Staff Associate

The Department of Health Policy and Management (HPM) at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health is seeking a Staff Associate of Research. This role will include research administration, quantitative analysis, and manuscript preparation in support of the The Postpartum Assessment of Health Survey (PAHS), led by HPM professor Jamie Daw and Columbia School of Social Work professor Heidi Allen and funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. The PAHS project involves data collection and analysis of a large-scale multi-state survey of postpartum mothers conducted in collaboration with public health departments in six states, New York City and the District of Columbia. This position provides a unique opportunity to gain experience in academic public health and health policy research and would be ideal preparation for a PhD program in public health, health services research, health policy, public policy, or related fields.

The Staff Associate will work with the PIs and the study team to support scientific investigations and policy analyses using this novel survey data. Topics will include the experiences and needs of mothers and families in the year after birth and investigations of the drivers of postpartum health and postpartum health disparities. Duties will include performing literature reviews; conducting data analysis using replicable, transparent statistical programming practices; providing clear analytic interpretations; contributing to manuscripts, presentations and reports; managing DUAs, IRB and other regulatory approvals; and contributing to grant proposals. In addition to scientific outputs, the Staff Associate will be involved in knowledge translation efforts with state and city governments and other policy makers to communicate research results and maximize the impact of this project on public health policy and practice. The Staff Associate will also have the opportunity to engage with the broader scientific community (e.g. attending seminars, research meetings, networking) at the Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia School of Social Work, and Columbia Population Research Center.

This is a one-year position starting as soon as March 16, 2026 with a possible extension to a second year.

Specific duties include:

• Collect, clean, and maintain survey data
• Prepare detailed data documentation
• Contribute to analytic plans and implement program code in Stata and/or R
• Perform statistical analysis, including multivariate regression analysis
• Assist with interpretation of results and dissemination of findings through the preparation of reports, journal articles, presentations, and other outputs
• Conduct literature reviews to support reports, presentations, and journal articles
• Support knowledge translation efforts and relationships with state/city partners
• Maintain IRB and other regulatory requirements (e.g. data use agreements)
• Assist with project management, scheduling and other administrative tasks as needed

Applicants for the Staff Associate position are expected to have the following:

• Programming experience in Stata or R is required (Stata preferred).
• Strong familiarity with the appropriate application and interpretation of statistical techniques including multivariate regression.
• Demonstrated exceptional written and oral communications skills (writing sample is required).
• Strong organizational skills and ability to work on multiple tasks simultaneously

* Strong interpersonal skills and collaborative spirit.

• At least 6 months of research experience in a research role as a research assistant during the academic year or a summer internship in a research lab or governmental institution. 1-2 years experience in a full-time position preferred.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in a related field with strong grades in quantitative coursework (e.g. mathematics, economics, statistics).
• Knowledge of U.S. health care system and/or maternal health issues preferred.

* Prior experience analyzing large-scale survey data (e.g. PRAMS, NHIS, BRFSS) preferred.

Columbia University is dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse and pluralistic faculty and staff committed to teaching and working in a diverse environment, and strongly encourages applications from women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans.

Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Pay Transparency Disclosure

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.