A Research Analyst at Acumen plays a pivotal role in conducting high-impact health and social policy research. In this role, you are responsible for translating vast, complex administrative datasets—such as Medicare and Medicaid data—into objective, actionable insights that shape national healthcare policies. Your work directly supports federal agencies, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), by providing the empirical foundation needed to evaluate program performance, improve patient outcomes, and optimize public spending.

As a Research Analyst, you do not merely run statistical programs; you serve as the bridge between raw data and policy formulation. You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams of epidemiologists, health economists, and policy experts to design research methodologies, execute statistical analyses, and draft rigorous technical reports. The scale and sensitivity of the data you handle require an exceptional level of precision, analytical curiosity, and commitment to public service.

This position is highly intellectually stimulating, offering you the opportunity to work on some of the country's most critical public health challenges. Whether you are analyzing the efficacy of a new Medicare payment model or tracking disease trends across populations, your day-to-day contributions have a tangible, lasting impact on the efficiency and equity of the healthcare system.

To succeed in the Acumen interview process, you must be prepared to address a mix of quantitative, methodological, and behavioral questions. The interviewers seek to evaluate your analytical rigor, your ability to communicate complex data simply, and your alignment with the organization's research-driven mission.

Research & Technical Experience

These questions evaluate your ability to handle complex datasets, design methodologies, and defend your past analytical decisions.

• Describe a research project you led or contributed to. What was your methodology, and what were the key findings?
• How have you handled missing data or data limitations in your past research?

Preparing for the Research Analyst role at Acumen requires a balanced focus on quantitative preparation, writing skills, and clear communication. You must demonstrate that you can not only perform complex data manipulation but also translate those findings into structured, professional prose.

Role-Related Knowledge – You must have a strong grasp of basic epidemiology, biostatistics, and social science research methods. Be ready to discuss regression models, hypothesis testing, and research design. Familiarity with public health programs, particularly Medicare and Medicaid, will give you a significant advantage.

Problem-Solving & Quantitative Ability – Interviewers will assess your logical reasoning through a structured assessment. You should review core statistical concepts, data interpretation, and basic algebraic logic to ensure you can perform well under timed conditions.

Communication & Data Translation – A primary deliverable for a Research Analyst is technical writing. You must show that you can synthesize dense data points into clear, concise executive summaries that policymakers can easily digest.

Cultural Alignment – Acumen values intellectual humility, a collaborative spirit, and a passion for objective, non-partisan research. Showing that you are eager to learn, receptive to feedback, and deeply committed to data integrity is key to standing out.

The interview process for the Research Analyst position is designed to evaluate both your technical aptitude and your communication skills. It is a multi-stage process that typically spans several weeks, though candidates should be prepared for potential delays as the team conducts thorough reviews of take-home assessments.

The journey begins with an initial application review, followed by a take-home writing and data analysis assessment. If your submission meets the team's standards, you will move forward to a technical phone interview, followed by a comprehensive on-site or virtual panel interview. This final stage includes a timed quantitative test and multiple one-on-one conversations with current analysts and research managers.

The timeline above outlines the standard progression from your initial application to the final offer decision. Candidates should use this timeline to pace their preparation, ensuring they allocate ample time to practice quantitative concepts before the on-site logic test. While some stages can move quickly, the overall process can take several weeks due to the rigorous evaluation of the writing and technical assessments.

To excel in the Acumen interview process, you must understand the specific areas where candidates are evaluated and what constitutes a strong performance in each.

Quantitative & Statistical Aptitude

This area evaluates your foundational mathematical and statistical reasoning. It is primarily tested through a timed, on-site assessment and follow-up technical questions.

A strong performance demonstrates a solid grasp of biostatistics, probability, and logical deduction. You should be comfortable interpreting graphs, reading statistical tables, and performing basic calculations without relying on software.

Be ready to go over:

• Hypothesis Testing – Understanding null hypotheses, Type I and Type II errors, and confidence intervals.
• Data Interpretation – Extracting key insights rapidly from charts, scatter plots, and regression outputs.
• Logical Reasoning – Solving word problems and logical puzzles that test your structured thinking.

Example scenarios:

• Interpreting a regression table to explain the relationship between a patient intervention and hospital readmission rates.
• Calculating the probability of an event given a specific baseline rate and sample size.

Data Analysis & Writing Assessment

This area evaluates your ability to work with real-world administrative data and present your findings in a professional report. You will be given a sample dataset—often containing simulated Medicare data—and a set of policy questions to answer.

Strong candidates produce reports that are not only statistically accurate but also exceptionally well-structured. Your writing must be clear, objective, and free of jargon, making it easy for a policymaker to understand the core conclusions.

Be ready to go over:

• Data Manipulation – Filtering, aggregating, and analyzing data to answer specific research questions.
• Structured Writing – Organizing a report with a clear executive summary, methodology, results, and discussion.
• Attention to Detail – Ensuring all numbers in your text perfectly match your data tables and charts.

Example scenarios:

• Analyzing a dataset of patient claims to identify trends in prescription drug utilization across different demographic groups.
• Drafting a two-page policy brief summarizing the fiscal impact of a proposed healthcare reform based on provided data.

Technical Research Defense

During your phone and panel interviews, you will be asked to discuss your prior research experiences in deep technical detail. Interviewers want to see that you understand the "why" behind your methodological choices.

A strong candidate can clearly articulate the limitations of their past work, defend their choice of statistical models, and explain how they addressed common data challenges like confounding or selection bias.

Be ready to go over:

• Methodological Justification – Explaining why you chose a specific research design or statistical test over alternatives.
• Data Cleaning & Prep – Discussing how you handled outliers, missing values, and data merging in your past projects.
• Research Limitations – Critically evaluating the weaknesses or biases in your own previous studies.

Example scenarios:

• Explaining how you controlled for patient age and comorbidities in an observational study of healthcare outcomes.
• Walk through the specific coding steps you took to clean a messy, multi-source dataset for an academic thesis.