Staff Scientist - Real World Evidence and Data Science

Working at Abbott 

At Abbott, you can do work that matters, grow, and learn, care for yourself and family, be your true self and live a full life. You’ll also have access to: 

• Career development with an international company where you can grow the career you dream of 

• Employees can qualify for free medical coverage in our Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO medical plan in the next calendar year. 

• An excellent retirement savings plan with high employer contribution 

• Tuition reimbursement, the Freedom 2 Save student debt program and FreeU education benefit - an affordable and convenient path to getting a bachelor’s degree 

• A company recognized as a great place to work in dozens of countries around the world and named one of the most admired companies in the world by Fortune 

• A company that is recognized as one of the best big companies to work for as well as a best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists 

For years, Abbott’s medical device businesses have offered technologies that are faster, more effective, and less invasive. Whether it’s glucose monitoring system, innovative therapies for treating heart disease, or products that help people with chronic pain or movement disorders, our medical device technologies are designed to help people live their lives better and healthier. Every day, our technologies help more than 10,000 people have healthier hearts, improve quality of life for thousands of people living with chronic pain and movement disorders, and liberate more than 500,000 people with diabetes from routine fingersticks. 

The Opportunity 

Our location in Santa Clara, CA currently has an on-site opportunity for a Staff Clinical Research Scientist. This new team member will work in Abbott’s Global Data Science & Analytics team within the Medical Device Division. The Staff Clinical Research Scientist will provide scientific and technical leadership for real‑world evidence (RWE) studies supporting post‑market regulatory requirements, reimbursement, market development, and pre-market submissions across Abbott’s Vascular portfolio. This individual will lead the design, execution, and dissemination of observational studies using large‑scale real‑world data sources, including electronic health records (EHR), insurance claims, hospital administrative and billing databases, and device‑generated data. The Staff Clinical Research Scientist will collaborate with thought leaders within the organization and outside the company, developing creative ways to present key findings to the research community. 

What You’ll Work On  

Real‑World Evidence Leadership 

• Define and execute long‑term RWE strategies across the Abbott Vascular portfolio, in collaboration with clinical, regulatory, medical affairs, and market access stakeholders. Translate clinical and economic evidence gaps into actionable strategies aligned with business priorities. 

• Lead the design and execution of real‑world evidence, health economics, and digital health studies related to Abbott medical devices, using complex data sources such as electronic health records, insurance claims, imaging data, and hospital administrative/billing databases. 

• Support data science initiatives to transform complex healthcare data into clinically actionable insights through machine learning, predictive modeling, and advanced phenotyping approaches.  

Data Analysis & Programming 

• Lead analytic strategy and perform hands‑on programming to execute RWE studies using SQL, R, SAS, Python, or similar languages. Evaluate and mitigate technical risks in study designs. 

• Manage data preparation, cohort construction, variable derivation, and analysis across diverse data types. Ensure adherence to data governance standards and privacy requirements. 

• Provide technical oversight of programming logic and validation, partnering with data analysts and data engineers to ensure accuracy, reproducibility, and regulatory readiness.  

Strategy & Scientific Communication  

• Lead and oversee development of RWE study protocols and reports, regulatory deliverables, conference presentations, and peer‑reviewed scientific manuscripts. 

• Communicate with regulatory and reimbursement agencies on study design and results, translating complex analytical methods into clear, clinically meaningful scientific narratives.  

• Mentor other scientists on dataset selection, study design, and presentation of results 

Clinical & Therapeutic Area Expertise 

• Maintain strong and up‑to‑date knowledge of the clinical landscape in the coronary and peripheral vascular space. 

• Monitor emerging evidence, clinical guidelines, competitive technologies, and unmet clinical needs to inform RWE study design, endpoint selection, and evidence generation strategy. 

• Apply clinical context to interpret real‑world data results, assess relevance to intended use populations, and support regulatory and clinical decision‑making. 

Cross‑Functional Collaboration 

• Collaborate effectively with peers across biostatistics, clinical affairs, regulatory affairs, medical affairs, health economics, and R&D teams. 

• Represent RWE and observational research perspectives in cross‑functional project teams and strategy discussions. 

• Cultivate relationships with key opinion leaders in the industry, including academic researchers, data vendors, and clinical experts, as appropriate. 

Required Qualifications 

• Masters Degree (± 18 years), Preferred 

• Minimum 9 years, Related work experience with a complete understanding of specified functional area. 

• Comprehensive knowledge and application business concepts, procedures and practices. Uses in-depth knowledge of business unit functions and cross group dependencies/ relationships. Is recognized as an expert in work group. Will perform this job in a quality system environment. Failure to adequately perform tasks can result in noncompliance with governmental regulations.; 3. (Cognitive Skills) Works on complex problems where analysis of situations or data requires an in-depth evaluation of various factors. Exercises judgment within broadly defined practices and policies in selecting methods, techniques and evaluation criteria for obtaining results. Has broad knowledge of various technical alternatives and their potential impact on the business. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• PhD, DrPH, MS, or equivalent advanced degree in epidemiology, biostatistics, clinical research, public health, outcomes research, biomedical engineering, or a related discipline. 

• 4–8 years of experience in real‑world evidence, observational research, outcomes research, or related analytical research roles in industry, academia, consulting, or government. 

• Hands‑on experience working with real‑world data sources, such as electronic health records, administrative claims data, hospital billing data, registries, or similar large healthcare datasets. 

• Deep knowledge in observational study design and epidemiologic methods, including cohort studies, definition of exposures and outcomes, confounding considerations, and sensitivity analyses. 

• Experience in development of RWE study protocols, analysis plans, or study reports, with exposure to regulatory or post‑market evidence needs considered a plus. 

• Practical experience performing data analysis and programming using one or more of the following: SQL, R, SAS, Python, or similar statistical/analytical languages. 

• Experience collaborating with data analysts to validate analytical datasets, programs, and study outputs. 

• Experience in development of study reports, abstracts, slide decks, and manuscripts, with mentorship as needed. 

• Familiarity with regulatory or methodological guidance relevant to RWE or observational studies, with the ability to apply guidance under supervision. 

• Background or interest in the coronary or peripheral vascular space or a related cardiovascular therapeutic area (e.g., structural heart, heart failure, rhythm management), with willingness and ability to build domain expertise over time. 

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects or workstreams simultaneously, prioritize tasks effectively, and deliver high‑quality work under timelines, with strong attention to detail. 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain analytical concepts and results clearly to cross‑functional partners and proven ability to publish scientific manuscripts 

• Experience working in cross‑functional team environments, including collaboration with clinical, regulatory, medical affairs, or health economics, is preferred.