Research & Data Assistant

Company Description

A best-in-class city that attracts best-in-class talent, Philadelphia is an incredible place to build a career. From our thriving arts scene and rich history to our culture of passion and grit, there are countless reasons to love living and working here. With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia offers boundless opportunities to make an impact.

As an employer, the City of Philadelphia values inclusion, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work above all else. We offer a vibrant work environment, comprehensive health care and benefits, and the experience you need to grow and excel. If you’re interested in working with a passionate team of people who care about the future of Philadelphia, start here.

What we offer

• Impact - The work you do here matters to millions. 
• Growth - Philadelphia is growing, why not grow with it? 
• Diversity & Inclusion - Find a career in a place where everyone belongs.
• Benefits - We care about your well-being.

Agency Description

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) protects and promotes the health of all Philadelphians and provides a safety net for people who are disproportionately impacted by societal factors that limit their access to healthcare and other resources necessary for optimal health. The agency leads programs to prevent communicable diseases; prevent chronic diseases and promote healthy behaviors; prevent environmental health risks and injuries; investigate outbreaks of disease; respond to public health emergencies; and promote the health of women, children, and families. In addition, the department operates a series of primary care clinics. PDPH has been on the vanguard of public health, proposing policy solutions to issues like opioid and tobacco use, and intends to continue developing creative solutions to both long-standing urban health problems and new crises.

Job Description

The Health Commissioner’s Office (HCO) sets policy priorities and provides leadership for PDPH by working closely with internal divisions and external partners to advance the department’s mission. PDPH’s Epidemiology and Informatics Collaborative (EpIC), co-led by the Chief Epidemiologist, conducts priority analyses to advance the department’s policy goals. EpIC also supports and collaborates with data staff across the department by establishing data governance and security policies, standardizing research best practices, and facilitating training opportunities. The primary purpose of EpIC’s work is to inform and advise our programs, policymakers, and the public.

We are seeking a skilled and dynamic Research and Data Assistant with strong administrative skills and experience in public health data management to join EpIC. Candidates should be detail-oriented and have excellent communication, writing, and organizational skills. The Assistant will support the Chief Epidemiologist with administrative tasks and project management. The Assistant will also support EpIC by managing datasets, performing basic data analysis, and assisting with research and analysis projects. The Assistant should have an interest in topics like the social determinants of health; population health; health policy and advancing health equity through policy.

Essential Functions

The Research and Data Assistant is responsible for supporting the work of the Chief Epidemiologist through administrative tasks:

• Scheduling and preparing materials for meetings and events
• Managing shared inboxes and responding to inquiries
• Assisting in hiring and onboarding of new employees and interns
• Documenting datasets, data systems, and workflows
• Supporting administrative tasks related to internal research review processes
• Updating and maintaining data use agreements across the health department (letters of support, data use agreements, etc.)
• Taking and distributing meeting notes
• Working with internal and external partners to keep projects on track

The Research and Data Assistant is responsible for supporting the work of EpIC team through:

• Cleaning data, maintaining data dictionaries, creating longitudinal data files, pulling recent data, and other data management tasks for public health datasets (e.g., administrative, survey, hospitalization, and internal projects)
• Reviewing and synthesizing existing literature on topics related to population health and emergent concerns
• Creating survey instruments using programs such as REDCap, Qualtrics, etc.
• Participating in team and department-wide meetings
• Other duties as assigned.