Forecasting and Research Internship - Healthcare

Summary

The State of Washington's Office of Financial Management provides fiscal services, policy support, and objective research for state government. This internship supports the Health Care Research Center by researching emerging health care trends, organizing credible information sources, and developing tracking tools and briefing materials for public-sector health system planning.

Responsibilities

• Conduct environmental scans and targeted research on emerging trends in health care delivery, technology, system organization, workforce, facility financial sustainability, and health information. These efforts will help inform the responses to the overarching questions related to Objective #4 of the State Health Plan and Resource Strategy
• Reviewacademic literature, policy reports, agency publications, trade publications, and other credible sources aligned with Objective #4 topic areas and questions. This position will explore both peer-reviewed and “grey” literature sources
• Develop and maintain a source inventory and practical monitoring approach for recurring review of high-value sources on the internet. This inventory will be developed using a long-term strategy that can be updated and expanded as needed
• Design a structured tracking tool, such as a SharePoint list, Excel workbook, database structure, or other information management tool, to capture emerging trends and relevant metadata. This tracking tool will be integrated into current OFM resources
• Recommend fields, tags, and categories for organizing information by topic area, source type, affected population, geography, equity relevance, rural health relevance, access/quality/cost implications, data needs, and potential Certificate of Need considerations
• Prepare brief written summaries of selected trends, including why the trend matters for the State Health Plan, potential implications, limitations, and suggested next steps
• Collaborate with OFM staff to refine the monitoring process, test the tracking tool, and identify where additional subject matter expertise or data may be needed
• Produce defined outputs, such as a source inventory, tracking tool, process guide, annotated research summaries, final memo, or presentation
• Comply with OFM policies on confidentiality, information security, ethics, records management, and public-sector data governance

Skills

• Advanced degree preferred, such as MPA, MPH, MLIS, MS, PhD, or related degree; or equivalent training, knowledge, and experience in applied research, policy analysis, information science, public health, data science, or a related field
• Demonstrated experience conducting applied research, policy analysis, literature reviews, environmental scans, or knowledge management projects
• Ability to assess source credibility, identify policy-relevant themes, and prepare clear written summaries for a public-sector audience
• Ability to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary research, policy, and program staff while completing defined deliverables within agreed-upon timelines
• Strong commitment to professional ethics, confidentiality, impartiality, accessibility, and public-sector data governance standards
• Currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from, a graduate or advanced undergraduate program in public policy, public administration, public health, information science, library science, health services research, data science, statistics, economics, or a related field
• Foundational coursework or introductory experience in research methods, policy analysis, information management, data organization, or health policy
• Strong interest in applied public-sector research, health system planning, health technology, rural health, health equity, or health care delivery transformation
• Ability to work under close supervision, ask questions, incorporate feedback, and contribute effectively to team-based projects across OFM F&R units
• Capacity to commit to the required number of hours and complete assigned tasks within defined timelines
• Commitment to professionalism, confidentiality, impartiality, ethical conduct, and compliance with public-sector data governance requirements
• Experience with SharePoint lists or libraries, Excel, databases, dashboards, citation tools, taxonomies, tagging systems, or other information management tools
• Experience preparing annotated bibliographies, literature reviews, policy scans, research briefs, or executive summaries
• Familiarity with health care delivery models, telehealth, artificial intelligence, digital health, health system consolidation, private equity, rural health, health workforce issues, or Certificate of Need policy
• Ability to organize complex information into a repeatable monitoring process and explain recommendations clearly to non-technical audiences
• Fellows: advanced or terminal degree completion preferred
• Interns: current enrollment in a graduate degree program preferred

Qualifications

Must Haves

• Advanced degree preferred, such as MPA, MPH, MLIS, MS, PhD, or related degree; or equivalent training, knowledge, and experience in applied research, policy analysis, information science, public health, data science, or a related field
• Demonstrated experience conducting applied research, policy analysis, literature reviews, environmental scans, or knowledge management projects
• Ability to assess source credibility, identify policy-relevant themes, and prepare clear written summaries for a public-sector audience
• Ability to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary research, policy, and program staff while completing defined deliverables within agreed-upon timelines
• Strong commitment to professional ethics, confidentiality, impartiality, accessibility, and public-sector data governance standards
• Currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from, a graduate or advanced undergraduate program in public policy, public administration, public health, information science, library science, health services research, data science, statistics, economics, or a related field
• Foundational coursework or introductory experience in research methods, policy analysis, information management, data organization, or health policy
• Strong interest in applied public-sector research, health system planning, health technology, rural health, health equity, or health care delivery transformation
• Ability to work under close supervision, ask questions, incorporate feedback, and contribute effectively to team-based projects across OFM F&R units
• Capacity to commit to the required number of hours and complete assigned tasks within defined timelines
• Commitment to professionalism, confidentiality, impartiality, ethical conduct, and compliance with public-sector data governance requirements

Nice to Haves

• Experience with SharePoint lists or libraries, Excel, databases, dashboards, citation tools, taxonomies, tagging systems, or other information management tools
• Experience preparing annotated bibliographies, literature reviews, policy scans, research briefs, or executive summaries
• Familiarity with health care delivery models, telehealth, artificial intelligence, digital health, health system consolidation, private equity, rural health, health workforce issues, or Certificate of Need policy
• Ability to organize complex information into a repeatable monitoring process and explain recommendations clearly to non-technical audiences
• Fellows: advanced or terminal degree completion preferred
• Interns: current enrollment in a graduate degree program preferred

Benefits

• Flexible schedule and remote work arrangement.
• Typical benefits available for full-time employees who are expected to work more than six months; actual benefits may vary by appointment type or be prorated for other than full-time work.
• Medical insurance, including vision, for employees and their families.
• Dental insurance for employees and their families.
• Basic life insurance for employees and their families.
• Medical flexible spending account for eligible staff.
• Long-term disability insurance, with the option to purchase additional coverage amounts.
• Washington Wellness workplace wellness programs.
• Dependent care assistance allowing employees to save pre-tax dollars for child or elder care expenses.
• Auto, boat, home, and renter insurance available through payroll deduction.
• Washington State Employee Assistance Program.
• Washington Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) membership.
• Two employer-contributed retirement program options for new employees.
• Deferred Compensation Program with pre-tax salary deferral and multiple investment options.
• Social Security and Medicare coverage, with the state and employee paying equal amounts.
• Potential eligibility for student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program for qualifying government or not-for-profit employees.
• Paid holidays and one paid personal holiday per calendar year for full-time and part-time employees.
• Eight hours of sick leave per month for full-time employees, with proportional accrual for eligible part-time employees.
• Vacation leave accrual for full-time employees and pro-rata accrual for eligible part-time employees.
• 21 days of paid military leave per year for members of the armed forces.
• Five days of paid bereavement leave for most employees whose family member or household member dies, or for loss of pregnancy.
• Leave sharing.
• Parental leave.
• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave.