Qualitative Researcher, Health Innovations US-Remote | US-VA-Arlington | US-NC-Chapel Hill

Overview

Qualitative Researcher, Health Innovations — US-Remote with possible office locations in Arlington, VA;
Chapel Hill, NC;
Chicago, IL;
Sacramento, CA;
Austin, TX. Join AIR as a Qualitative Researcher with the Health Innovations team. Our team collaborates to address health care quality, costs, and access. We include nurses, physicians, psychologists, economists, sociologists, data scientists, and public health experts to advance evidence and provide results-driven technical assistance, training, and data science tools.

This position has the flexibility to work remotely within the United States or from one of AIR’s U.S. office locations. This does not include U.S. territories.

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 challenging health and social issues worldwide. We generate evidence and apply data-driven solutions to expand opportunities and improve lives.

• Lead or contribute to the design and execution of rigorous research and evaluation projects.
• Apply appropriate qualitative methods to collect, manage, analyze, and interpret data.
• Translate complex findings into clear, actionable insights and recommendations for client reports, technical memos, and presentations.
• Support proposal development by writing technical sections, developing budgets, and contributing to proposal strategy.
• Manage small to mid-sized tasks or project components, including planning timelines, tracking deliverables, and liaising with clients while maintaining positive and collaborative relationships.
• Mentor and guide junior staff through regular feedback, training, and modeling of research best practices.
• Engage with stakeholders and partners through meetings, briefings, and dissemination activities.
• Contribute to a collaborative environment that values diverse perspectives and experiences.

Education, Knowledge, and Experience

• PhD in a relevant field (e.g., Public Health, Psychology, Sociology, Health Services Research, Evaluation, Social Science, or related discipline) or a Master’s degree with at least four (4) years of qualitative research experience.
• Experience conducting applied qualitative research or evaluation in health, human services, or policy contexts.
• Experience designing and implementing qualitative data collection efforts, including development of interview and focus group protocols.
• Experience coordinating qualitative data collection activities, including recruitment, scheduling, data management, and quality assurance.
• Experience synthesizing qualitative findings and contributing to reports, briefs, or presentations for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience interpreting analytic results and contributing to reports, briefs, or presentations that inform program, policy, or operational decisions.
• Experience working on research or evaluation projects for federal, state, or local agencies or other public or nonprofit entities.
• Familiarity with CMS, Medicare, Medicaid, or other federal health programs preferred but not required.

Skills

• Strong qualitative analysis skills, including coding, analyzing, and synthesizing qualitative data using software (e.g., NVivo, ATLAS.ti, Dedoose).
• Strong technical writing skills with experience drafting reports, briefs, presentations, and methodological documentation.
• Excellent communication skills to convey complex information and collaborate effectively in a virtual environment.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines independently while contributing to a collaborative team.
• Proven ability to coach junior staff and foster inclusive team dynamics.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Attention to detail and commitment to accuracy in data analysis and report writing.

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis. Employment-based visa sponsorship (including H-1B sponsorship) is not available for this position. Depending on project work, qualified candidates may need to meet…