SAS Programmer

Job Summary:
The Department of Epidemiology, at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, studies the frequency, distribution, and determinants of disease in humans, a fundamental science of public health. In addition to pursuing ground-breaking global research initiatives, we educate and prepare future medical leaders and practitioners as part of our mission to ignite positive changes in the quality of health across the world.
CAUSALab (within the Department of Epidemiology) conducts cutting edge research using large health care databases to determine what works. The investigators within the CAUSALab have obtained uninterrupted funding for their teams for more than 20 years. Currently this includes projects in HIV, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, COVID-19, pregnancy and methodological applications of causal inference and artificial intelligence. Results from studies have informed guidelines for the treatment and prevention of multiple diseases, and contributed to the innovation of methods to generate valid evidence from real world data. The candidate will join a core team comprised of another Senior Programmer and two Programmers.
CAUSALab is seeking a full-time SAS Programmer to support a research team of faculty members (principal investigators Alejandro Szmulewicz, Sara Lodi and Miguel Hernán), postdoctoral researchers, students, and external collaborators. The Programmer will be responsible for the management of healthcare databases and other complex databases, as well as for the documentation of code.
Job-Specific Responsibilities:
Job duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
Develop and deploy data cleaning, data management, variable creation, and variable naming protocols of projects involving electronic health records, administrative claims, and other complex databases
Create and maintain databases using SAS and SQL in collaboration with members of the research team
Create and link customized databases and analytic datasets in UNIX and Windows environments
Assist with the maintenance and documentation of software in SAS and SQL
Function as a resource for researchers, post-docs and other trainees to help debug programs and to access correct data
Performs other duties as assigned
PLEASE NOTE: This position is grant-funded and only a U.S. Citizen can be considered.
PLEASE NOTE: This position has a term appointment of one year from the date of hire with possibility of extension.
PLEASE NOTE: Short-listed candidates will be required to submit work samples (sample code) and/or complete a coding assessment.
PLEASE NOTE: Finalist will be required to complete a background screening process for the US Veterans Administration.
Basic Qualifications:
Minimum of two years’ post-secondary education or relevant work experience
Professional statistical programming experience using SQL & SAS is required
Additional Qualifications and Skills:
Bachelor's degree, preferably in biostatistics, statistics or computer science
Master’s Degree preferred in Public Health Domain, Statistics, Data Science, Computer Science, Mathematics, Informatics, or other health data related field
Minimum of 2+ years statistical programming experience required (if have Master's degree)
Minimum of 3+ years of statistical programming experience required (if have Bachelor's degree)
Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools
Experience in working with big data and independently building analytic databases
Working knowledge of data analysis
Basic knowledge of study design, research methodology
Understanding of the healthcare domain, clinical, epidemiology and/or genomic data is a plus
Natural Language Processing language is a plus
Directly-related, practical experience in SAS and SQL, an engineering-like mindset, be mathematically oriented, and enjoy writing code for large and complex datasets
Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
Highly organized with a strong attention to detail and accuracy
Experience collaborating with all levels of research team; demonstrated team performance skills
Service-oriented mindset and approach

Employment type
Full-time

Work arrangement
Hybrid