Department Overview

The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute is a pioneer in personalized cancer treatment and research, led by Dr. Brian Druker, whose development of Gleevec transformed Chronic Myeloid Leukemia from a fatal disease to a manageable one and proved that targeted therapies can work. The institute focuses on precision oncology, the early detection, prevention, and treatment of cancer, and creating a welcoming and supportive environment for its caregivers, researchers, and support personnel. Knight affiliates subscribe to three guiding principles: we are bold, we are supportive, and we work as a connected team in our fight to end cancer as we know it. We’d love for you to join us! 

The primary mission of the Division of Oncological Sciences at OHSU's Knight Cancer Institute is to better understand cancer through basic, translational, and population-based research that improves cancer prevention, detection, and treatments for all. Our community of faculty, trainees, and staff brings together scientists from a broad range of disciplines and works collaboratively to advance innovation and translate discoveries from the lab into meaningful impacts for cancer patients and our community.

Function/Duties of Position

The primary purpose of the Lab Manager is to provide oversight of the Tworoger Lab and its staff members, working conjointly with Dr. Shelley Tworoger on research projects as assigned, with a focus on women’s health and cancer. This individual will support oversight of the design of research studies, procedures, and day-to-day operations supporting research goals and grant commitments of the Tworoger Lab, including ensuring regulatory compliance. Monitors results, responds to outcomes, and develops and implements modifications to address any technical or design issues. With expert knowledge of research practices, directs and teaches others the methodology/Standard Operating Procedures.

The Lab Manager will be responsible for coordinating the Ovarian Cancer Cohort Consortium (OC3) Data Coordinating Center (DCC), under the direction of the PI and the OC3 DCC Director. This includes managing data sharing and material transfer agreements with participating organizations, coordinating work across multiple grant applications, interacting with OC3 collaborators, managing key work on the consortium (e.g., data harmonization, assays), and assisting in the scientific utilization of the OC3 resource. The latter includes assistance in data harmonization, evaluation of new techniques for conducting relevant assays, and assisting in manuscript preparation. For this project and others in the lab, the Lab Manager interacts with, establishes and maintains professional and cooperative relationships with business partners, administrators, research scientists/investigators, laboratory personnel and other healthcare and academic professionals to ensure efficient communication, follow-thorough, and management of scientific short/long range goals, and will also serve as a mentor to junior staff, may contribute significantly to grant proposals, authors and co-authors publications, presents at national conferences/ meetings, may also have responsibilities in development of fee and service cost estimates for projects and monitors expenditure and income, and may be tasked with operations compliance with applicable regulations. 

1. Every Knight Cancer employee is expected to embody our guiding principles:

• We act BOLDLY—Breakthroughs require pushing the boundaries of science, exploring new frontiers, and thinking differently
• We SUPPORT each other—Respect leads to trust, which leads to excellence
• We work as a CONNECTED team — We must leverage our collective brain power to conquer cancer because no one individual can do it alone

2. Laboratory Management:

• Maintains the quality and timeliness of research lab operations for Dr. Tworoger’s laboratory.
• Manages laboratory administration and operation issues.
• Ensures appropriate lab compliance with accrediting agency regulations, including IRB and human subjects requirements, and with data and material sharing agreements. 
• Organizes and maintains safety/policy manuals.
• Develops agendas for laboratory meetings and meetings with internal and external collaborators.
• Defines and develops reports and websites according to lab needs. 
• Interacts with all levels of internal and external sources to resolve problems.

3. Laboratory Organization and Compliance:

• Ensure project data are properly recorded and stored; develops and maintains an electronic lab notebook and trains all lab staff in its use
• Along with other laboratory operations staff, implements and executes laboratory processes, databases, and information resources for workflow efficiencies in research
• Manage project protocols and OHSU regulatory compliance. Ensure that staff is adequately trained to meet compliance for regulatory board reviews as required and human subjects training
• Document detailed standard operating procedures for laboratory operations

4. Research Projects: Ovarian Cancer Cohort Consortium (OC3)

• Assists in generating and provides overall management for inter-institutional data sharing and material transfer agreements with participating OC3 institutions to ensure compliance and the longevity of the resource.
• Sets agendas and takes minutes/action items for quarterly OC3 steering committee meetings, annual meetings, and biweekly programming calls with internal and external investigators.
• Provides orientation to new collaborators about OC3 processes and procedures, intakes new analysis proposal applications, and evaluates feasibility of grant application proposals, and commissions datasets for analysis; develops budgets for project activities and proposals and provides grant and manuscript text about the consortium.
• Communicates with designated cohort contacts and institutional officials regarding use of data, material transfers, and other associated research activities.
• Provides support, with scientific oversight of the PI and OC3 DCC Director, for variable mapping, data harmonization, assay coordination, and results management; works with OC3 database software to support data management.
• Conducts analyses of OC3 data under the direction of the PI, OC3 DCC Director, and collaborators.
• Maintains OC3 website and internal documentation of all scientific work conducted within the consortium.
• Coordinates with IT, HR, Regulatory and other related groups to ensure the smooth operation of the OC3
• Identifies opportunities for improving cohort infrastructure and new opportunities for collaboration.

5. Other Research Project Support:

• Provides management for other projects within the Laboratory, including coordinating with collaborators, setting up contractual agreements, collecting and intaking data, conducting statistical analyses and contributing to writing manuscripts and grants.
• Onboards research staff and has the authority and responsibility to enforce policy with all staff.
• Assists in mentorship of graduate students, post-docs, undergraduates, interns, and other researchers.
• Assists in the creation of research training programs for researchers.

Required Qualifications

Education & Experience:

• Ph.D. in relevant field AND 1 year of relevant experience
• OR Master’s Degree in relevant field AND 5 years of relevant experience
• OR Bachelor’s Degree in relevant field AND 9 years of relevant experience

Job Related Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (Competencies):

• Understanding of basic epidemiologic principles of study design and data collection as well as previous training in statistical analyses of epidemiologic data
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks
• Excellent communication, analytical and organizational skills: both written and verbal
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Must have demonstrated excellent customer service skills both on the phone and in person
• Must possess energy and drive to coordinate multiple projects simultaneously
• Ability to use tact and diplomacy to maintain effective working relationships

Preferred Qualifications

Education & Experience:

• Ph.D. in Epidemiology, Psychology, Sociology, Public Health, Data Science, or other related fields.

Job Related Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (Competencies):

• Experience with databases containing epidemiologic data
• Experience in working on large collaborative studies that engage researchers from a large geographic area
• Intermediate skills with Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook, Access, Word, and PowerPoint) on Window OS. Ability to accurately type 60wpm
• Proficiency in R
• Knowledge of human subjects regulations and requirements
• Exposure to data sharing agreement requirements

Additional Details

Please submit cover letter with you application to be considered. 

All are welcome

Oregon Health & Science University values a diverse and culturally competent workforce. We are proud of our commitment to being an equal opportunity, affirmative action organization that does not discriminate against applicants on the basis of any protected class status, including disability status and protected veteran status. Individuals with diverse backgrounds and those who promote diversity and a culture of inclusion are encouraged to apply. To request reasonable accommodation contact the Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Department at 503-494-5148 or aaeo@ohsu.edu.