Research Assistant III

Orchestrate Consulting's mission is to help job seekers access carefully coordinated opportunities that match their career goals. We curate and validate roles from verified employers.

Established in 1943, the SDSU Research Foundation (SDSURF) supports the research objectives of San Diego State University by helping faculty and staff find, obtain, and administer funding for their research and sponsored programs. SDSU achieved R1 status in early 2025, furthering discoveries and solutions that improve communities. SDSURF provides the full life cycle of grants services to faculty and staff.

About the Organization

The School of Public Health at San Diego State University fosters a collaborative and interdisciplinary research environment committed to advancing public health through evidence-based inquiry and community engagement. The school is home to diverse faculty expertise across health management and policy, global health, epidemiology, environmental health, and biostatistics, with a strong emphasis on addressing health disparities and promoting health equity. Ranked in the top 15% among U.S. public health schools and 3rd in California by U.S. News & World Report, the school partners with local and state health agencies and supports robust quantitative and qualitative research. Faculty and researchers benefit from a dynamic academic setting that encourages innovation, impactful scholarship, and translation of research into policy and practice—particularly in areas such as Medi-Cal expansion, immigrant health, and health systems financing.

About the Role

A research position is available as part of a California Department of Insurance-funded initiative to evaluate the effects of Medi-Cal expansions regardless of immigration status. This project aims to generate evidence on how these policy changes influence health insurance coverage, healthcare utilization, program financing, and employment patterns across the state. The researcher will work closely with the project PI, Dr. Wilton Choi, and the SDSU School of Public Health research team, focusing especially on the project's financing and economic modeling aims.

Responsibilities

• Analyze large administrative and survey datasets to assess the impact of Medi-Cal expansions.
• Develop simulation inputs and support TAXSIM, IMPLAN, or related policy simulation models.
• Conduct analyses of premiums, out-of-pocket costs, tax liabilities, disposable income, and employment effects.
• Apply econometric or quasi-experimental methods to evaluate policy impacts.
• Prepare reproducible data analyses and contribute to research outputs.

Requirements

• Strong quantitative skills and an interest in health economics, health policy, public insurance programs, California health systems, or policy evaluation.
• Experience with large datasets, econometric or quasi-experimental methods, microsimulation, TAXSIM, IMPLAN, ACS/CHIS data, Medi-Cal claims, or reproducible data analysis is especially helpful.

Pay

The salary range for this position is $28.00 - $30.00 per hour depending upon qualifications and is non-negotiable.

Core Values

• Service: Commitment to providing superior support to the university community, achieving high standards, and valuing professional development.
• Collaboration: Building strong relationships grounded in trust, openness, and inclusion to achieve the best results.
• Innovation: Inspiring solutions to improve and adapt to emerging opportunities, streamlining service delivery, and reducing obstacles.
• Respect: Promoting a culture where every individual is valued, with appreciation for varied backgrounds and viewpoints.
• Integrity: Acting with the highest ethical standards, honesty, transparency, and consistency in information and interactions.