HIA Job in Oakland, Calfornia

Human Impact Partners (HIP) is looking for a Research Associate to work on Health Impact Assessment (HIA) projects with our growing non-profit organization. This is an opportunity to be at the forefront of community-focused HIA work that is creating systemic change to improve people’s lives.

About HIP
Human Impact Partners’ vision is a world where:

• health is understood broadly as complete physical, mental and social well-being;
• health is a primary consideration in public and corporate decision making;
• health inequities due to race, class, place, or other attributes do not exist;
• the health of all communities improves;
• all people have the information, tools and power needed to influence decisions that affect their health; and
• health is a holistic framework that brings diverse people and organizations to work together.

HIP believes that health should be considered in all decision making. We raise awareness of and collaboratively use innovative data, processes and tools that evaluate health impacts and inequities in order to transform the policies, institutions and places people need to live healthy lives. Through training and mentorship we also build the capacity of impacted communities and their advocates, workers, public agencies, and elected officials to conduct health-based analyses and use them to take action.

Human Impact Partners’ current staff of six conducts Health Impact Assessment (HIA) in the context of land use development, and transportation, incarceration and employment policy. We are expanding into other policy areas as well. Through training and mentoring, we also build the capacity of others to conduct HIA. We are looking to build a diverse staff as we grow. For more details about HIP and about HIA, please visit our webpage at www.humanimpact.org.

Examples of past and current projects:

• West Oakland Housing, Industrial Lands & Port
• Humboldt County General Plan Update
• South Central Los Angeles Redevelopment
• I-710 Freeway Expansion
• Port Container Fee legislation
• Paid Sick Days Legislation in California, at the Federal level, and in other jurisdictions

Human Impact Partners is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

About the Position

The Research Associate will participate in conducting HIAs on a range of policies, plans and projects in collaboration with other HIP staff, community groups, public health agencies and other stakeholders. The primary function of the Research Associate is to support the analysis and reporting phases of HIA, including:

• Conducting literature reviews;
• Evaluating the distribution of social, economic, and environmental conditions at the local level;
• Using quantitative methods to predict how changes in social, economic, and environmental conditions may impact specific health outcomes;
• Using epidemiological methods and research to evaluate the impact of public policies, programs, and projects on health;
• Developing research plans, preparing statistics and analyzing data using STATA, SPSS or SAS;
• Publishing and disseminating findings including report and manuscript preparation and presentation; and
• Communicating to stakeholders and decision-makers about the importance of considering health in land use planning and policy-making.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a very rapidly growing field, and will require a range of demonstrated skills and abilities, including:

• understanding and applying the public health literature, epidemiological studies, and quantitative models used to predict impacts;
• conducting creative research;
• working with a range of stakeholders including community residents, organizers and advocates, public health and other government agencies, elected officials, academic researchers;
• experience in quantitative economic, transportation, housing, and policy analysis skills preferred;
• writing reports;
• carrying out and coordinating projects with others at HIP.

Salary: negotiable, based on experience
Start date: May/June 2010

The position is full time, but may start on a contract basis and then move to employment with benefits.

Qualifications

• Completion of a master’s degree in public health with a concentration in epidemiology or statistics, or other field with strong analytical methods;
• At least 2 years of relevant job experience;
• Strong quantitative analysis skills and experience with statistical analyses;
• Experience in quantitative economic, transportation, housing, and policy analysis skills preferred;
• Strong research and writing skills;
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team;
• Good interpersonal qualities.

In addition to English language fluency, mastery of an additional language is highly desirable.

To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume including three references and a brief writing sample including examples of quantitative analyses by Friday, April 16, 2010 to hr@humanimpact.org