CEDRN Data Analyst

Job Summary

The Data Analyst will provide data generation, analytic and reporting expertise for a national research program focused on improving emergency department care for patients. The incumbent will be responsible for data extraction, generation, cleaning, manipulation, transformation, and analysis for the Canadian Emergency Department Research Network (CEDRN) registry data. the incumbent will report to the Principal Investigator and CEDRN Coordinating Centre Lead. The incumbent is also responsible for proper documentation of data analysis methodologies and outcomes, as well as data visualization. The incumbent will contribute to a critical step of the execution of the CEDRN and will advise on how to generate, interpret and visualize the results of our data analysis, and extract or map data from Electronic Medical Records (EMRs, such as Epic, MEDITECH, and Cerner) to advance the network’s mission.

Organizational Status

The vision of the UBC Department of Emergency Medicine is to be a provincially integrated Department committed to clinical and academic leadership in the creation and exchange of knowledge to promote excellence in emergency care. Over 750 faculty members across the province have had an impressive record of research and discovery. The Department’s research and innovation initiatives include 14 successful programs related to prevention of emergencies, improving clinical care, and system improvements. The Emergency Medicine Royal College residency training program, distributed across 4 program sites, is the largest in the country.

The Canadian Emergency Department Research Network (CEDRN) is a pan-Canadian network that facilitates and accelerates high-quality, impactful multi-centre research studies, quality improvement, and surveillance in Emergency Medicine to support a learning health system. CEDRN’s mission is to improve clinical care and patient outcomes, and inform healthcare operations, public health and policy. CEDRN is led by Dr. Corinne Hohl with a rotating Scientific Chair. Scientific and operational oversight is provided by a national Steering Committee, while day-to-day operations are managed by an Executive Committee. A Protocol Review Committee supports the development of research protocols and the publication process.

This position reports directly to the CEDRN’s Data Manager and CEDRN Chair, but the nature of the work requires team work as well as independent action. The incumbent has frequent interaction and collaboration with other members of the data and research teams within and outside the Department of Emergency Medicine to plan and conduct research, generate and manage data, and analyze results.

Work Performed

Data Generation, Quality Control and Monitoring:

• Extracts, manages, and cleans quantitative data

• Generates structured data from unstructured data fields

• Ensures consistent data quality, as well as executes and/or proposes appropriate corrective action if errors are identified.

• Ensures accuracy and appropriate use of statistical methodologies, coordinates data analysis project and generates activities metrics for review.

• Follows data quality standards, policies, and procedures to ensure compliance.

• Supports CCEDRRN’s data quality assurance efforts to identify and correct errors, and to articulate limitations in the data.

• Oversees adherence to all safety standards, human ethics, and privacy protection guidelines.

Data cleaning, Validation, and Analysis:

• Manages complex large datasets using a variety of statistical software and language

• Links, analyzes, and tabulates data for various studies by using data analysis software (e.g. R, SAS, SQL, Python, Stata)

• Documents and validates raw data, analyzed data, and program(s) used for data analysis. This may include creation of analytic variables and generation of a data dictionary.

• Generates summary reports, graphs, and presentations based on study needs to support decisions by the study writing groups.

• Generates and updates dashboards to facilitate data visualization for internal and external stakeholders.

• Creates and develops proper documentation for data analysis processes, methodologies, and analysis outcomes.

• Creates and modifies data analysis plans and data-related documentation iteratively during study progression and propose further studies as new developments arise.

• Evaluates quantitative health data and utilizes analytic approaches for clustering, stratification, weighting of large data sets, as well as predictive modeling.

Knowledge Translation and Capacity Building:

• Prepares analytic plan for manuscripts in collaboration with PI and co-investigators.

• Performs sample size calculations.

• Develops and writes the analysis plan and methods sections for grant applications.

• Writes and prepares scientific manuscripts appropriate for publication in various scientific journals.

• Produces graphs, tables and figures of publishable quality.

• Writes abstracts for conference competitions, as well as produces and delivers poster and/or oral presentations to aid in the translation of knowledge and dissemination of study findings

• Oversees study timelines to ensure tasks are completed on time, reports on progress, and troubleshoots to ensure deadlines met.

• Coordinates and balances complex schedules to arrange study team meetings as well as meetings with internal and external stakeholders.

• Produces feasibility studies for new ideas generated by study team or through discussion among team members, and develops protocols for preliminary testing of new ideas.

• Supports submissions for ethics applications and data access requests using the prespecified formats required locally for these submissions.

• Oversees management and storage of patient records, and implement, manage and supervise procedures for the use of such records

• Designs and uses systematic search strategies to monitor research trends in relevant field to support studies.

• Perform other duties as required

Consequence of Error/Judgement

The Data Analyst exercises professional judgment and initiative in generating data to conduct and manage clinical research studies. The incumbent ensures that study procedures are performed consistent with the study protocol, applicable hospital procedures, ethical guidelines and regulatory policies. The incumbent is expected to work in a professional manner exercising poise and discretion, and when dealing with sensitive medical information. Inappropriate disclosure of research participants' personal information would contravene privacy legislation and could result in legal action. Errors in data, reference materials or publications if detected, would result in delays, requiring additional resources to obtain or validate data. Establishing effective working relationships within the team and with other program stakeholders is essential in the success of the research program. Inability to establish and foster effective working relationships may affect the integrity of the program and the successful and timely completion of research projects. This could compromise the Department's ability to secure funding for future projects, or to engage in multi-stakeholder projects in the future.

Supervision Received

The incumbent works independently on a day-to-day basis to accomplish tasks and goals defined primarily by the CEDRN Data Manager and CEDRN Coordinating Centre Lead, with additional guidance from CEDRN data team and study teams. The incumbent receives overall direction from the Data Manager and reports to the CEDRN Coordinating Centre Lead.

Supervision Given

The incumbent will provide guidance on analytic issues to other investigators, residents and students as requested by the CEDRN Coordinating Centre Lead.

Minimum Qualifications
University degree in relevant discipline or completion of a technical program and a minimum five years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Some positions may require a graduate degree.

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

Education: Master’s or PhD degree in Epidemiology, Statistics or a related Data Science.

Experience: Minimum of two years of related experience in research analysis, or the equivalent combination of education and experience. Three to five years of experience in statistical analysis of health data is strongly encouraged. Experience with MS Word, Excel, and Outlook is required. Experience with R, SAS, SQL, Python and/or Stata is strongly encouraged. Advanced proficiency in R Markdown or Excel (i.e. VBA coding, macro, pivot table) is an asset. Experience with cluster analysis of system-level data an asset. Experience in producing dynamic data tables and tools to support data visualization, notably of aggregate data. Experience working in healthcare settings, with research teams, and with knowledge translation activities with policy-makers, clinicians and patient partners is an asset.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

• Strong analytical skills to process and evaluate large volumes of data.

• Ability to develop and work with large clinical (i.e., registry data), research or administrative databases.

• Ability to extract and/or map EMR data (i.e. Epic, MEDITECH, and CERNER) or use machine learning to extract information from free-text fields.

• Advanced proficiency in programing in R, SAS, SQL, Python Stata for data cleaning, manipulation, transformation, and analysis.

• Knowledge of and familiarity with natural language processing techniques to generate structured data from unstructured fields.

• Knowledge of data analysis documentations and data quality management.

• Strong verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills

• Ability to exercise appropriate tact, discretion and confidentiality in all matters.

• Ability to work effectively under pressure to meet deadlines.

• Ability to work effectively both independently and collaboratively in a team environment.

• Ability to work a flexible schedule and additional hours occasionally on weekends may be required.

• Effective organizational and time management skills.

• Ability to maintain accuracy and attention to detail.

• Ability to work in a fast pace environment with multiple priorities

• Ability to apply good judgement and demonstrate initiative to resolve and communicate issues.

• Strong computer skills and ability to use technological tools to organize and advance the work of the team (i.e., MS Office Suite, OneDrive, and other workflow tools).