Associate Director, Clinical Informatics and Data Science, AACR Project GENIE

Overview

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), with more than 58,000 members residing in 141 countries, is the first and largest organization in the world dedicated to advances in all areas of high-quality, innovative cancer research.  Its mission is to prevent and cure all cancers.  The programs and activities of the AACR foster the exchange of new knowledge among scientists and physicians in cancer research as well as in related sciences.  The AACR publishes ten peer-reviewed scientific journals and an award-winning magazine for cancer patients and their loved ones; convenes topical scientific conferences and an annual meeting that draws more than 22,500 participants; offers educational workshops that train young investigators in a variety of scientific and clinical areas; funds research fellowships, career development awards, and research grants for both senior and junior investigators; raises public awareness of the progress in the biology, detection, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer; engages actively in advocacy for increased federal research funding and other national policies that accelerate progress against cancer; and interacts with regulatory agencies to support regulatory science and policy.

About Project GENIE

AACR Project Genomics, Evidence, Neoplasia, Information, Exchange (GENIE) is a publicly accessible international cancer registry of real-world data assembled through data sharing among a consortium of leading cancer centers. Through the efforts of strategic partners Sage Bionetworks and cBioPortal, GENIE aggregates, harmonizes, and links clinical-grade, next-generation cancer genomic sequencing data with clinical outcomes to drive clinical decision-making and inform cancer research globally.

Job Summary:

The Associate Director, Clinical Informatics & Data Science, will play a critical role in managing and integrating clinical and genomic data for AACR Project GENIE, ensuring data harmonization and compliance with industry standards. This role will oversee the development and optimization of data pipelines, facilitate collaborations with participating cancer centers, and drive data quality initiatives. The ideal candidate will bridge the gap between technical data requirements and clinical research needs, supporting Project GENIE and its mission to advance precision oncology and cancer research through high-quality real-world data.

Responsibilities

• Liaise with multidisciplinary teams to ensure seamless data flow, integration, and alignment with project goals.
• Lead the design, implementation, and maintenance of data pipelines for aggregating clinical and genomic data from multiple cancer centers into a centralized registry.
• Oversee the data collection and harmonization processes, ensuring compliance with appropriate existing industry data standards (e.g., FHIR, HL7, NAACCR).
• Collaboratively develop and deploy quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) measures to maintain data integrity and reliability.
• Oversee strategic guidance on data elements, methods, and models required for clinical and research objectives, and facilitate the identification and extraction of these elements from the EHR and data warehouse systems.
• Work collaboratively with participating sites to address data quality and control issues, facilitate data submissions, and provide ongoing technical support.
• Monitor emerging trends and developments in real-world clinico-omic data informatics, and provide strategic recommendations on technologies and processes to optimize and advance the Project GENIE data ecosystem.
• Prepare and present data insights, integration strategies, and progress reports to internal and external stakeholders.
• Train and mentor staff on clinical data workflow processes, good practices, and standards.
• Manage an expanding team with varied expertise within the Clinical Informatics and Data Sciences Group.
• Contribute to publications, presentations, and proposals that highlight the utility of GENIE data and its advancements in data integration and precision oncology.
• Occasional travel required.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Health Informatics, Clinical Informatics, Biomedical Sciences, or a related field is required.

Advanced degree (Master’s or Ph.D.) in a relevant field is preferred.

• Experience:

2–3 years of team management experience required.

Minimum of 5-7 years in clinical data informatics, oncology research, or healthcare data management.

Experience working with oncology datasets required.

Experience with real-world data (RWD) highly desirable.

• Technical Proficiency:

Proficiency with data integration tools and platforms (e.g., ETL processes, APIs, databases).

Knowledge of programming languages or tools commonly used in data analysis and integration (e.g., Python, R, SQL).

Familiarity with cloud-based data environments (e.g., AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure).

High proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams).

• Industry Standards Knowledge:

Strong understanding of data interoperability standards (e.g., FHIR, HL7, OMOP, CDISC).

Knowledge of regulatory frameworks such as HIPAA, GDPR, and GCP.

Familiarity with cancer genomics repositories and/or cancer registries highly desirable.

• Analytic Skills:

Demonstrated ability to interpret and analyze complex clinical and genomic datasets.

Proficiency in designing and implementing QA/QC processes to ensure data quality and consistency.

Experience in translating data workflow insights and/or data analyses into actionable recommendations.

• Interpersonal Skills:

Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to engage multi-disciplinary stakeholders with varying levels of expertise.

Proven ability to work collaboratively in cross-functional teams.

Strong organizational and project management skills, with attention to detail and deadlines.

• Preferred Experience:

Certification in Clinical Informatics, Health Informatics, or a related field (e.g., from AMIA or HIMSS).

Prior experience working in an academic medical center.

Proficiency in working with real-world datasets.

**REMOTE WORK BENEFIT AVAILABLE**

EOE