Principal Researcher, Healthcare Quality Measure Development

Education, Knowledge, and Experience

Ph.D. in Economics, Health Services Research, or a related field with a minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience managing and conducting research or related work or Master’s degree and at least 11 years of relevant experience.

Minimum of 5 years project leadership experience or large task leadership experience on complex implementation, analytics, research, or evaluation projects.

Direct experience with CMS/CMMI quality measurement, including alternative payment models or model evaluation.

Deep familiarity with quality measure specifications, measure stewardship, certification processes, and use of measure repositories/tools.

Experience with Medicare and Medicaid quality measures, including claims‑based, practice‑based, patient‑reported, and state‑based measures.

The responsibilities for the position include:

Quality Measurement Strategy & Technical Expertise

Lead construction, interpretation, and computation of quality measures across Medicare and Medicaid model components.

Provide expert guidance on quality measure use across key CMS model functions (e.g., performance-based payment, monitoring).

Advise CMS on implications of measure updates for feasibility, administrative burden, interoperability, and alignment with national frameworks.

Serve as senior advisor for quality measurement strategy for CMS/CMMI models, including:

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.