Director of Research Data & Computational Science

Position Summary:

Duties and Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Design and operationalize a centralized research data science model aligned with enterprise informatics, analytics, and clinical goals.
• Academic Service Culture: Lead a team embedded in clinical departments, promoting trust, innovation, and scholarly excellence across Neonatology, Pediatrics, and Surgery.
• Team Management: Recruit, develop, and mentor research data professionals; define shared goals and metrics that support high-impact, collaborative research.
• Research Enablement: Support study design, data access, grant writing, and dissemination for clinician-researchers and embedded team members.
• Service Intake & Engagement: Develop tools and workflows for project triage, resource matching, and user training to foster scalable, high-quality data support.
• Internal Collaboration: Partner with Enterprise Analytics, Clinical Informatics, Quality Improvement, and Operations to align research with system-wide initiatives like value-based care and health equity.
• External Partnerships: Collaborate with regional academic institutions and community stakeholders to expand research capacity and educational pipelines.
• Impact Communication: Translate research outcomes into insights that support operational and clinical leadership, including reporting on return-on-investment and care improvements.

Technical Expertise:

• Advanced knowledge of data science, biostatistics, and health services research.
• Experience with machine learning, predictive analytics, and applied modeling in healthcare.
• Familiarity with EHR systems (e.g., Epic), clinical databases, and research-ready data infrastructure.
• Knowledge of data governance, pipelines, and cloud-based analytic platforms.
• Ability to evaluate and develop cross-disciplinary talent in technical and academic domains.

Education and Experience:

• Doctoral degree (PhD) in Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Biomedical Informatics, Health Services Research, or related field required. MD/PhD preferred for candidates with clinical backgrounds.)
• Demonstrated record of peer-reviewed research and success in securing competitive funding.
• Experience managing research service units or embedded teams within health systems or academic medical centers.
• Leadership and mentorship of diverse, interdisciplinary teams across multiple levels of experience.

Certification: 

• Formal training or certification in transformational or servant leadership, coaching, or change management preferred.

Years of Relevant Experience: 

• Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in clinical, translational, or health services research.

Years of Supervisory Experience: 

• Minimum 3-5 years in a leadership or supervisory capacity within a research, informatics, or data science setting.

About Akron Children's

More Than a Job. It’s loving what you do - and why you do it. Akron Children’s Hospital is ranked among the best pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, but it’s our compassionate approach to treatment that sets us apart. It’s creating special high-fives. Thinking of new ways to spark a smile. Holding hands to offer comfort. And working to get a giggle that brightens a room. The minute you walk into Akron Children’s, you can sense that people here love what they do. From visits with the Doggie Brigade, to the balloons and smiles in the halls, the sights and sounds are all about one thing: the children. We are the largest pediatric healthcare system in Northern Ohio and one of the fastest growing in the country. Akron Children’s has two hospital campuses in Northeast Ohio: one in Akron and the other in Boardman in the Mahoning Valley. With two hospital campuses, regional health centers and more than 50 primary and specialty care locations throughout Ohio, we’re making it easier for today’s busy families - regardless of where they live - to find the high-quality care they need. No matter which of our locations you choose, you’ll see that when you give the most, you get more—...support, rewards and satisfaction. CAREER OPPORTUNITIES: It’s making the most of your days. Our passion is felt every day in the way people care at every level. Whether you are working with children face-to-face, or behind the scenes supporting the care and services we deliver, you impact futures. Visit us and see why it’s more than just a place to work. It’s a family. Apply today at careers.akronchildrens.org.

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