The Research Data Assistance Center (ResDAC) is a large, complex center funded by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). ResDAC has 8 task areas including assistance, outreach, advice to CMS and education. The Research Project Specialist 2 must be knowledgeable about all aspects of the multi-faceted research work conducted by the ResDAC team. This position is responsible for coordinating the many project components; participating with the leadership team in project planning operations, and monitoring; developing and managing budget development and spending oversight; collecting information as part of a monitoring and reporting strategy; working with the PI on policy development and implementation; conducting technical reviews; overseeing quality control; and identifying opportunities for improved efficiency. Develop and maintain expert knowledge of CMS data distributor protocols to produce appropriate procedures to ensure compliance.
Primary responsibilities include:
Budget and project management (30%):
- Facilitate invoicing and budgeting to ensure timely submission.
- Drafting contracts and purchase orders, procurement card reconciliation.
- Monitor the budget to ensure vendors are operating within the budgeted amounts.
- Provide budget estimates for preparing contract renewals or modifications.
- Manage major purchases including computers, make sure process is consistent with contract requirements and purchases are properly logged according to contract rules.
- Monitor data use agreements (DUAs) and request data as available and appropriate for project needs.
Reporting (25%):
- Collect stored information and draft bimonthly, quarterly and annual reports.
- Coordinate responses to inquiries from CMS that require quantitative reporting.
- Monitor trends, identify alternate ways to communicate in standardized fashion.
IT Management and systems (20%)
- Track computer inventory
- Assist in maintaining and updating Jira, the ticketing system and main point of contact for the vendor for tracking existing and future data requests
- Ensuring website backup
- Keep voice over internet protocol (VOIP) updated, communicate with the Office of Information Technology as needed to maintain systems
- Workshop assistance (typically 3 times per year) as needed for delivery of virtual workshops
- Other tasks as assigned
Policy development and implementation (15%):
- Work with ResDAC Leadership team on implementation of any ResDAC policy or procedure changes.
- Assist or advise the ResDAC Leadership team with the implementation of tools to support decision-making and understand the implementation of ResDAC policy.
Technical training and assistance support (10%):
- Complete training and maintain knowledge on how to provide individual technical consultation and assistance through phone, email, or online to researchers interested in Medicare and Medicaid data for research, in order to provide support for assistance staff if needed.
- Work with the leadership team to develop and maintain a network of partners between ResDAC and the sponsor organization (CMS) to identify and remove barriers to success.
- Maintain knowledge on how to conduct independent and detailed technical reviews of researchers’ proposals for Medicare and Medicaid identifiable data.
This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement (part on-campus, part remote).