Data Processing Programmer Intern (Summer Session)
Acumen, LLC / The SPHERE Institute provide government agencies with high-quality, impartial research to inform decision-making related to health care policy. We help make sure policymakers, health care providers, and the public have the best available evidence upon which to base their choices.
We leverage our unparalleled data access to generate analyses for a wide range of partners involved in the health care system. We work closely with our clients to understand their objectives and figure out how to turn data into actionable information for them. For example, our results are used by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to pursue investigations of fraud, waste, and abuse in the Medicare system, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to monitor and assess the safety of drugs after they have been released onto the market, the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) to help local public health authorities prepare for and respond to emergency situations like hurricanes and floods, and the Center for Medicare (CM) to predict and quantify the effects of payment policy changes for health care services. At its core, our research offers an opportunity to use data to solve problems that matter.
Position Summary
The Data Processing Programmer (DPP) internship offers an opportunity to learn from experienced programmers on various areas. These include: advanced programming techniques, working with large datasets, developing robust processes for automating the creation of research files, improving runtimes, and reducing data footprint size.
The role also provides the opportunity to dive into development projects that bring about infrastructure change, proactively seeking optimization of the research file infrastructure at Acumen over time. Day-to-day activities include developing, refining, and implementing scalable approaches for producing high quality research files, all the while aiming to enhance the end user’s need for flexible, comprehensive, and current data.
Statistical Programmer interns are integrated into a project team and learn about all facets of the research process:
Data management techniques for working with large amounts of data
Data analysis workflow in a professional setting
Methods for researching policy context
Application of research methods to answer specific policy questions
Verification and validation of results
Presentation of methodology and results for non-technical audiences
Client and project management under tight timelines
We expect the role of the Data Processing Programmer intern to closely mirror that of a full-time analyst, meaning you can expect to gain professional experience performing the following responsibilities:
Developing complex data processing algorithms that combine multiple data sources, while optimizing run-time efficiency.
Loading, validating, documenting, managing, and analyzing complex health care data sets.
Performing validation checks across multiple sources to verify data integrity.
Developing data structures, databases, and querying programs to facilitate efficient data access.
Developing data structures from claims and enrollment data which support research and analytic activities of in-house analysts as well as congressional and federal agencies or academic researchers.
Developing robust approaches to automate all of the above.
Collaborating with other DPP and researchers to maintain systems, produce documentation, and educate internal and external users about available research files.
Updating weekly, monthly, and quarterly analyses for diverse topics.
Ensuring that all project deliverables meet team expectations and quality standards.
Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
Qualifications- We are looking for candidates who best exemplify the following qualifications:
A Bachelor’s or Master's degree (in progress) in Information Management Systems, Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, Public Health, or related field with quantitative emphasis
Interest in and experience working with big data
Experience programming with one or more programming languages
Strong organizational, planning, and problem solving skills
Strong attention to detail
Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively
Strong written and oral communication skills
Ability to prioritize multiple projects and deliverables simultaneously
Interest in making an impact in the field of healthcare policy research
This position is for a paid summer internship. In addition to developing skills for policy analysis and gaining exposure to client projects, you will receive formal training in statistical programming and hands-on mentoring from experienced analysts. The internship program also fosters a supportive team environment and hosts events throughout the summer for interns and their team members.
Candidates will be selected based on their qualifications and matched to a specific project based on their skills and interests. Any application without a cover letter will not be considered. Transcripts and coding samples are not required; however, they are highly preferred and may be requested. We are excited to review your application and look forward to seeing how you can contribute to our mission.
Please note, this position is available in our Burlingame, CA; Los Angeles, CA; and Washington, D.C. offices. You will have the opportunity to indicate your office preference when completing the application.
Please note, our work at Acumen/SPHERE is proprietary. Should your academic program require a report of your internship project for academic credit, you must request specific approval from recruiting prior to the start of your internship. You must also confirm with your project team that the report or presentation does not violate our confidentiality requirements.