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), part of the Department of Health and Human Services. MEPS is a panel survey that conducts several rounds of interviews with the same respondents to collect information for two full calendar years.

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 using a Westat‑provided laptop.
• Collect and follow up on electronic and hard‑copy signed documents.
• Transmit electronic data daily on work days.
• Comply with all required data security and confidentiality requirements.
• Report to a field supervisor and complete/submit administrative paperwork.

Requirements

• Be 18 years or older (or an emancipated minor) with the ability to enter binding confidentiality agreements to protect project information.
• 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.
• Travel to and attend mandatory in‑person training: travel on January 19, 2027, and complete a five‑and‑a‑half‑day session that runs January 20 through January 25, 2027.
• Complete additional mandatory web‑based and virtual training activities, including a post‑training home study between January 26 and January 31, 2027.
• 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.
• Be available to work the data collection period, expected to extend from January 2027 to December 2030.
• 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; note that at times, based on caseload and survey sample size, fewer than 20 hours may be available.
• Meet the physical requirements of the position (with or without reasonable accommodation): lift and carry 20 pounds of equipment/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

• Have in‑person interviewing experience and/or computer‑assisted video interviewing experience.
• Have public contact and/or cold calling experience.
• Be comfortable working in unfamiliar locations, knocking on doors, and communicating with people from all kinds of backgrounds.

Benefits

• Eligible for overtime pay (non‑exempt position).
• 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.
• All field positions accrue sick leave based on hours worked.
• Eligible to participate in the 401(k) program; employer matching depends on hours worked and program rules.
• After working 1560 hours from September to September of the following