IFMA Foodverse

The Carolina Population Center (CPC) is a community of scholars and professionals who collaborate on interdisciplinary research and methods that advance understanding of population issues. The Global Food Research Program (GFRP) is located within the CPC and focuses on domestic and global nutrition policy research. The overarching goal of GFRP is to reduce diet-related disparities in health and to prevent obesity and related non-communicable diseases by contributing to the creation of a more healthful food system and food environment for all. Specifically, GFRP's researchers develop the evidence base to demonstrate which policy and program designs have the greatest positive impact on dietary quality and preventing obesity while narrowing existing disparities. These include fiscal measures (taxation, incentives, and increases to or expansion of food assistance), restrictions on unhealthy marketing targeting children, front-of-package labeling, removal of unhealthy foods and beverages from public institutions, and more. This research has the potential to influence food and nutrition policies globally. GFRP's portfolio of work seeks to assist global efforts aimed at improving dietary quality and preventing excess weight gain and chronic diseases in equity-enhancing ways.

This Programmer Analyst position is within the Research Programming Unit of CPC. It provides data management and analysis under the direction of nutrition epidemiologists and food economists as part of the GFRP working on a variety of externally sponsored projects with over $10 million annually in grant awards. The projects involve manipulating data from multiple sources including U.S. and international food purchase and consumption practices, and the nutrient content of commercial and non-commercial foods. Some files are very large with millions of records per file and file sizes averaging 90-100 GB that require a high level of skill at data management and sophisticated programming techniques for efficient processing of the data and associated analyses. This position works on all aspects of acquisition of large research and commercial data, data management, and data analysis with a team of senior programmer/analysts in the Research Programming Unit and with dietitians, nutrition epidemiologists, students, and external collaborators. This position requires communicating with the team and responding to queries about the data sources, files, and analyses. He/she is responsible for constructing complex variables and documenting the programming techniques used to generate these variables, which are used by the entire research team.

Experience with population-based surveys, data cleaning and post-processing, data documentation, dissemination to the research community, and technical user support are highly desirable. Experience with analysis of complex survey data is highly desirable. Experience with both SAS and Stata is highly desirable (proficiency in one is required). Experience working with Excel tables within a statistical package is desirable. Ability to work with a team of faculty and senior programmer/analysts, taking direction while providing independent analysis and suggestions about technical solutions to meet the needs of the project. Ability to convey clear and concise information in communication with team members and collaborators. Ability to direct the work of other team members as needed. Familiarity with nutrition terminology.