required data security and confidentiality requirements.
• Attend mandatory training sessions and complete associated home‑study activities.
• Report to a field supervisor and submit administrative paperwork.

Requirements

• Be 18 years or older (or an emancipated minor) and able to enter binding confidentiality agreements.
• Available to complete mandatory web‑based home study training (including Microsoft Teams video sessions) between January 4 and January 15, 2027.
• Available to travel to and attend mandatory in‑person training on January 19, 2027, and complete the five‑and‑a‑half‑day session from January 20‑25, 2027.
• Available to complete additional mandatory web‑based and virtual training activities, including a post‑training home study between January 26‑31, 2027.
• Reside in and travel within project‑designated areas to contact assigned households, including local and occasional overnight travel as needed.
• Available to work the data collection period expected to run from January 2027 through 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 physical requirements: lift and carry 20 pounds of equipment, walk several blocks, and climb stairs while carrying equipment.
• Have consistent access to a fully insured, reliable vehicle meeting Westat’s minimum insurance coverage requirements.
• Hold a current, valid driver’s license not under suspension.
• Any offer of employment may be contingent upon receipt of acceptable results from a post‑offer background screening (identity verification, employment history, motor vehicle record, criminal/sexual offender records) evaluated through an individualized assessment.

Qualifications

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

Benefits

• Health and welfare payment of $5.35 per week (up to 40 work hours), which may be reduced based on group benefit election.
• Eligible for overtime pay.
• 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 dependent on hours worked and subject to program rules).
• Health insurance and health savings account (HSA) eligibility after working 1560 hours from September through September of the following year, with coverage beginning January 1 of the year after eligibility is satisfied.
• Upon successful completion of the assignment, eligibility for consideration for reassignment to other Westat field data collection projects.