Biostatistician I (B1)

Organization:
The Institute for Medical Research (IMR), an affiliate of the Durham VA Health Care System (DVAHCS)

Location:
Durham, NC (On-site - VA Medical Center)

Employment Type:
Full-Time

Salary Range:

$78,100 - $105,500

Anticipated Start Date:

October 2026 or 6-8 weeks after offer, contingent on VA approval

Position Summary

The Institute for Medical Research, an affiliate of the Durham VA Health Care System (DVAHCS), is looking for a Research Technician II to support select clinical research studies conducted by the Principal Investigator, Dr. Christopher Woods, and his associates in his infectious diseases clinical research group.

The incumbent will (1) write code, as appropriate, for data extraction and analysis, (2) extract data from VHA and public databases in accordance with research protocols, (3) find and correct errors and validate outputs and results, (3) design and perform basic analyses in accordance with statistical analysis plans, (4) present analyses to requestors, and (5) learn new statistical methods and apply new skills to future projects. The incumbent will accomplish project responsibilities with supervision or regular support.

This incumbent's first-level manager is the Research Manager; the second-level manager is the Principal Investigator, Dr. Christopher Woods. The incumbent will have the opportunity to work with research personnel, MDs, PhDs, and other clinical staff at the DVAMC and other VHA stations.

Location: This is an in-person role with 2-3 days a week in-office. Candidate is required to work from our Durham, NC Veterans Affairs location.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Critical Element 1: Technical & Analytic Research Support

• Provide informatics support on research projects including required analyses, design, technical specification development, data collection, analysis, presentation, and reporting
• Create technical and functional specifications for assisting data marts, sites, and partners
• Develop and maintain knowledge of terminologies and coding procedures used in research and healthcare
• Provide training on data-related concepts, applications, and tools as needed by other research staff
• Maintain and run programs to perform data extraction, cleaning, and analysis
• Develop and maintain knowledge in domain modeling, database design, and healthcare data standards
• Use web-based and VHA-specific informatics tools and databases
• Work within relational databases and data analysis software
• Assist with data curation and testing processes
• Contribute to data profiling strategies

Critical Element 2: Project Management

• Follow departmental project management processes
• Ensure compliance with all data privacy and information security requirements
• Assist in defining requirements and monitoring project scope
• Assist with project development, including pilot data extraction and analysis
• Contribute to project data discussions and workflows
• Maintain knowledge of data governance and best practices
• Recommend improvements in systems and processes for data continuity
• Ensure timely submission of assigned deliverables and resolve issues impacting timelines
• Draft data workflow documentation

Critical Element 3: Skill Development, Publications & Presentations

• Participate in training on healthcare data concepts and tools
• Maintain working knowledge of biomedical informatics
• Contribute to study report generation for project stakeholders
• Assist with abstract preparation and submissions
• Assist with preparation and finalization of poster and oral presentations
• Assist with manuscript generation, editing, and submission
• Present at internal and external project meetings

Critical Element 4: Collaboration & Team Engagement

• Work with research team members to ensure overall study objectives are met for all clinical research
• Maintain relationships with informatics, clinical, and cross-functional teams
• Follow SOPs for various tasks and provide input on day-to-day operations
• Participate in study meetings, conference calls, and leadership discussions
• Support current and future collaborations with clinical departments and VHA research partners nationwide

Minimum Qualifications:

Education
Work requires a bachelor's degree in bioinformatics, biological sciences, computer science, data science, public health or other directly related field. Master's degree in public health or data science preferred.

Experience
2-3 years full-time epidemiology or public health data analysis experience preferred. Relevant graduate education may substitute for experience.

Degrees, Licensures, Certifications
None required above education requirements.

Additional Requirements:

• Knowledge of relational databases, SAS, R, SQL
• Familiarity with statistical principles
• Strong communication skills
• Knowledge of clinical operations and research processes
• Experience in healthcare datasets preferred
• Experience with HIPAA preferred

Residency Requirements:

As a condition of employment with the Institute for Medical Research (IMR), employees must reside within the State of North Carolina and maintain a reasonable commuting distance to their assigned work location throughout the duration of their employment. By accepting this offer, you acknowledge and agree to this requirement. Failure to maintain North Carolina residency at any time during employment may result in corrective action, up to and including termination of employment.

By accepting this offer, you acknowledge that your employment with IMR is at will. This means that neither you nor IMR have entered a contract regarding the terms or duration of employment. You may terminate your employment at any time, with or without cause or notice. Likewise, IMR reserves the right to reassign duties, modify compensation, or terminate employment at any time, with or without cause or notice.

Notice regarding onboarding:

Incumbents will onboard as an employee of Institute for Medical Research (IMR) and as an affiliate of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Incumbents must successfully complete onboarding with both entities. Specific start dates will be determined by VHA onboarding.