Principal Researcher, Healthcare Implementation & Monitoring

Overview

Join AIR as a Principal Researcher with our Healthcare Innovations team. Our team works collaboratively to unravel the intertwined challenges of health care quality, costs, and access. Our team of experts — nurses, physicians, psychologists, economists, sociologists, data scientists, and public health experts — advance evidence and save lives by leading rigorous research and evaluation; results-driven technical assistance and training; and leading-edge data science and technology tools.

This Principal Researcher will contribute to large-scale implementation and monitoring initiatives for federal health agencies. The ideal candidate will bring deep experience in monitoring frameworks, analytic design, alternative payment models, and federal program operations—particularly Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the CMS Innovation Center (CMMI).

This role emphasizes monitoring expertise
, methodological rigor, and the ability to lead large projects or tasks, contribute to thought leadership, project execution, and business development in AIR's large and growing implementation and monitoring portfolio.

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.

The responsibilities for the position include:

• Thought Leadership & Technical Expertise:
  Serve as a subject-matter and methodological expert in the implementation and monitoring of federal health programs, especially alternative payment models, and value-based care initiatives.
• Provide leadership in designing monitoring frameworks, performance metrics, data collection plans, and analytic strategies for implementation and monitoring contracts.
• Contribute to AIR's technical vision for CMS and CMMI work, helping shape approaches that meet federal expectations for rigor, transparency, and accuracy.

• Project Execution & Oversight:
  Direct large, complex implementation and monitoring or evaluation projects—or a portfolio of smaller projects—ensuring alignment with federal requirements and high-quality delivery, on time and on budget.
• Oversee the planning, design, and implementation of project procedures, including monitoring plans, analytic plans, research protocols, monitoring reports, risk summaries, and stakeholder engagement strategies.
• Serve as a senior contributor to model testing, monitoring, and evaluation tasks, including real-time monitoring, operational assessments, and rapid cycle learning.
• Collaborate with data and analytic teams to connect monitoring indicators to underlying data sources (claims, administrative, practice-based, state-based).
• Guide development of data protocols, dashboard requirements, and reporting structures for monitoring deliverables.

• CMS-Facing Expertise & Business Development:
  Serve as a thought partner to AIR leadership on work conducted for CMS/CMMI, interpreting federal priorities, model goals, and policy developments.
• Lead or significantly contribute to proposal development involving monitoring, implementation, and operational oversight including designing methodological approaches, reviewing narratives for soundness, and leading staffing and budgeting decisions.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with federal clients and partners, helping position AIR for future CMS and HHS opportunities.

• Team Leadership, Mentorship &
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Coach, mentor, and support junior and mid-career staff, setting developmental goals and modeling high-quality technical and analytic work.
• Collaborate with colleagues across research, analytics, communications, TA, and operations teams to ensure integrated, high-quality products.
• Contribute to a collaborative environment that…