School of Medicine

Established in 1930, Duke University School of Medicine is the youngest of the nation's top medical schools. Ranked sixth among medical schools in the nation, the School takes pride in being an inclusive community of outstanding learners, investigators, clinicians, and staff where interdisciplinary collaboration is embraced and great ideas accelerate translation of fundamental scientific discoveries to improve human health locally and around the globe. Composed of more than 2,600 faculty physicians and researchers, nearly 2,000 students, and more than 6,200 staff, the Duke University School of Medicine along with the Duke University School of Nursing, and Duke University Health System comprise Duke Health, a world-class academic medical center. The Health System encompasses Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Health Integrated Practice, Duke Primary Care, Duke Home Care and Hospice, Duke Health and Wellness, and multiple affiliations.

 

 

Occupational Summary

 

The Community Outreach, Engagement, and Equity Program (COEE) aims to reduce the burden of cancer and promote health equity by harnessing the strengths of our communities, innovative science and transformative partnerships.  The COEE research team seeks a Senior Research Program Leader with extensive training and experience in cancer epidemiology to support the development, implementation, and oversight of our robust portfolio of research focused on cancer disparities. The RPL, Sr will lead and contribute to 1) proposal writing and grant submission, 2) analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of results, 3) program administration and management of key milestones, and 4) overall program leadership, including mentorship of trainees. The RPL, Sr will develop and coordinate wider program activities, including communications and serving as liaison with collaborators and partners (e.g. laboratory managers, vendors, and sub-contractors) on behalf of the PI. They will lead communications with other research groups or programs, serving as the scientific liaison for the research program.  They will also develop and coordinate wider scientific program activities with responsibility for results in terms of research methodology and reporting requirements.

 

Work Performed

 

Scientific Research (45%).

The RPL Senior will manage and implement the DCI CREST dashboard. CREST is a comprehensive, multilevel data warehouse that facilitates evaluating the cancer burden and disparities in the Duke Cancer Institute (DCI) catchment area. The RPL Snr will lead data collection and harmonization from the Duke Cancer Registry, Duke EHR, state cancer registries (NC, SC, VA), and contextual measures of social determinants of health (SDOH). They will conduct geocoding and linkages with secondary dataset and develop data visualization plans using Tableau or Power BI. They will lead robust analyses and statistical modeling of CREST data to support various use cases, develop manuscripts for publications and apply for grant funding to expand the features and capabilities of the CREST dashboard. They will oversee the work of analysts and mentees and support DCI faculty in navigating CREST for their grants/publications. On behalf of the PI, they will disseminate information about CREST to various constituents at DCI and across Duke and foster new collaborations

The RPL senior will be responsible for developing and implementing study proposals and protocols for new and funded research grants. This includes the Gilead Precision Oncology Equity grant, V Foundation grants, CLOVER, and other funded projects. They will also work closely with the PI to submit new grant proposals to NIH, pharma, foundations and other sources for funding to expand the portfolio of COEE catchment area research. They will supervise trainees for master’s theses and prepare abstracts and presentations for conferences to further disseminate COEE work in professional meetings

Independently writes and edits significant sections of funding proposals and grants, reviews articles, synthesizes the literature, and develops manuscripts.

Uses expertise in epidemiologic research design to develop protocols or research proposals. Provides significant contributions to peer-reviewed publications or conference presentations.

Serves as an expert resource for various tools used for analysis and data management. Mentors others as appropriate to their role.

Oversees implementation of data quality processes, data flow plans, and new technologies across the research portfolio. Predicts areas of vulnerability in data flow across the research portfolio. Serves as an expert resource across the research portfolio with regard to data capture, storage, management, quality, and preparation for analysis. Ensures that study teams are familiar with and using data flow plan resources at Duke.

Seeks out, integrates, and applies new analytical and technical knowledge toward innovation and performance improvement, as relevant. Ensures continuous evaluation of technology solutions throughout the research portfolio.

 Research Operations (20%)

Provide input for SOPs and serve as an expert scientific resource across all study teams within the research program.

Participates in or leads the development of training and monitoring of staff and trainees for policies and guidelines related to the scientific focus of the research program.

Oversees implementation of how teams communicate with sponsors, site visits, management of resources (staff, supplies, equipment), implementation of operational plans, and use of systems and system reports across the research program.

 Leadership and Professionalism (20%)

Keeps current with research updates and advances in the scientific area, considers the impact on the broad research portfolio, and oversees necessary implementation. Serves in a leadership capacity with internal and external groups (e.g., speaks at events, leads institutional initiatives or committees).

Demonstrates resilience, and leadership, and actively facilitates change for the research program

Uses advanced subject matter expertise in the research to solve complex problems or foster innovation across the broad research portfolio.

Communicates effectively with others, regardless of reporting relationship, to accomplish shared work objectives. Establishes and as signs activities of other managers to accomplish goals of the broad research portfolio. Uses expertise in research design to develop protocols or research proposals.

Serves as an expert resource to faculty, trainees, and staff for the development of protocols for complex investigator-initiated studies.

 Program Management and Project Development (10%)

Develop strategies to improve or maintain the effectiveness of the research program. Engages team members and facilitates the development of actionable plans and measurable outcome goals. Manages progress of collaborating stakeholders toward achieving project and program goals. Establishes risk, cost, time, scope, communication, and quality management plans, updates with input from stakeholders, and directs staff in the execution of plans.

Provides overall leadership of a large research program and provides guidance and mentorship as a subject matter expert to team members. Develops, negotiates, and oversees budgets for grant proposals and contracts. Allocates and forecasts resources.

Oversees, supervises, or mentors trainees and staff involved in the day-to-day operations. Provides guidance to faculty investigators on best practices in research (e.g., recruitment, consenting, study documentation, program evaluation, data capture, etc.).

Provides significant intellectual contribution to the research program, including substantial leadership in developing the scientific content of research proposals and manuscripts. Establishes and maintains internal (Duke) and external communications to ensure successful research partnerships. Suggests hypotheses, research strategies, research partnerships, and research opportunities.

Frequently represents research program or shared resource on behalf of the PI.

 Safety and Ethics (5%)

Serves as an expert resource and is knowledgeable about other resources at Duke pertaining to: developing and submitting documentation and information for IRB review, preparing and submitting documents needed for regulatory and safety reporting to sponsors and other agencies, identifying and documenting adverse event information, conducting, documenting, and developing consent for participants for all types of studies.

 

Other work as assigned 

 

Minimum Qualifications

 

Education

Completion of a Bachelor's degree

 

Experience

Work requires a minimum of eight years of research experience (e.g., experience. research, clinical, interaction with study population, program coordination). A Master's degree may substitute for two years of related. PhD with several years of experience in cancer epidemiology highly preferred.

 

Preferences

The preferred candidate will have experience in research and medical writing. 

 

 

 

Job Code: 00001281 RESEARCH PROGRAM LEADER, SR
Job Level: 69

 

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

 

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

 

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.