Westat is currently seeking motivated and detail-oriented individuals in Dakota County and Dixon County to work as Field Interviewers for the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), a continuing, national study of healthcare costs and usage in the United States.

This Federal Government project is subject to the Service Contract Act (SCA). The hourly rate for this position is determined by the location where work is performed. The hourly rate for this location is $16.38. In addition to hourly pay, a Health and Welfare payment of $4.41, which may be reduced based on group benefit election, will be paid weekly for up to 40 work hours per week. While working in the field, Field Interviewers are reimbursed for their travel time and mileage, and they receive paid training.

MEPS, a continuing study since 1996, is sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, a part of the Department of Health and Human Services. Field Interviewers are responsible for contacting these households in-person and/or by phone to gain cooperation – setting appointments, conducting interviews in-person using a Westat-provided laptop computer, and collecting MEPS-related electronically signed and/or hard-copy documents. Field Interviewers report regularly to a Field Supervisor, complete and submit administrative paperwork, and comply with data security and confidentiality requirements.

• Be 18 or older (or an emancipated minor) with the ability to enter binding confidentiality agreements to protect project information;
• Be available to complete a Welcome to MEPS web-based training, including a Zoom session soon after hire and prior to the in-person training program.
• Be available to travel on April 17, 2023, and attend a mandatory 6-day in-person training that begins on April 18 and ends on April 23; and
• Be available to complete additional web-based and virtual training activities, following the in-person training, including a post-training home study between April 24 and April 26, a practice Computer Assisted Video Interview between April 29 and May 2, and a 2-day virtual training on May 11 - May 12 or May 15 – May 16.

Minimum Requirements:

• Reside in and travel to the geographic location determined by the project to contact the households in your assignment and to conduct in-person interviews;
• Be available to work a minimum of 20 hours per week, including daytime, evening, and weekend hours, based on the preferences of the households in your assignment;
• Complete a minimum of four interviews per week when work is available, until the assignment is complete;
• Be willing to travel locally for project work, with a possibility of some overnight travel as needed;
• Be able to meet the physical requirements of the position, with or without reasonable accommodations:
  • Lift and carry 20 pounds of equipment and materials;
  • Walk several blocks; and
  • Climb stairs while carrying equipment to gain entry to sampled households.
• Have unlimited regular and reliable access to a high-speed internet connection for data transmission and virtual meetings during the training and data collection periods;
• Have regular and reliable access to a vehicle insured under your name; and
• Have a valid (current) driver’s license that is not under suspension.

• Have in-person interviewing and/or CAVI experience;
• Have public contact and/or cold-calling experience; and
• Be comfortable working in unfamiliar locations, knocking on doors, and communicating with people from all kinds of backgrounds and socio-economic groups.

MS Teams or Zoom may be used to conduct interviews with candidates for this position.

Any offer of employment may be contingent upon receipt of acceptable results from a post-offer background screening, if required for the specific position, which may include, for example, identity verification, employment history, motor vehicle driving record history, and criminal or sexual offender records history.

All field positions accrue sick leave (based on hours worked) and are eligible to participate in the 401(k) program (employer matching is dependent on hour worked and disbursement is subject to program rules). Upon successful completion of this assignment, you will be eligible for consideration for reassignment on other Westat field data collection projects if they become available.

Westat is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, genetic information, gender identity or expression, or any other protected status under applicable law.