Senior Researcher, Medicaid Policy and Financing

Join AIR as a Senior Researcher with our Healthcare Transformation Program. This role combines deep Medicaid policy and financing expertise with rigorous research, applied analytics, project leadership, and client engagement to support federal and state decision-making. Our team works collaboratively to address complex challenges related to coverage, care delivery, operations, cost containment, and quality, supporting federal and state partners in improving healthcare outcomes.
Our multidisciplinary team—including economists, data scientists, public health experts, clinicians, and policy researchers—advances evidence through rigorous research and evaluation, results driven technical assistance, and applied analytics.
The Senior Researcher will bring deep expertise in Medicaid financing and policy topics to a range of work across our portfolio of Medicaid-related projects, supporting clients such as CMS, MACPAC, and foundations. The role will include designing rigorous studies, managing teams and budgets, overseeing data collection and analysis, developing proposals, and communicating actionable findings while serving as a trusted partner to clients and stakeholders.
Candidates hired for the position may work remotely within the United States (U.S.) or from one of our U.S. office locations. This does not include U.S. territories.
About AIR:
Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance to address some of the most pressing challenges in the United States and globally. We generate evidence and apply data-driven solutions that expand opportunities and improve lives for all.
Responsibilities:
Manage day-to-day Medicaid-related project operations in roles such as principal investigator, project director, or task lead, ensuring deliverables are completed on time, within budget, and to a high standard.
Lead collaborative project teams by developing timelines and coordinating staff assignments.
Identify research problems and design rigorous applied studies, including aligned research questions, methodologies, and analytic plans.
Apply subject-matter expertise to design and implement relevant, responsive, and impactful research, operations, and technical assistance projects.
Lead and oversee analyses of Medicaid claims (T-MSIS Analytic File), hospital cost reports, and other complex administrative data.
Devise and implement innovative solutions to practical challenges in applied research.
Lead Medicaid data collection and analysis efforts, including identifying trends, outliers, and Medicaid data reporting issues, and synthesizing findings.
Communicate study progress and findings clearly and effectively through reports, briefings, presentations, visualizations, and other materials to describe policy-relevant findings and actionable insights.
Represent the organization professionally in client interactions and manage client and stakeholder relationships with awareness of the broader policy and practice landscape.
Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with clients, partners, and stakeholders, and foster positive, collaborative working relationships.
Contribute thoughtfully and creatively to project teams.
Contribute to business development by identifying opportunities, developing client relationships, and leading or contributing substantively to competitive proposals.
Qualifications:
Education, Knowledge, and Experience
PhD in related subject area (e.g., Economics, Health Services Research, Public Policy, or a related discipline) with 3+ years of relevant experience or master’s degree with 7+ years of relevant experience.
Extensive knowledge of Medicaid financing and policy, including areas such as federal-state financing, payment policy, managed care, supplemental payments, waivers, delivery-system reform, or program integrity and fraud oversight.
Demonstrated ability to translate complex ideas into actionable work plans and timelines.
Experience managing project and/or task teams on research, evaluation, and technical assistance projects.
Experience building and maintaining strong client and partner relationships.
Experience supporting business development efforts, including grant and proposal writing.
Experience analyzing claims and other large or complex data sets.
Experience working in contract research and/or evaluation organizations.
Skills
Strong organizational and interpersonal skills including strong communication skills with the ability to produce concise, high-level summaries and briefings.
Strong negotiator and communicator, with excellent client and partner management skills.
Strong presentation and facilitation skills.
Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy when writing.
Can collaborate effectively in a virtual work environment.

Skills
Business Development

Experience
7+ yrs