Associate Director of IT for Data Science at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Associate Director of IT for Data Science
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Application Deadline
10/28/2024

Proposed Start Date
11/04/2024

Hiring Range
$130,000 - $145,000

Position Description:  
The Sheps Center for Health Services Research is seeking an Associate Director of IT for Data Science, a pivotal leadership role driving the advancement of healthcare through innovative data science applications. As the Associate Director, you will lead and manage the Data Analytics and Research Team (DART) a cornerstone of our data coordinating research service center. You’ll empower a diverse group of data scientists, statisticians, analytic programmers, health informaticists, and data engineers to excel in their roles. 

Our team engages in a diverse portfolio of projects, including comprehensive secondary data analysis and statewide health assessments, multi-site randomized controlled clinical trials, and the development of predictive models and algorithmic tools for clinical decision-making. Through the facilitation of thought-provoking team discussions and caring leadership, you will enable each team member to work at the top of their license and seize opportunities to showcase the impact their work is having on our local community, state, nationally, and abroad. You will guide them to innovate and advance healthcare through the development of efficient best practices in requirements gathering, programming, organization, and communication to deliver a high-quality service and maximize the value we bring to research. Your expertise will be crucial in shaping analytic strategies that directly address critical health research questions, utilizing extensive datasets such as health insurance claims data and electronic health records (EHR).

In this capacity, you will manage teams as they work in collaboration with investigators on advanced data management and analytic tools for a diverse array of research initiatives. Your oversight will ensure projects are executed with precision and aligned with the Center’s and the University’s mission. You will support and advise teams on the initial scoping and delivery of insightful reports, large federal and foundation grant proposal methodological development, and manuscript writing. By applying Agile methodologies, you will foster a culture of innovation and efficiency across multiple DART Pods (small teams and workgroups), driving the establishment and adoption of best practices throughout these teams. In addition, your leadership is required in leading the team through complex data ethics issues as we navigate the changing landscape of data science in health services research.

A significant aspect of your role involves strategic communication, acting as a conduit between DART and our research partners to ensure objectives are clear and shared goals are met. As an integral member of the Leadership Team, your insights will contribute to the broader strategic direction of the Center. You will be encouraged to form and nurture cross-campus partnerships, enhancing the visibility and impact of the team’s work within the wider data science community.

As Associate Director, your role involves spearheading the team and contributing at an advisory level across data analysis, programming, and engineering in line with project needs. Collaborating closely with researchers, you will review designs and results which leverage large-scale datasets such as Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance datasets, and EHRs to provide insights. Proficiency in tools like SAS, R, Python, and SQL is essential, as is the ability to independently manage and prioritize a full spectrum of data tasks from initial scoping to the final preparation of reports.

This pivotal position offers the opportunity to lead transformative projects at the intersection of data science, health services and healthcare, with the full support of the Sheps Center behind you for continuous training and professional development. Your leadership will not only drive the success of individual projects but also contribute to the growth and evolution of the Sheps Center’s data science service.

Essential Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:  

1. Demonstrated proficiency utilizing at least two of the following: SAS, R, Python, or SQL.
2. Ability to work independently and collaborate effectively with a team
3. Demonstrated experience with developing analytic plans and leading projects
4. Demonstrated experience managing and leading teams
5. Excellent written and oral communication skills
6. Excellent organization skills
7. Ability to come into office an average of once per week

Education Requirements:  
Masters’ and 2-4 years’ experience; or Bachelors and 3-5 years’ experience; or will accept a combination of related education and experience in substitution.

Qualifications and Experience:  

1. Master’s or other advanced degree in Data Science, Epidemiology, Public Health, Computer Science, Statistics, or related field
2. 10+ years of proven experience in data analytics 
3. 5+ years of experience leading teams
4. 10+ years of proven experience leading data scientists in a research or healthcare environment
5. Familiarity with healthcare research data such as public and private insurance claims, electronic health record data, and any other public or proprietary healthcare data
6. Demonstrated experience working in research studies involving sensitive patient health information
7. Demonstrated experience to provide strategic direction and build internal and external partnerships
8. Demonstrated experience leading teams of 5+ individuals
9. Demonstrated experience with advanced data analytics programming and modern data science statistical analyses in languages such as SAS, R, Python, or Stata
10. Demonstrated experience with data management best practices and developing data management strategies 
11. Understanding and promoting the research capabilities of secondary health data 
12. Demonstrated experience writing methodologies for manuscripts, large federal and foundation grants, and contract, proposals leading to successful funding
13. Strong project management skills and experience in Agile methodologies

Department Contact Name and Title:  Jordan Todd, Associate Director of HR

Posting Open Date:  09/27/2024

Posting Close Date:  10/28/2024

Open Until Filled:  No