HudsonAlpha - Vice President, Translational Health Science

Vice President, Translational Health Science

Overview

HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology seeks an accomplished and collaborative leader to serve as Vice President, Translational Health Science.

The executive will provide scientific, strategic, and operational leadership for HOPE‑AD (Healthy Outcomes through Phenomic Exploration for Alzheimer's Disease) and related multi‑omic, longitudinal, and intervention-based programs focused on chronic‑disease prevention and precision health.

This senior-level position spans science, clinical engagement, data management, and community implementation. The Vice President, working together with HudsonAlpha researchers and other stakeholders, will design and coordinate programs that combine genomics, proteomics, and biomarker science lifestyle and clinical interventions to improve public health. The role requires deep understanding of translational science, clinical operations, and research collaboration across public and private sectors.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Vision

• Collaboratively develop and lead the execution of HudsonAlpha's translational health science portfolio, including HOPE‑AD and related multi‑omic intervention studies.
• Partner with scientific and institute leadership to translate scientific objectives into actionable, data-driven study plans with measurable outcomes.
• Identify, pursue, and secure new sources of funding - including federal, philanthropic, and private partnerships - to sustain and expand translational health programs, in coordination with the President, Board, and other key stakeholders.

Operational and Program Oversight

• Direct multi‑site program operations, including research coordination, clinical integration, participant recruitment, and data governance.
• Manage timelines, budgets, and deliverables for complex, multi‑year projects.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory, ethical, and quality‑assurance standards for human research.

Cross‑Disciplinary Collaboration

• Build and sustain productive collaborations among HudsonAlpha investigators, external researchers, clinicians, and policy stakeholders.
• Work directly with clinic administrators, physicians, nutritionists, health coaches, and behavioral specialists to implement evidence-based, individualized interventions.
• Integrate scientific and clinical perspectives to support participant safety, engagement, and research rigor.

Scientific and Data Integration

• Coordinate collection and analysis of genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic, and biomarker data alongside clinical and lifestyle metrics.
• Establish workflows that link laboratory findings to participant-level outcomes.
• Contribute to interpretation of findings and dissemination of key results in collaboration with principal investigators and data-science teams.

Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

• Serve as the principal liaison among funders, public agencies, and institutional partners, representing the program in meetings, conferences, and media settings.
• Communicate program goals and results clearly to diverse audiences, including researchers, clinicians, policy-makers, donors, and the public.
• Prepare compelling written materials such as reports, proposals, and strategic briefings.

Leadership and Team Development

• Supervise multidisciplinary teams including project managers, coordinators, analysts, and community engagement staff.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and adaptability across scientific and clinical domains.
• Guide mentoring and professional development for emerging program leaders.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree required (PhD, MD, DrPH, or equivalent) in biomedical, clinical, or public‑health disciplines.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience in large research, clinical, or translational programs integrating science and operations.
• Proven success leading intervention‑style clinical or population studies, ideally involving lifestyle or precision‑health trials.
• Deep understanding of multi‑omic research (genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics) and how to apply it in clinical contexts.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate with clinicians, hospital or clinic administrators, nutrition and behavioral specialists, and data scientists.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including public speaking and high‑level reporting.
• Strong organizational, diplomatic, and problem‑solving ability; calm under pressure and flexible in approach.
• Data‑driven mindset and impeccable attention to detail.

Core Competencies

• Strategic vision with scientific and clinical literacy
• Translational and community‑based research leadership
• Cross‑disciplinary relationship building
• Operational excellence and regulatory compliance
• Compelling communicator across scientific and public spheres
• Commitment to accountability, participant and stakeholder inclusion, and collaboration

Location and Reporting

This position is based at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology in Huntsville, Alabama, with regular collaboration across statewide partners and national research networks.

The Vice President reports to HudsonAlpha's President and works in close partnership with faculty investigators, other institute leaders, partner institutions, and community clinical teams.