Service Fellowship in Statistics

Position and organization

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Division of Vital Statistics (DVS), located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, is seeking a Service Fellow in statistics. NCHS is a part of the Department of Health and Human Services and is the principal health statistics agency in the United States. Its mission is to provide statistical information to guide actions and policies to improve the health of the American people.

Within NCHS, DVS is responsible for acquiring, analyzing, and publishing vital statistics data from the United States’ 57 jurisdictions, including its possessions. Within DVS, the Data Acquisition, Classification and Evaluation Branch (DACEB) is responsible for collecting timely and high quality data on vital statistics events by managing contracts to each of the 57 independent jurisdictions in exchange for data that complies with NCHS standards and directives; receiving, analyzing, and providing feedback to jurisdictions on timeliness and data quality; and providing accurate and timely cause-of-death codes to the jurisdictions for deaths and fetal deaths. DACEB serves as the primary interface with the jurisdictions for DVS. Some of the specific responsibilities of DACEB are to 1) develop and direct a comprehensive statistical quality assurance program to assure that the data received from each registration area are acceptable for national use; 2) provide technical assistance to states, local areas, other countries, and private organizations on data files, software, training, processing, and coding of vital statistics data; 3) in consultation with health departments across the United States, lead and conduct evaluation studies and other research on issues related to the collection of vital statistics; and 4) promote the development and implementation of best statistical practices throughout the U.S. vital statistics system to maximize the utility of vital statistics data.

Fellowship overview

The Service Fellow will work closely as part of a team of DACEB statisticians responsible for evaluating the quality and completeness of birth, demographic death and fetal death data, and providing quality assessment results to jurisdictions. Major duties will include: 1) conceptualizing, developing, and applying statistical concepts and statistical programming techniques to evaluate vital statistics data on an ongoing basis; 2) leading an effort to develop statistical methods, reports, and tools to provide timely feedback to jurisdictions for corrective action; 3) providing technical support and consultation to jurisdictions with respect to data completeness and quality; 4) conducting analytical activities such as trend analysis and data anomalies detection; 5) approving vouchers for payment based on quality assessments; 6) presenting results of statistical analyses and quality assessments in reports, presentations, and posters at professional meetings; and 7) representing NCHS in meetings with jurisdictional representatives.

Qualifications

This position is open to all citizens of the United States or legal permanent residents with a work authorization. (Applicants are responsible for obtaining the necessary work authorization.) Applicants must have successfully completed a master’s or doctoral degree or equivalent in statistics, mathematics, or a related field (e.g., demography, biostatistics, etc.), with the course of study including at least 15 semester hours in statistics (or in mathematics and statistics, provided that at least 6 semester hours were in statistics). Experience and applied coursework in sampling, collecting, computing, and analyzing statistical data and applying statistical techniques such as simple and multiple correlation, regression modeling, analysis of variance, and significance testing are required. In addition to the basic requirements, experience in data mining or outlier detection; ability to program in SAS or R programming language; knowledge of and experience with vital statistics or other health statistics; and strong speaking, writing, and interpersonal skills are highly desirable. Facility with Microsoft Office applications is expected.

Terms of appointment

The successful candidate will be offered an initial 24-month appointment, with the potential for extension of up to 5 years. A starting date will be determined by mutual agreement. An initial salary range of $49,878–$94,037 will be offered based on education, skills, and experience. Salary increases will be commensurate with performance. Fellows are eligible for sick leave, annual leave, thrift savings 401(k)-equivalent, and health and life insurance. A flexible work schedule may be arranged. Free onsite parking is available.

Application process

Applications will be accepted through October 30, 2015. Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, their curriculum vitae, official transcripts of all graduate and undergraduate credits, and two reference letters to Karen Knight, Data Acquisition, Classification and Evaluation Branch Chief. Inquiries or questions regarding this fellowship can be directed to Ms. Knight at KKnight1@cdc.gov. Visit the NCHS Employment Opportunities website for more information about the Fellowship Program.

Mailing address

Ms. Karen Knight
Chief, Data Acquisition, Classification and Evaluation Branch
Division of Vital Statistics
National Center for Health Statistics

Mail via United States Postal Service to:
P.O. Box 12214
RTP, NC 27709

Or send via commercial carrier service to:
3210 East Highway 54, Suite 200
RTP, NC 27709

**CDC/NCHS is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, creed, color, age, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability, or sexual orientation.**