Rheumatology Quality and Informatics Lab (QUIL) - Junior Research Specialist

About the Lab

The Rheumatology Quality and Informatics Lab at the University of California, San Francisco is led by Drs. Gabriela Schmajuk and Jinoos Yazdany and focuses on clinical informatics and health services research in rheumatic disease from a multidisciplinary perspective. QUIL works on a series of VA projects including the Measurement Science QUERI, which develops IT tools to improve quality of care in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), and the National Telerheumatology Program. Areas of focus include the evaluation of performance on key rheumatology clinical quality measures, implementation of strategies to increase quality of care, and the use of health information technology that enables providers to better manage patient care through secure use and sharing of health information.

Position Overview

QUIL is seeking a Junior Research Specialist to support implementation research studies at the VA, with a particular focus on projects related to building medication safety and quality of care dashboards and deploying them nationally. This is a clinical research position embedded within a health services research environment. The Junior Specialist will work under the supervision of Drs. Schmajuk and Yazdany and will join an exceptional, collaborative team with the opportunity to contribute to impactful work improving veteran health care.

This position is well-suited for candidates who are early in their research careers and are eager to develop skills in implementation science, health informatics, and clinical quality improvement within a large national health system.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the design and execution of implementation research studies, including studies evaluating the rollout of medication safety and quality of care dashboards across VHA facilities.
• Assist with data collection, management, and analysis using electronic health record data and VHA administrative databases.
• Contribute to the development, testing, and national deployment of health information technology tools designed to improve quality of care.
• Conduct basic data analyses including descriptive statistics under supervision.
• Assist with writing scientific manuscripts, progress reports, and grant applications.
• Synthesize data and findings into presentation-ready formats for internal and external audiences, including VHA stakeholders and national program partners.
• Coordinate study activities across multiple concurrent projects, including scheduling, tracking milestones, and maintaining documentation.
• Support day-to-day research operations and contribute positively to the team environment.
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team including physicians, data scientists, health services researchers, and implementation specialists.

Required Qualifications

• Must have (or in process of obtaining) a Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in public health, health sciences, biostatistics, epidemiology, computer science, or a related field, or four or more years of relevant research experience.
• Strong organizational and interpersonal communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative research team.
• Ability to prioritize tasks, coordinate work with others, and meet multiple deadlines.
• Willingness and ability to learn new methods and skills as research priorities evolve.
• Familiarity with data analysis or research methods, including experience working with datasets or research software (e.g., Excel, REDCap, SAS, Stata, R, or Python).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with electronic health record data or administrative health data.
• Familiarity with implementation science, quality improvement, or health services research.
• Experience using statistical software such as SAS, Stata, R, or Python.
• Prior experience supporting or coordinating clinical or health services research projects.
• Interest in or experience with health information technology, clinical dashboards, or data visualization.
• Experience synthesizing data into written or visual formats for diverse audiences.

Additional Information

Appointees in the Specialist series are expected to engage in specialized research and professional activities and do not have teaching responsibilities. Specialists are expected to use their professional expertise to make scientific and scholarly contributions and may participate in University and public service.

We are seeking at least a 2-year commitment. Depending on performance and workload, opportunities for independent contributions, mentorship of other trainees, and scientific writing will be available. Salary will be commensurate with the applicant's experience and training. This is a hybrid position with full UCSF benefits.

Screening of applicants will begin immediately and will continue as needed throughout the recruitment period. Applicants must meet requirements by the time of appointment.

Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae - CV must clearly list current and/or pending qualifications (e.g. board eligibility/certification, medical licensure, etc.).
• Cover Letter
• Statement of Research (Optional)
• Statement of Teaching (Optional)

Reference requirements

• 3-5 required (contact information only)