Administrative Director

Administrative Director

The Administrative Director will serve as the senior scientific and operational leader of the Real-World Data Center for Excellence, working in close partnership with the Center's Co-Directors, including Dr. David Rubin. This individual will be responsible for leading the execution, growth, and scientific impact of the Center. This role is ideally suited for a PhD-trained investigator or scientific leader with experience in real-world data, outcomes research, or clinical epidemiology, and a strong understanding of inflammatory bowel disease or related immune-mediated conditions. The Administrative Director will integrate scientific rigor with operational leadership, overseeing complex research programs from protocol design through publication, while managing personnel, funding, and institutional collaborations.

Responsibilities

• Lead the scientific vision and execution of real-world data initiatives in alignment with Center leadership.
• Develop innovative research strategies to advance prospective real-world evidence generation.
• Identify emerging scientific opportunities in IBD and related therapeutic areas.
• Ensure methodological rigor, reproducibility, and high-impact output across all Center activities.
• Direct the full lifecycle of research programs, including: Protocol development and study design; regulatory and compliance processes; data acquisition, curation, and quality oversight; statistical analysis in collaboration with biostatistics teams; and Manuscript development and peer-reviewed publication.
• Establish and maintain standardized methodologies for prospective data collection and analysis.
• Ensure timely execution of deliverables across multiple concurrent studies.
• Recruit, supervise, and mentor a multidisciplinary team including data scientists, statisticians, program managers, and research staff.
• Create a high-performance, collaborative research environment with clear accountability and professional development pathways.
• Align staffing structure with phased growth of the Center.
• Lead and coordinate development of grant applications, protocols, and scientific proposals.
• Drive production of high-quality manuscripts, abstracts, and reports.
• Partner with faculty and institutional leadership to secure funding from federal, foundation, and philanthropic sources.
• Contribute to long-term sustainability through diversified funding strategies.
• Oversee the Center's operational infrastructure, including data systems, software, and research workflows.
• Develop and manage budgets, including forecasting, reporting, and resource allocation.
• Ensure compliance with institutional, regulatory, and data governance requirements.
• Build and maintain collaborations across University of Chicago departments and external partners.
• Serve as a key liaison between scientific teams, institutional leadership, and collaborators.
• Represent the Center at scientific meetings and contribute to its national and international visibility.
• Oversee dissemination of research findings through publications, presentations, and reports.
• Translate complex data into clinically meaningful insights to inform practice and policy.
• Support development of thought leadership in real-world evidence and IBD research.
• Has a deep understanding when interacting with faculty, researchers and staff for committee work or information.
• Manages program budgets and recommends or makes budgetary recommendations.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience: Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Advanced degree in epidemiology, biostatistics, clinical research, health services research, or a related field.

Experience:

• Experience in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or related immune-mediated diseases strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in real-world data research, outcomes research, or clinical epidemiology.
• Experience in academic medicine, clinical research environments, or large-scale data-driven initiatives.
• Deep expertise in real-world evidence generation, including prospective and observational study design.
• Experience in grant writing and securing external funding.

Preferred Competencies

• Strong understanding of clinical research methodology, data curation, and statistical analysis.
• Proven track record of peer-reviewed publications and scientific leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex, multidisciplinary research programs.
• Strong scientific writing skills with a track record of high-impact publications.
• Ability to bridge scientific rigor with operational execution.
• Excellent leadership, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage multiple high-level projects in a fast-paced academic environment.
• High degree of professionalism, judgment, and attention to detail.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family: Administration & Management

Role Impact: Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40

Pay Rate Type: Salary

​FLSA Status: Exempt

​Pay Range: $75,000.00 - $100,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University's good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible: Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

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