Overview:

The National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) is the official organization representing over 40 public health institutes in more than 30 states spanning all ten Department of Health and Human Services regions. Public health institutes are nonprofit organizations that improve the public’s health by fostering innovation, leveraging resources, and building partnerships across sectors, including government agencies, communities, the health care delivery system, media, and academia. NNPHI and its member institutes work together to implement public health policy and program initiatives throughout all 50 states. NNPHI also serves as the National Coordinating Center for Public Health Training – NCCPHT.  

The NNPHI mission is to support national public health system initiatives and strengthen public health institutes to promote multi-sector activities resulting in measurable improvements of public health structures, systems, and outcomes. NNPHI’s vision is innovation-fostering public health institutes across the nation collaborating to improve population health.  

NNPHI collaborates with its member public health institutes and a wide range of national, state and local partners to support public health initiatives. NCCPHT supports nationwide collaboration to build a sustainable and coordinated network of Regional Public Health Training Centers nationwide that work together in co-creating, modernizing, standardizing, and distributing evenly to all communities and Tribes quality training, tools, and resources that advance the nation’s public health workforce throughout all fifty states, tribal communities and five US territories.  

Additional information about NNPHI’s program areas and collaborative efforts with public health institutes is available at www.nnphi.org.  

Position Summary:

The Evaluation Scientist is responsible for leading and/or assisting other scientists with the development of evaluation investigations or analytic study projects and carrying out those projects. They also provide technical expertise in the application of evaluation and analytic methods to all portfolios at NNPHI. They will work within the Evidence to Action (E2A) portfolio, our full-service research and evaluation services team, to advance the overall strategic mission of the portfolio and organization.  

The Evaluation Scientist will work towards operating as a recognized expert in evaluation within NNPHI, leveraging that expertise to enhance NNPHI’s reputation with members and existing clients and sponsors. As part of this work, they will develop and maintain deep, specific institutional knowledge and expertise of new and existing members’ culture, organization, and issues, especially as relates to evaluation or specific technical areas. 

Primary Responsibilities:

• Provide responsible, competent technical advice to project and operations management. 
• Support and may lead, preparation, presentation, and submission of grant and contract proposals. 
• Develop and monitor project budgets. 

• Organize and manage all statistical, analytic, and data management aspects of successful evaluation projects. 
• Synthesize information from external sources (literature, unstructured data gathered by external groups) to ensure programs are operating on the cutting edge of public health. This may include systematic reviews, meta-analysis, abstraction-based grounded theory, text-to-data abstraction, etc. 
• Provide leadership for data-driven story-telling (data and evidence translation) 
• Expand NNPHI’s and E2A’s technical and subject matter presence through presentations at technical conferences; authoring journal articles, reports, blogs; etc. 
• Consult with NNPHI staff on the planning and conduct of evaluation studies, in the analysis of data, and the interpretation and presentation of findings. 

• Participate in multiple research projects with a minimum of supervision, operating within time and budget constraints. 
• Manage internal relationships and resources to achieve project deliverables in within a “team culture.” 

Preferred Qualifications:

While no one candidate will embody all the qualifications enumerated below, the ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional and personal abilities, attributes, and experiences: 

Education and Experience: Masters’ degree in public health, social sciences, or health systems research or equivalent and five years’ experience post-graduate conducting evaluation projects.  

Technical Capabilities: 

• Demonstrated expertise in program evaluation, including: 

• Logic model development 
• Evaluation plan development 

• Evaluation framework selection 

• Proven experience conducting various types of evaluation (formative, process, outcome, and impact). 
•  Experience managing both qualitative and quantitative data including coding qualitative data, statistical analysis, and translation and dissemination of evaluation findings. 
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively on a team and with diverse external partners. 

• Demonstrated project management and organizational skills, especially with time-sensitive work. 
• Ability to compose reports, presentations, and written communication in an organized, logical, and concise manner. 
• Demonstrated expertise in qualitative research, such as interview and focus group guide development; open, axial, and selective qualitative coding (NVivo); operationalizing constructs and codebook development; case study development; or CDC Success Story methodology 
• Demonstrated expertise in quantitative research, such as: quantitative survey design, development, and administration (Qualtrics); survey data reporting; operationalizing constructs; descriptive statistics (SPSS); or measurement selection and development 

Methods and procedures: 

• Program evaluation 

• Multi-site evaluation 
• Evaluation of programs designed to serve racial and ethnic minority groups 

• Data collection and analysis 

• Textual analysis 
• Thematic analysis 
• Content analysis 
• Ethnography 
• Grounded theory 

• Communication product development 

• Literature reviews 
• Recommendations  
• Needs assessment 
• Environmental scans 

• Journal articles and presentations 

• Health communication 

• Data communication 
• Data translation 
• Data reporting 

• Data visualization 

Topics of interests: 

• Program evaluation theory and practice 
• Health equity and social determinants of health 

• Bridging public health and health care 
• Public health systems, infrastructure, and workforce 

Client/Service Orientation: Understands clients’ and colleagues’ needs and concerns; responds promptly and effectively; customizes services and products as appropriate. 

Teamwork: Collaborates with others; acknowledges others’ contributions; works effectively with individuals of different culture and gender; willing to seek help as needed. Influences and resolves differences across organizational boundaries: gains support and commitment from others even without formal authority; resolves differences by determining needs and forging solutions that benefit all parties; generates enthusiasm; promotes collaboration and facilitates teamwork across organizational boundaries.  

Analytical Thinking and Decisive Judgment: Analyzes issues and problems systematically, gathering broad and balanced input; draws sound conclusions and translates conclusions into timely decisions and actions. 

Learning and Knowledge Sharing: Open to new ideas; shares own knowledge; applies knowledge in daily work; builds partnerships for learning and knowledge sharing.  

Communications: Gains consensus and collaborates across NNPHI programs and with network members and partners; explains complex concepts in layman’s language; communicates with all levels of management and staff, establishing straightforward, productive relationships; treats all individuals with fairness and respect, demonstrating sensitivity for cultural and gender differences; shows great drive and commitment to NNPHI’s mission; maintains high standards of personal integrity.

Information Management Skills: Conducts secondary analysis of existing data for frequencies, communications, communications products, indicators, etc. Manages the collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data; organizes and maintains NNPHI databases as appropriate. 

Drive for Results: Makes things happen; is proactive; balances “analysis” with “doing”; sets high standards for self; commits to organizational goals.  

Job Location:

NNPHI maintains two physical offices in, Washington, DC, and New Orleans, Louisiana. We also offer Atlanta-based applicants the option to work remotely. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this position will commence remotely. Ultimately, NNPHI requires the position will be based in either of our three locations. Therefore, applicants should indicate their preference to work in NNPHI offices located in New Orleans, Atlanta, or Washington, DC. We will also consider applicants based outside of these locations, but preference is given to the listed locations.

Salary/Benefits:

1. Salary range of $65,000-$85,000 dependent on education, locality, and experience. 
2. A highly competitive benefits package is offered to all NNPHI staff.
3. 10% travel is required based on location. This could be more or less based on the needs and responsibilities of the role. 

To Apply:

To apply, please send a cover letter, including salary requirements and office preference (New Orleans, Atlanta, or Washington, DC), and resume to  hr@nnphi.org with the subject line “ATTN: Evaluation Scientist”. 

NNPHI’s Values Statement to our Employees

• We value each employee as a whole person and support a healthy life balance.
• We believe in a work environment that promotes health and wellness.
• We believe in investing in the growth and passion of our employees to create a workforce that positively affects social change.

Equal Opportunity Employer

NNPHI is dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace. We strongly encourage applications from people of color, and bilingual and bicultural individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Applicants will be considered without regard to race, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, medical condition or any other protected trait or status. Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process. If you seek an accommodation for the application process, please advise in writing at the time you apply.