About this role
MEPS – Field Interviewer
Job Description: Westat is currently seeking motivated and detail-oriented individuals to work as Field Interviewers for the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). MEPS is a study of health care costs and usage in the United States, sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), a part of the Department of Health and Human Services. MEPS is a panel survey, which features several rounds of interviews with the same respondents to collect information for two full calendar years.
Field Interviewers (FIs) conduct in-person and computer-assisted video interviews with adult members of households, drawn from a nationally representative sample, using a Westat-provided laptop computer. FIs are responsible for contacting the households in-person and/or by phone to introduce the study and gain cooperation, setting appointments, completing the interview, and collecting and following up with electronic and hard-copy signed documents.
Traveling to the MEPS in-person training in January 2027 is a mandatory job requirement. In addition, FIs may be required to travel to local and, at times, long-distance households, with some assignments requiring overnight travel.
This is a part-time position that runs yearly, with two data collection periods. One period runs from January through mid-July and the other from late July through early December. Start and stop dates vary with caseloads; however, all data collectors will have a break between rounds, during which time there is no work. Between the spring and fall rounds, the break is typically 1-2 weeks; between the fall and spring rounds, it is approximately a month.
Field Interviewers report to a field supervisor and complete and submit administrative paperwork. On days when field interviewers work, they will be expected to transmit electronic data daily. FIs must comply with all required data security and confidentiality requirements.
Basic Qualifications Candidates must:
• Be 18 or older (or an emancipated minor) with the ability to enter binding confidentiality agreements to protect project information. • Be available to complete mandatory web-based home study training, including required Microsoft Teams video sessions, between January 4 and January 15, 2027, prior to the start of in-person training. • Be available to travel to and attend mandatory in-person training. Traveling on January 19, 2027, and completing a five-and-a-half-day in-person training that starts on January 20th, and ends on January 25th, 2027. • Be available to complete additional mandatory web-based and virtual training activities, following the in-person training, including a post-training home study between January 26th and January 31st, 2027.
Minimum Requirements
• Reside in and travel within project-designated areas to contact assigned households and conduct in-person interviews, including local and occasional overnight travel as needed. • Be available to work the data collection period, which is expected to extend from January 2027 to December 2030. • Be available to work a minimum of 20 hours per week, when work is available, mostly evening and weekend hours, with limited daytime work based on the preferences of the households in your assignment. At times, based on caseload and survey sample size, there will not be 20 hours of work available. • Be able to meet the physical requirements of the position with or without reasonable accommodation: • 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 consistent access to a fully insured, reliable vehicle that meets Westat’s minimum insurance coverage requirements. • Have a current and valid driver's license that is not under suspension.
Preferred Criteria
• Have in-person interviewing experience and/or computer-assisted video interviewing 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. We value our diverse respondent base and expect our interviewers to always treat them with respect. MS Teams will 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. Any background screening results will be evaluated through an individualized assessment based on the individual’s specific record and the duties and requirements of the position.
This is a part-time, variable-hour, non-exempt position. This position is eligible for overtime pay. This position is not initially eligible for health insurance or a health savings account (HSA). To be eligible for health insurance and an HSA, you must work 1560 hours from September through September of the following year with coverage beginning January 1 of the year after eligibility is satisfied.
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. In addition to hourly pay, a health and welfare payment of $5.35, which may be reduced based on group benefit election, will be paid weekly for up to 40 work hours per week. This position is eligible for paid vacation and holiday leave based on hours worked.
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 hours worked and disbursement is subject to program rules).
This opportunity will be posted for a minimum of seven days, and applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis.
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.
Working on this study can be a fascinating and rewarding experience. If you are a reliable self-starter, this position may be right for you.
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, or any other protected status under applicable law.