The BC Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU) and Road to Recovery (R2R) team at PHC are seeking a Senior Statistician to lead a rigorous, policy-relevant evaluation of one of BC's most ambitious substance use care transformations.

Born at Providence Health Care and now expanding province-wide, the Road to Recovery model aims to close longstanding gaps in the substance use continuum — from withdrawal management and stabilization to long-term recovery. In this role, you will apply advanced causal inference and quasi-experimental methods to evaluate system performance, patient outcomes, and best practices at scale. Your work will directly inform provincial decision-making, future implementation, and evidence-based policy in substance use care.

This is an opportunity to combine methodological depth with real-world impact — translating complex health administrative data into actionable evidence that improves care for some of BC’s most vulnerable populations.

This is a net new temporary position until 1 year after the successful candidate starts. The possibility of extension will be assessed at a later date. This job posting is currently scheduled to come down on Tuesday May 5th 2026 at 11:59PM. 

Your duties will include:

• Lead advanced causal and quasi-experimental analyses: Design and conduct complex evaluations using methods such as interrupted time series, difference-in-differences, propensity score techniques, and marginal structural models to assess health system interventions within R2R and provincial monitoring initiatives.
• Provide strategic statistical leadership and mentorship: Serve as the senior statistical resource for investigators and trainees, guiding methodological decisions, reviewing study designs, troubleshooting analytical challenges, and mentoring junior statisticians and data analysts.
• Oversee large-scale health administrative data management and linkage: Manage and analyze complex linked datasets (e.g., MSP, DAD, NACRS, PharmaNet, PopData BC), ensuring data integrity, quality assurance, and rigorous adherence to statistical and governance standards, including Indigenous data stewardship principles.
• Translate evidence into impact: Collaborate with interdisciplinary research teams to prepare manuscripts, grants, reports, and stakeholder presentations, synthesizing findings clearly for both technical and policy audiences to inform provincial scaling and health system improvement.

British Columbia Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU)
BCCSU is a provincially networked organization with a mandate to develop, help implement and evaluate evidence-based approaches to substance use and addiction. As a research centre of Providence Health Care Research Institute and a University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine Centre, the BCCSU’s vision is to transform substance use policies and care in BC by translating research into education and evidence-based care guidance. By supporting the collaborative development of evidence-based policies, guidelines and standards, the BCCSU seeks to improve the integration of best practices and care across the continuum of substance use, thereby serving all British Columbians. The BCCSU seeks to achieve these goals through integrated activities of its three core functions: research and evaluation, education and training, and clinical care guidance.
The BCCSU values and respects all members of its communities, each of whom individually and collaboratively contribute to transforming care, education, training, and research in this area.

Education, Training and Experience

• A Level of education, training, and experience equivalent to a Master’s (PhD preferred) in Statistics, Biostatistics, Public Health, Computer Science or Epidemiology with a statistical focus plus a minimum of five (5) years of recent, related applied experience in statistics and/or the health information field.
• Demonstrated experience with causal inference methods (e.g., propensity scores, instrumental variables, marginal structural models) and quasi-experimental designs.
• Experience analyzing large-scale health administrative data (e.g., MSP, DAD, NACRS, PharmaNet).
• Advanced skills in SAS and/or R for both data management and analysis.
• Experience in writing statistical analysis, plans (e.g., data access requests), and reports is essential.

Skills and Abilities

• Expert knowledge of statistical design and quantitative methods for observational studies (cohort, cross-sectional, pre-post).
• Demonstrated experience with matching techniques (e.g., propensity score matching, exact matching).
• Ability to perform complex statistical analyses with an understanding of assumptions made, and the extent of inference possible based on the design of study.
• Have a strong sense of statistical ethics with regards to work done, and work proposed.
• Ability to synthesize and present results effectively to both technical and lay audiences.
• Demonstrated leadership, coaching and training skills.
• Proven ability to lead and manage projects.
• Demonstrated ability working with information systems and data files, including large and complex files: analysing file structure, transforming raw data into finished products.
• Experience with database management, programming and statistical software applications.
• Knowledge of Oracle Databases and SQL, including data extraction and cleaning.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to work independently and in cooperation with others in the team.

• Competitive salary: $90,770 - $130,481 CAD per year, depending on experience 
• Growth opportunities: We welcome individuals at all stages of their career, offering opportunities for professional development and growth. 
• State-of-the-art facilities: The new St. Paul’s Hospital and health campus will be the most innovative approach to the delivery of integrated care in B.C. and Canada, designed to appropriately address the future health needs of patients, families, and our communities. From hospital care to primary and community health solutions, the new St. Paul’s Hospital and health campus will continue to lead innovations in care, research, and teaching. The new St. Paul’s Hospital is expected to open in 2027. 
• Inclusive culture: We respect the diversity, dignity and interdependence of all persons. We value the cultural richness that our diverse workforce brings to the care of our equally diverse population of patients and residents. 
• Meaningful impact: You will have the opportunity to work for an organization that is deeply committed to safeguarding of our surrounding environment by contributing to high quality care while promoting sustainable practices in your everyday work.
• A comprehensive health benefits package including dental, vision, and life insurance as well as pension. 
• Remote work available at manager's discretion

Your day to day:

Reporting to the Principal Investigator(s), the Senior Statistician provides statistical expertise in causal inference and quasi-experimental designs and performs a variety of duties related to the design, analysis, reporting and interpretation of data for the Road to Recovery (R2R) research and provincial health service monitoring evaluation. The R2R Initiative in British Columbia began at Providence Health Care (PHC) as an integrated, person-centred model designed to streamline and strengthen the continuum of substance-use care, pairing improved coordination of existing services with new withdrawal management, stabilization, and recovery beds at and around St. Paul’s Hospital. Developed by PHC and the BC Centre on Substance Use, R2R aims to close longstanding gaps in transitions between stages of care and expand overall treatment capacity. Building on the PHC implementation, the model is now undergoing a province-wide evaluation led by the BCCSU, which will assess patient outcomes, system performance, and best practices to inform future scaling of the approach across British Columbia.

The Senior Statistician provides statistical guidance to R2R investigators and trainees and contributes to the development of research methodologies (specifically regarding health administrative data) to advance relevant research strategies and analytical knowledge. Conducts complex data analysis and aids in the interpretation of the results. Ensures the selection of statistical protocols is designed to establish or verify statistical accuracy of methodological proposals and ensures the sections of statistical reports correspond to the established protocols. The position trains, mentors and provides work direction to junior R2R Statisticians and Data Analysts. Supports the Senior Data Analyst, coordinates with administrative data stewards (i.e., Health Data Platform, PopData BC) and Indigenous data stewards (PHC Indigenous Wellness and Reconciliation Team), and supports the team with internal database management including insuring integrity of data; data cleaning; creation of data sets for analysis; and supporting data linkage management.

• Provides analytical guidance and support for research conducted at the BC Centre on Substance Use by conducting advanced quantitative data analysis. Specifically, leads the application of causal inference methods and quasi-experimental designs (e.g., interrupted time series, difference-in-differences) to evaluate health system interventions.
• Conducts analyses on complex observational study designs (cohort, pre-post, cross-sectional) using survey and health administrative data. Implements matching techniques (e.g., propensity score matching/weighting) to address confounding in non-randomized settings.
• Effectively collaborates with the data team, internal and external investigators, and research trainees on developing scientific papers, research grants and other research outputs. This includes conducting a variety of statistical analyses, writing/revising Methods and Results sections, and preparing tables and figures as required.
• Evaluates and recommends statistical methods for data analysis, acting as a statistical resource for colleagues on experimental and observational study designs, statistical methodology and theory and suggesting effective and realistic statistical strategies to address issues arising from incomplete data or selection bias.
• Conducts literature reviews to validate statistical approaches and ensure alignment with best practices in health services research.
• Provides data retrieval and management of databases for linked health administrative data (e.g., PopData BC, DAD, MSP, PharmaNet) and clinical datasets. This includes writing computer programs and macros to collect and edit data, and/or liaise with information systems department for the same.
• Implements and maintains effectiveness of quality systems.
• Designs, codes, tests, debugs, documents and maintains computer programs for statistical analysis and data management as needed.
• Evaluates and recommends statistical methods for data analysis.
• Provides leadership to staff though training, orientation and coaching, assisting with coordinating and prioritizing work assignments and troubleshooting issues. Provides input in to evaluation of staff performance, and recommends training and development requirements as needed.
• Supports recruitment and hiring of data team staff.
• Supports the Senior Data Analyst, for all R2R cohorts (both administrative and research) with:
  a) management of data for epidemiological cohort-based studies, including updating, cleaning and editing data for quality assurance.
  b) preparation of reduced datasets specific to the projects by understanding project requirements, needs and restrictions, ensuring data is clean and accurate.
  c) overseeing data updates within established timeframes.
  d) coding and development of SAS and/or R macros to merge data and provide linkages from a variety of databases/ data sources to extract into database or for further analysis.
  e) collection of variables from multiple databases to create datasets.
  f) development of complex SAS and/or R macros and scripts, datasets and reports for stakeholders.
  g) evaluation of data quality, applications, and functions; making changes to output process when necessary; and contributing to the development of new datasets.
• Ensure all activities adhere to the Indigenous data governance principles and protocols established for the R2R research and health-service monitoring and evaluation, including respecting Indigenous ownership, control, access, and stewardship of data throughout all stages of the project and ensure these principles are adhered to for mentees and other staff.
• Performs other duties as required.

We acknowledge that Providence Health Care and the new St. Paul’s Hospital site is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.