Systems Programmer/Analyst - Early Career

RTI International (RTI) is both a global research institute and a leading international development organization based out of North Carolina. At RTI, you will find work you believe in, tackling some of the most complex global challenges of our time. Our mission is to impact the wellbeing of 1 billion people by 2030 through science-based solutions in climate, education, health, and equity. Our staff promotes meaningful change around the world helping people live healthier, more productive, and more independent lives.

If you are looking for an opportunity to make a real difference, RTI is the place for you. Join us in our commitment to teamwork, belonging, and the passion to change the world.

RTI's Division of Healthcare Payment and Quality in the Health Practice Area is seeking dynamic and detail-orientated candidates for a full-time Programmer/Analyst with Python, SAS, or SQL analytic programming experience. The Programmer / Analyst will work with researcher teams to analyze and synthesize complex qualitative and quantitative administrative health data from multiple sources into meaningful results. Individuals in this role will provide analytic development and statistical programming knowledge to project teams conducting research using healthcare data, especially large and complex health insurance claims and survey data, in a fast-paced environment.

This position is based in Research Triangle Park, NC; Waltham, MA; Washington, DC; or any other U.S. location as a telecommuter.

Approximately 85% of working time will require:

• Developing coding expertise and best practices to query, merge, and analyze complex healthcare data from large relational databases
• Leveraging a variety of quantitative methods to standardize, blend, and distill data from multiple disparate sources, transforming them into analytic insights for use in client reports, journal manuscripts, abstracts, or posters for professional meetings
• Iteratively developing and maintaining Python code while adopting best practices for increasing efficiency, minimizing computational errors, implementing process improvements, and other approaches that add value to business processes and analytic results
• Participating in thorough code review and documentation, as well as parallel coding efforts for other programmers to maintain quality standards and ensure that code may be efficiently transferred among team members as needed
• Constructing analytic datasets and databases to support deliverables for various public health and healthcare financing engagements
• Collaborating with project team members to review, critically evaluate, and refine business requirements, and then translate those requirements into programming logic
• Adopting and refining technical skills on projects, including working independently, proactively resolving day-to-day issues of small complexity, and leveraging coding best practices and standards

Approximately 15% of working time will require:

• Participating in continuing education courses on healthcare-related and/or technical coding topics (including learning new coding languages) as applicable to the role and evolving business needs
• Sharing insights gained from the above activities with fellow programmers, leaders, and other division staff through activities such as presentations at staff meetings, contributions to collective codebase utilities, and training early career staff

Candidates will be asked to provide a code sample from previous work.

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Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in data science, computer science, statistics, social sciences, health policy or related field with at least 3 years of programming experience OR a Master's degree in the same areas mentioned above and at least 1 year of relevant programming experience
• Minimum of 3 years of experience with Python, SAS or SQL analytical coding with demonstrated familiarity with the linkage of various types of data files
• Programming experience using data stored in relational databases such as Teradata, Snowflake, DB2, Oracle, and SQL Server
• Experience designing and implementing flexible, reusable, scalable, programming code
• Commitment to analytic programming quality and best practices, including experience with QA/QC procedures (e.g., peer review of code, parallel programming)
• Familiarity with all phases of the Analytic Development Life Cycle and demonstrated experience in working with at least 1 of these phases
• Organizational and planning skills that enable independent work while contributing to a team effort
• Analytic thinker with exceptional attention to quality and detail
• Good interpersonal skills, including written and oral English-language skills, the ability to effectively manage competing deadlines, and the ability to work independently on a day-to-day basis while regularly collaborating with project teams
• Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States, have lived in the United States for at least 3 of the last 5 years, and should not require now, or in the future, sponsorship for employment visa status

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated understanding of relational database management concepts
• Healthcare industry experience, analytic experience in work with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and/or knowledge of healthcare terminology and taxonomy/classification systems (e.g., ICD-10, CPT, HCPCS)
• Programming experience within CMS data systems such as the Integrated Data Repository (IDRC), Chronic Conditions Warehouse (CCW), or Centralized Data Repository (CDR)
• Understanding and use of issue tracking and code versioning tools such as Jira or Git
• Ability to thoroughly review and adjust code, ultimately providing quality programming output while developing the ability to identify overall enhancements to programming or project team processes

For San Francisco, CA USA Job Postings Only: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Further information is available here.

RTI accepts applications to our job openings from candidates with criminal histories or conviction records in accordance with all applicable laws, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

For Applicants in Massachusetts Only: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

The anticipated pay range for this role is listed below. Our pay ranges represent national averages and may vary by location as a geographic differential may be applied to some locations within the United States. RTI considers multiple factors when making an offer including, for example: established salary range, internal budget, business needs, and education and years of work experience possessed by the applicant. Further, salary is merely one element to our offer.

At RTI, we demonstrate our commitment to rewarding individual and team achievement through a total rewards package. This package includes (among other things) a competitive base salary, a generous paid time off policy, merit based annual increases, bonus opportunities and a robust recognition program. Other benefits include a competitive range of insurance plans (including health, dental, life, and short-term and long-term disability), access to a retirement savings program such as a 401(k) plan, paid parental leave for all parents, financial assistance with adoption expenses or infertility treatments, financial reimbursement for education and developmental opportunities, an employee assistance program, and numerous other offerings to support a healthy work-life balance.