Senior Data Scientist

Overview

The Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology at The School of Public Health at Yale University is seeking a Senior Data Scientist to conduct grant-funded research on the impacts of health and drug policies on outcomes including opioid misuse, overdose, and substance-related harms, as well as firearm violence. Working closely with the principal and co-investigators, the Senior Data Scientist provides advanced expertise in research data management, analytic strategy, and methodological support for complex, multi‑disciplinary research initiatives. Serving as a strategic partner to faculty and research teams, they lead the development of rigorous analytic plans, oversee acquisition and preparation of diverse datasets, and apply advanced statistical and computational methods to address high‑impact research questions. This role contributes directly to Yale's mission by ensuring research data is curated, analyzed, and communicated with exceptional rigor, integrity, and innovation.

Responsibilities

• Lead and supervise all data- and analytic matters for at least two research projects at a time.
• Lead and supervise the creation and maintenance of a data repository for a future research centre.
• Lead the development of comprehensive analytic plans that align with study aims, research questions, and methodological best practices.
• Acquisition and preparation of core datasets for analysis, such as mortality data, hospital data, pharmacy data, survey data, legal data, and population data.
• Manage data lifecycle processes—acquisition, storage, access control, preservation, and archiving—in accordance with Yale policies, IRB requirements, and federal regulations.
• Analysis of research data using descriptive statistics, visualization, mapping, and advanced statistical methods including Bayesian hierarchical regression, advanced difference-in-difference techniques for causal inference, synthetic control methods, time-series methods, and cohort analyses.
• Prepare analytic outputs, tables, figures, and methodological documentation for peer‑reviewed scientific publications and grant reports.
• Oversight of expert panel, survey design and analysis for policy taxonomy development.
• Provide project management for grant‑funded research activities, ensuring adherence to timelines, study protocols, deliverables, and reporting requirements.
• Coordinate with multi‑site research partners to ensure consistent data standards, analytic approaches, and communication across institutions.
• Contribute to proposal development, progress reports, and dissemination of findings to funding agencies and academic audiences.
• Supervise junior research staff, providing technical guidance, performance feedback, and professional development support.
• Offer consultation and mentorship to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows engaged in data‑intensive research projects.
• Develop and deliver workshops, training materials, and documentation to enhance data literacy and promote best practices across the research community.

Principal Responsibilities

• Consult to faculty and researchers regarding their projects and needs related to data infrastructure and processes. Discuss suggested project designs solutions and develop requirements for new university needs and capacities, where needed.
• Work with procurement and legal teams to assist researchers to locate and acquire more complex data resources. Serve as resource to university on improving these processes as needs arise.
• Design plans and protocols for maintenance and management of data through all phases of research lifecycle; review progress and assure accuracy and compliance of data being acquired and stored.
• Provide technical support and computing assistance to faculty and researchers in the university's social science departments and schools.
• Investigate new computing technologies (in areas such as hardware, software, and networking, depending on the candidate's interests and expertise).
• Implement statistical methods for descriptive and causal designs and learn new research methods as needed.
• Develop technical solutions for archiving and dissemination solutions for research across disciplines.
• Serve as mentor and resource to less experienced members of team.
• May perform other duties as assigned.

Required Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated expertise in research data management, advanced statistical analysis, and analytic workflow development.
• Proficiency with statistical and programming tools such as R, Python, SQL, SAS, or comparable platforms.
• Strong understanding of data privacy, security frameworks, and regulatory compliance (e.g., HIPAA, IRB, FERPA).
• Knowledge of core health datasets such as vital records, hospital discharge data, and claims data.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate complex analytic concepts for diverse audiences.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects, work independently, and collaborate effectively in a fast‑paced academic research environment.

Required Education and Experience

Bachelor's Degree in a related field and minimum of 7 years of related experience in academic or scientific research support or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Pay

Salary range: $90,000.00 - $165,750.00

Schedule

Full time; Duration Type: Staff Fixed Duration (Fixed Term)

Work Model

Remote