Survey Methodologist

SURVEY RESEARCHER 2 (006262)

UCPath Position ID: 40790933

Position Description History/Status

For Reference ONLY - PeopleAdmin JA Number:

1130091

Approved Date:

6/13/2025 3:41:15 PM

Date Last Edited:

6/13/2025 3:41:13 PM

Last Action Effective Date:

7/10/2022

Organization Details

Business Unit (Location):

LACMP

Organization Code:

2400O

Organization:

UCLA FIELDING SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Division Code:

2410D

Division:

PUBLIC HEALTH DIV

Department:

191800 - CNTR FOR HEALTH POLICY RESEARCH

Position Details

UCPath Position Number:

40790933

Position Description ID

166798

UC Payroll Title:

SURVEY RESEARCHER 2 (006262)

Business Title:

Survey Methodologist

Personnel Program

Professional and Support Staff (PSS)

Salary Grade:

Grade 19

Job Code FLSA:

Non-Exempt

Union Code (Collective Bargaining Unit):

99: Non-Represented (PPSM)

Employee Relations Code:

E: All Others - Not Confidential

Employee Class (Appt Type):

2 - Staff: Career

Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)

1

SUPERVISION

UCPath Reports to Position Number:

41031405

Reports to Payroll Title:

SURVEY RESEARCHER 4

UCPath Department Head Position Number:

40061737

Department Head Payroll Title:

ACAD PRG MGR 1

GENERAL SUPERVISION - Indicates that the incumbent develops procedures for performance of variety of duties; or performs complex duties within established policy guidelines.

POSITION SUMMARY

Under the direction of the Principal investigator, Director, and Data Quality and Survey Methodology Manager of the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), the Survey Methodologist will have primary responsibility for supporting CHIS survey methodology. The incumbent may also consult on related issues for other surveys conducted and used at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. Under the direction of the Data Quality and Survey Methodology Manager, the incumbent will be responsible for developing and accessing survey methodologies for CHIS, initiating methodological research projects that evaluate and improve data quality, providing technical assistance to CHIS users, and assist with post-survey data production activities, including weighting and imputation and the evaluation of weights and imputation methods. Collaborate and consult with survey Principal investigators, Co-Investigators, Director and other representatives from federal, state and local public health agencies, and private research organizations on the validity of survey results and quality control issues, the improvement of the overall survey methodology, and planning changes to survey methodology for future CHIS cycles. The incumbent will also collaborate with statisticians from survey subcontractors on the development of data quality strategies and post¡ survey statistical activities. Consultants/programmers on issues of statistical design, data analysis, and other data and estimate issues. Co-author methodology reports, technical documents and peer-reviewed journal articles. Encouraged to explore external collaborative projects and external funding for methodological studies.

The California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) is the largest population-based state health survey in the nation and the premier source of credible and comprehensive data on the health and health care needs of California’s large and diverse population. CHIS is one of the nation's largest ongoing health surveys and is conducted by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research in collaboration with the California Department of Public Health, California Department of Health Care Services, and the Public Health Institute. A model for health surveys for other states, CHIS is committed to ensuring everyone has access to data — policymakers, advocates, health care providers, community organizations, researchers, journalists, and the general public — to fight for policies that will improve the lives of Californians through better health and health care. We make sure that data didn’t just sit on a shelf, but was accessible and widely disseminated through our public use files and AskCHIS free web query tool. 

Survey Methodologist

1. Evaluate and document data quality of the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS).

2. Assist in exploring and developing methodologies to implement to improve and assess data quality.

3. Collaborate and consult with survey Principal Investigators, Coinvestigators, Directors and other representatives from federal, state and local public health agencies, and private research organizations on the validity of survey results and quality control issues, the improvement of the overall survey methodology, and planning changes to survey methodology for future cycles.

4. Collaborate with statisticians, statistical consultants/programmers on issues of statistical design, data analysis and other data issues.

5. Collaborate with survey subcontractor statisticians on the development of data quality strategies and post-survey statistical activities.

6. Assist in providing technical assistance provided to funding organizations, local health departments, and other researchers who use data.

7. Work with the team in the documentation of methodology and technical assistance reporting in interim and final progress reports to ensure the terms and conditions of the award are met.

8. Present on survey methodology at internal meetings and external meetings to include the Advisory Board, Technical Advisory Committees, APHA, AAPOR, etc.

9. Co-author methodology reports, technical documents and peer reviewed journal articles on methodology findings.

10. Explore external collaborative projects.

11. Support the regular meetings of the Sample Design and Survey Methodology Technical Advisory Committee.

12. Prepare power analyses to assess the impact of various proposed custom geographic oversamples, including county oversamples.

13. Develop power analyses and methodological recommendations for CHIS follow-on studies and other custom non-CHIS studies.

14. Advise the Statistical Unit on potential methodological improvements in statistical weighting and imputation conducted during data processing.

15. Support the Questionnaire Coordination team by providing input on proposed wording for new and revised questions, and support cognitive pretesting of new and modified questionnaires.

16. Participate in monthly monitoring of recorded CHIS CATI interviews in English and Mandarin, and report concerns to UCLA, PHI, and SSRS staff as appropriate.

17. Advise the Director on activities necessary to ensure compliance with the AAPOR transparency initiative, and participate in that initiative's biannual recertification process.

18. Participate in the development of interviewing protocols for qualitative studies conducted as follow-on studies to CHIS, and conduct qualitative interviews with participants in English and/or Mandarin Chinese.

19. Collaborate with the Survey Methodology and Data Quality Manager on the development of methodological experiments embedded within CHIS data collection to improve response rates and data quality, and develop analytic reports.

100%

•

Performs other duties as assigned.

•

Complies with all policies and standards.

•

Complies with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Principles of Community.

•

This position description is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties or skills required for the job and is subject to review and change at any time, with or without notice, in accordance with the needs of the organization.

QUALIFICATIONS

Master's Degree

in survey methodology, social science or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Required

Developing and accessing survey methodologies for CHIS.

Required

Methodological research projects that evaluate and improve data quality, providing technical assistance to CHIS users. 

Required

Assist with post-survey data production activities, including weighting and imputation and the evaluation of weights and imputation methods.

Required

Demonstrated experience working with complex surveys and large data sets.

Required

Experienced in survey data production, weighting, imputation, response rate calculation, variable construction, data file management, technical documentation and quality control.

Required

Excellent writing and analytical skills and oral presentation skills.

Required

Demonstrated knowledge of statistical methods and data collection techniques related to the administration of survey projects.

Required

Excellent computer skills in statistical programming (SAS, SUDAAN, Stata, SPSS, R), data management and other document processing programs.

Required

Demonstrated ability to work as a team member and to take initiative.

Required

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS AND/OR CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Background Check: Continued employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background investigation.

Live Scan Background Check: A Live Scan background check must be completed prior to the start of employment.

LOCATION AND PHYSICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, MENTAL (PEM) REQUIREMENTS

Environment and Work Location Information

Environment Type:

Non-Clinical Setting

Location Setting:

Campus

Location:

10960 Wishire Blvd., Ste. 1550, Los Angeles, CA  90024

Standing/Walking

X

Sitting

X

X

Bending/Stooping

X

Squatting/Kneeling

X

Climbing

X

Lifting/Carrying/Push/Pull 0-25 lbs

X

Lifting/Carrying/Push/Pull 26-50 lbs

X

Lifting/Carrying/Push/Pull over 50 lbs

X

Physical requirements other

X

Chemicals, dust, gases, or fumes

X

Loud noise levels

X

Marked changes in humidity or temperature

X

Microwave/Radiation

X

Operating motor vehicles and/or equipment

X

Exposures other

X

Sustained attention and concentration

X

X

Complex problem solving/reasoning

X

X

Ability to organize & prioritize

X

X

Communication skills

X

X

Numerical skills

X

X

Mental demands other

X

X

Classification 3:  Position in which exposure to blood, body fluids or tissues is not part of the position description. The normal routine task involves no exposure to blood, body fluids or tissues and the employee can decline to perform tasks which involve a perceived risk without retribution.