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 2,500 faculty physicians and researchers, more than 1,300 students, and more than 6,000 staff, the Duke University School of Medicine along with the Duke University School of Nursing, Duke University Health System and the Private Diagnostic Clinic (PDC) comprise Duke Health. a world-class academic medical center. The Health System encompasses Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Primary Care, Duke Home and Hospice, Duke Health and Wellness, and multiple affiliations.

General Description

This position will serve as the operational director of a social science research program in the Department of Population Health Sciences (the QualCore). The program includes a large qualitative and mixed-method research portfolio funded by government, industry, foundation, and institutional sponsors. The program provides expertise and leadership in qualitative research design, implementation, analysis, and interpretation. The program consists of faculty, doctorate and masters-level social scientists, and research assistants that partner with investigators across Duke's School of Medicine to design and conduct rigorous qualitative research studies.

• This position will develop strategies to improve or maintain the effectiveness of the QualCore, engage large groups of diverse stakeholders and facilitate the development of actionable plans and measurable outcome goals to ensure the research program is successful.
• The position will work closely with partnering investigators and QualCore staff to develop, negotiate, and oversee budgets.
• They will be in charge of allocating and forecasting resources.
• They will oversee, supervise, or mentor staff who manage the day-to-day operations. As a subject matter expert, they will provide guidance to faculty investigators, divisional or Duke office leaders on best practices in qualitative research (e.g., recruitment, consenting, study documentation, program evaluation, data capture, etc.).
• They will provide significant intellectual contribution to the research program, including substantial leadership in developing the scientific content of research proposals and manuscripts.
• They will establish and maintain internal(Duke) and external communications to ensure successful research partnerships. They will frequently represent the QualCore on behalf of the PI.
  

Other specific duties and related competencies include:

Research Program Operations:

• Works with institutional leaders and offices to handle complex issues related to contracts and agreements.
• Helps the QualCore resolve complicated contractual problems.
• Serves as an expert resource to multiple study teams in the QualCore regarding regulatory and institutional policies and processes.
• Serves as an expert resource across all QualCore study teams for navigating regulatory compliance with international studies.
• Provides oversight, training, and expertise to multiple study teams regarding participant-level documentation for all studies.
• Serves as an expert resource for multiple study teams for participant retention and may liaise with other resources at Duke to optimize retention rates.
• Develops and oversees the implementation of strategies for meeting recruitment goals for the QualCore.
• Develops, oversees adherence, and trains in the use and development of SOPs across the research portfolio and may provide input for institutional SOPs.
• Provides expertise to QualCore team members in study level documentation.
• Serves as an expert resource and trainer to multiple study teams and other research programs for preparing and conducting qualitative study visits, qualitative research tool development, and implementing operational plans.
• Prepares for and leads QualCore team meetings.
• Ensures good communication within the QualCore, including mentoring staff to improve communication strategies.
  

Ethics:

• Provides oversight and training to multiple study teams who develop, conduct, and document consent processes for participants for all types of studies.
• May serve as an expert resource on developing, conducting, and documenting consent including liaising with and being knowledgeable about other resources at Duke for in qualitative studies.
• Provides oversight and training to multiple study teams who develop and submit documentation and information for IRB review and as needed for regulatory and safety reporting to sponsors andother agencies.
• Ensures that multiple study teams are appropriately identifying and documenting adverse event information.

Data:

• Selects and implements data capture methods appropriate for the research program.
• Serves as an expert in designing qualitative data collection tools according to protocols and research program processes.
• Coordinates with institutional leadership on initiatives and priority setting to ensure appropriate quality assurance processes.
• Oversees implementation of data quality processes across the research portfolio.
• Develops and implements protocols for research program that include strategies and processes to ensure data security and provenance.
• Serves as an expert data provenance and security resource, including liaising with and being knowledgeable about other related resources at Duke.
• Predicts areas of vulnerability in data flow across the research portfolio.
• Serves as an expert resource across research portfolio with regard to data capture, storage, management, quality, and preparation for analysis.
• Oversees implementation of data flow plans across the research portfolio.
• Ensures that study teams are familiar with and using data flow plan resources at Duke.
• Seeks out, integrates, and applies new technical knowledge towards innovation and performance improvement for multiple research teams, as relevant.

Science:

• Independently develops substantial portions of funding proposals and grants.
• Assesses and determines solutions for operational shortcomings of proposals.
• Independently reviews articles and synthesizes the literature to independently develop manuscripts or grant proposals.
• Independently develops protocols for complex investigator-initiated studies, across multiple PIs or study teams.
• Independently uses expertise in research design to develop protocols or research proposals. Serves as an institutional expert with regard to research design.
• Provides significant contribution or leadership on multiple accepted, peer-reviewed publications or conference presentations. Mentors others in theQualCore in this area.

Study and Site Management:

• Mentors, trains, and oversees activities related to how teams communicate with sponsors.
• Oversees use of systems and system reports to manage research participants' activities and tracking financial milestones, together with other QualCore staff.
• Oversees use of systems and system reports to manage research protocol activities and maintaining current protocol information.
• Makes feasibility recommendations for multiple study teams.
• Develops and oversees processes to determine participation in studies.
• Oversees the research resources and/or finance processes for a broad research portfolio.
• Works with the CRU or departmental leadership to ensure that studies within the research program are conducted in compliance with institutional requirements and policies.
• Oversees implementation of operational plans across the research program, including at multiple sites. Works with the CRU or departmental leadership to ensure that studies are closed according to best practices and guidelines.

Leadership:

• Evaluates and implements the department, CRU, or division professional develop ment and/or training programs to ensure they meet the needs of staff retention, continuous improvement, and development.
• 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, leadsinstitutional initiativesor committees).
• Develops and implements solutions at the institutional level to improve the research process.
• Uses expertise and acumen to influence change at the division, department, or CRU level.
• Demonstrates resilience, leadership, and actively facilitates change for research portfolio.
• Uses advanced subject matter expertise in qualitative research to solve complex problems or foster innovation within the research program.
• Communicates effectively with others, regardless of reporting relationship, to accomplish shared work objectives.
• Establishes and assigns activities ofother managers to accomplish goals of the broad research portfolio.

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

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 essentialjob 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.