What is a Software Engineer at American Institutes for Research?

At American Institutes for Research (AIR), the role of a Software Engineer goes far beyond traditional application development. You are joining a mission-driven organization dedicated to generating and using rigorous evidence to contribute to a better, more equitable world. Whether you are developing clinical quality measures, architecting data systems for healthcare innovations, or leading enterprise software transformations, your code directly supports critical social science research and public policy.

In this position, you will work at the intersection of technology, data science, and research. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams comprising statisticians, economists, and domain experts to build systems that handle sensitive data (such as CMS Medicare/Medicaid data) or streamline enterprise operations. The work requires not just technical precision but also a deep understanding of compliance, data governance, and the specific domain—be it health transformation, education, or workforce development.

This is a role for engineers who care about the "why" behind the build. You will likely face complex challenges involving large-scale datasets, interoperability standards (like FHIR and CQL), and secure computing environments. Success here means delivering robust, scalable solutions that allow AIR to fulfill its contracts with federal agencies and non-profit partners, ultimately improving lives through data-driven insights.

Getting Ready for Your Interviews

Preparing for an interview at AIR requires a shift in mindset from "product-focused" to "mission-and-compliance-focused." You are not just being tested on your coding ability; you are being evaluated on your ability to operate within a rigorous research environment.

Domain-Specific Technical Expertise – You will be evaluated on the specific tools relevant to the track you are applying for. For healthcare roles, this means deep knowledge of health informatics (CQL, FHIR) or statistical programming (SAS, R, Python). For enterprise roles, this involves ERP platforms (PeopleSoft, Oracle). You must demonstrate hands-on mastery of these specific ecosystems, not just general programming logic.

Data Integrity and Governance – Working with federal data requires an uncompromising approach to security and accuracy. Interviewers will assess your familiarity with secure computing environments, privacy regulations (like HIPAA), and your ability to design systems that ensure reproducibility and data quality.

Consultative Communication – AIR acts as a bridge between data and policy. You will be evaluated on your ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences, including internal project directors and external government clients. You need to show that you can translate "tech-speak" into actionable research insights.

Project Leadership and Mentorship – Many engineering roles at AIR are senior or principal level. You will be expected to discuss your experience leading cross-functional teams, mentoring junior staff, and managing competing priorities in a deadline-driven, contract-based environment.

Interview Process Overview

The interview process at American Institutes for Research is thorough and structured to ensure both technical competence and cultural alignment. Generally, the process begins with an initial screening by a recruiter to verify your background, salary expectations, and eligibility. This is followed by a hiring manager interview, which dives deeper into your specific experience with the required technology stack (e.g., health informatics tools or ERP systems) and your interest in AIR’s mission.

If you pass the initial screens, you will move to the panel stage. This typically involves a series of interviews with potential peers, technical leads, and project directors. Unlike pure tech companies that might focus heavily on whiteboard algorithms, AIR interviews often focus on practical application: discussing past projects, how you handle specific data challenges, and how you navigate regulatory constraints. You may be asked to walk through a portfolio of work, discuss a technical report you authored, or solve a domain-specific scenario (e.g., "How would you design a test plan for a new clinical quality measure?").

Throughout the process, expect a professional and respectful tone. The team is looking for colleagues who are collaborative and intellectually curious. They want to see that you can work effectively in a matrixed organization where you might support multiple projects simultaneously.

This timeline illustrates a standard progression, but keep in mind that the specific technical assessments will vary significantly based on whether you are applying for a Systems Programmer, Developer, or Director role. Use the time between the screen and the panel to brush up on the specific domain standards (like CMS data structures or ERP governance) mentioned in the job description.

Deep Dive into Evaluation Areas

Your interviews will focus on a few critical pillars. While general coding ability is important, AIR prioritizes specialized knowledge and the ability to apply it within a research context.

Domain-Specific Technical Proficiency

Because AIR hires for specific technical tracks (e.g., Health Informatics, Enterprise Systems, Statistical Programming), you will be tested on the tools of your specific trade rather than generic algorithms.

Be ready to go over:

• Health Informatics Standards: If applying for health roles, expect deep questions on FHIR, CQL, and QDM. You should know how these interact with Electronic Health Records (EHR).
• Statistical Programming: For systems programmer roles, demonstrate proficiency in SAS, Stata, R, or Python, specifically in the context of analyzing large datasets (e.g., Medicare claims).
• Enterprise Systems: For ERP roles, be ready to discuss implementation lifecycles for platforms like PeopleSoft or Oracle, including upgrades and optimizations.
• Advanced concepts: Knowledge of CMS environments (IDR, CCW, VRDC) or federal rulemaking processes regarding quality measures can set you apart.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Describe your experience using CQL to define a clinical quality measure. What challenges did you face with data availability?"
• "How have you managed a migration or upgrade of a large-scale ERP system while minimizing downtime for finance and HR teams?"
• "Walk us through your workflow for analyzing longitudinal healthcare data in a secure environment like the VRDC."

Data Strategy and Governance

You will be working with sensitive data that drives public policy. Interviewers need to know you prioritize accuracy, security, and reproducibility above all else.

Be ready to go over:

• Data Privacy: Understanding HIPAA and secure data handling practices.
• Quality Assurance: Methodologies for validating data and testing code to ensure results are reproducible for research purposes.
• System Design: Architecting pipelines that can ingest multi-source data (claims, enrollment, survey data) efficiently.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "How do you ensure the reproducibility of your statistical programs when working with constantly updating datasets?"
• "Describe a time you identified a data quality issue in a critical report. How did you resolve it and communicate the impact to stakeholders?"

Communication and Collaboration

AIR thrives on cross-disciplinary work. You must demonstrate that you can work alongside researchers who may not be technical experts.

Be ready to go over:

• Translation: Explaining technical constraints or architectural decisions to project directors or clients.
• Proposal Writing: Contributing technical narratives to business proposals (a key part of senior roles at AIR).
• Mentorship: Examples of how you have upskilled junior team members or established coding standards.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Tell me about a time you had to explain a technical delay or limitation to a non-technical client. How did you handle the conversation?"
• "How do you approach mentoring junior staff who are new to electronic clinical quality measures?"

Key Responsibilities

As a Software Engineer at AIR, your day-to-day work is structured around project deliverables and contract requirements. Unlike a product company where you might iterate on one feature for months, here you will likely balance contributions across multiple research projects or enterprise initiatives.

Technical Execution and Architecture You will design, develop, and test software solutions. For a Clinical Quality Measure Developer, this means authoring measures using tools like MADiE and ensuring they meet federal standards. For a Principal Systems Programmer, this involves architecting scalable data systems using Databricks, Python, or SAS to process massive health datasets. You are responsible for the end-to-end technical lifecycle, from requirements definition to deployment and maintenance.

Strategic Leadership and Documentation Senior roles at AIR carry significant responsibility for documentation and strategy. You will frequently prepare technical reports, peer-reviewed publications, and presentation decks for clients. You will also lead proposal efforts, writing the technical sections of bids to win new government contracts. This requires a unique blend of engineering skills and persuasive writing.

Collaboration and Compliance You will attend regular meetings with project teams, clients (often government officials), and site-based staff. A key part of your role is ensuring that all technical deliverables meet strict security and compliance requirements (such as 508 compliance or specific CMS security protocols). You will act as the technical anchor, ensuring the research team has the robust tools they need to generate valid evidence.

Role Requirements & Qualifications

AIR looks for candidates with a strong academic background and specific industry experience. The bar for domain knowledge is high.

• Education: A Bachelor’s degree is the minimum, but a Master’s degree (in Computer Science, Statistics, Public Health, or Informatics) is strongly preferred and often required for senior roles.
• Experience: Senior and Principal roles typically require 7 to 12+ years of relevant experience. This is not an entry-level environment; they need seasoned professionals who can hit the ground running.
• Technical Skills:
  • Health Track: FHIR, CQL, QDM, EHR systems, MADiE tool.
  • Data/Systems Track: SAS, Stata, R, Python, SQL, Databricks, Git.
  • Enterprise Track: ERP platforms (PeopleSoft, Oracle, SAP), Project Management (PMP is a plus).
• Domain Knowledge: Experience working with CMS data (Medicare/Medicaid), federal contracts, or in a research organization is a massive differentiator.

Must-have skills:

• Deep expertise in the specific toolset listed in the JD (e.g., SAS for programmers, ERP for directors).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for reporting and proposals.
• Experience with secure data environments.

Nice-to-have skills:

• Experience with cloud platforms (Azure/AWS) in a government context.
• Previous experience in a "Contract Research Organization" (CRO).
• Publications or presentations in professional forums.

Common Interview Questions

These questions reflect the specific nature of AIR’s work. They are drawn from the themes found in job descriptions and typical inquiries for research-based technical roles.

Domain & Technical Expertise

• "How have you utilized FHIR resources to improve interoperability between different health systems?"
• "Walk me through a complex SAS macro or Python script you wrote to handle a large, messy dataset."
• "What is your approach to upgrading a legacy ERP system with minimal disruption to business operations?"
• "Describe your experience with the Measure Authoring Development Integrated Environment (MADiE)."

Problem Solving & Data Integrity

• "You discover a discrepancy in the data provided by a client that affects your analysis. How do you investigate and resolve this?"
• "How do you design test plans to validate that a digital quality measure is calculating results accurately?"
• "Describe a time you had to architect a solution to handle data scalability issues."

Behavioral & Leadership

• "Tell me about a time you had to manage competing priorities across multiple projects. How did you decide what to focus on?"
• "Describe a situation where you had to influence a senior stakeholder or client to change their technical approach."
• "How do you ensure your team adheres to documentation standards and best practices?"
• "Give an example of how you have mentored a junior colleague to solve a concrete technical problem."

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the work-life balance like at AIR? AIR generally maintains a good work-life balance, with a rating of 3.9/5 in this area. While deadlines for proposals or project deliverables can sometimes be tight, the organization values employee well-being. The environment is professional and academic rather than the "crunch culture" often found in startups.

Q: Can I work remotely? Yes, many of the technical roles at AIR, including the Senior Clinical Quality Measure Developer and Principal Systems Programmer, offer remote work flexibility within the United States. However, some leadership roles (like the Director of Enterprise Software) may require a hybrid schedule with some days on-site in Arlington, VA.

Q: Is this a pure coding role? No. While coding is essential, roles at AIR are highly consultative. You will spend a significant amount of time on design, documentation, meetings with researchers, and writing technical reports. If you prefer to code in isolation without writing reports or proposals, this might not be the right fit.

Q: How long does the interview process take? The process can be slower than in the private sector due to the consensus-based nature of the organization and the complexity of the roles. Expect the process to take several weeks from the initial screen to the final offer.

Q: Does AIR sponsor visas? Generally, no. Most job postings for these roles explicitly state that employment-based visa sponsorship (including H-1B) is not available.

Other General Tips

Understand the "Client" Dynamic: At AIR, the "client" is often a federal agency like CMS or the Department of Education. When answering questions, show that you understand the gravity of this relationship—deliverables must be on time, on budget, and strictly compliant with regulations.

Highlight Your Writing Skills: Unlike many tech interviews, mentioning your ability to write clear technical reports or contribute to proposals is a huge plus. AIR sells "evidence," and that evidence is often delivered via written reports.

Research the Specific Tools: If the job description mentions MADiE, VSAC, or CMS IDR, read up on them before the interview. These are niche, government-specific tools. demonstrating familiarity with them will instantly build rapport with the hiring manager.

Prepare for "Scenario" Questions: You likely won't get a generic whiteboard coding problem. Instead, expect a scenario like: "We have a new dataset from Medicare with X characteristics. How would you design a system to ingest, clean, and analyze it securely?"

Summary & Next Steps

Working as a Software Engineer at American Institutes for Research offers a unique opportunity to apply your technical skills to high-impact social challenges. Whether you are improving healthcare quality measures or optimizing enterprise systems that keep the non-profit running, your work contributes to a mission of evidence-based change. This role is ideal for experienced professionals who want to move beyond commercial product development and into the world of public interest technology and research.

To succeed, focus your preparation on domain-specific tools (SAS, FHIR, ERPs), data governance, and communication. Be ready to discuss how you manage technical projects in rigorous, compliance-heavy environments. Approach the interview with confidence in your technical abilities, but also with a clear demonstration of your ability to collaborate with non-technical researchers and stakeholders.

The compensation at AIR is competitive for the non-profit research sector, with senior and principal roles commanding significant salaries reflecting the high level of expertise required. When reviewing these ranges, consider the total rewards package, including the stability of the organization and the intrinsic value of the mission-driven work.

With the right preparation, you can position yourself as the technical expert AIR needs to drive their research forward. Good luck!