Director of Informatics and Data Science Operations and Development

The Director of Informatics and Data Science Operations and Development provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for the Informatics and Data Science Program within the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS). Funded through the Clinical and Translational Science Awards Program (CTSA), the Program advances the national mission of accelerating the translation of scientific discoveries into improved health outcomes. This is achieved through the development of robust informatics infrastructure, the promotion of interdisciplinary team science, the enablement of high-quality and interoperable data integration, and the support of innovative, rigorous, and reproducible clinical and translational research.

This position bridges advanced technical expertise with real-world health implementation by identifying translational bottlenecks, developing novel methodological and analytic approaches, and advancing informatics initiatives aligned with institutional strategy and national CTSA priorities. In collaboration with Data Science/Informatics Director(s) this role contributes to shaping the scientific direction and growth of informatics-driven research initiatives across the CCTS and the UIC health sciences colleges, strengthening the University’s impact within the national translational science ecosystem. The role leads the design, development, and implementation of innovative informatics and data science solutions that address the evolving needs of clinical and translational investigators across the full research continuum.

Responsibilities:

Operational Leadership and Team Management

·       Provide strategic and day-to-day leadership for the CCTS Informatics/Data Science team.

·       Supervise, mentor, and develop informatics specialists and staff, including performance management, coaching, and professional development planning.

·       Foster a collaborative, accountable, and high-performing team culture.

·       Establish and enforce team norms, standard operating procedures, and quality standards in alignment with Center policies, Campus guidelines, and state/federal regulations.

·       Oversee resource allocation and project prioritization to ensure timely and high-quality delivery of services.

·       Assign personnel to projects; guide development of project plans and timelines; monitor progress and ensure achievement of strategic objectives.

·       Track and report scientific and operational progress, resource utilization, performance metrics, and quality indicators.

·       Identify operational or scientific barriers and implement solutions to ensure successful project outcomes.

Scientific and Technical Leadership

·       Advise Center leadership on innovative informatics strategies that align with local and national research priorities and sponsor requirements.

·       Lead needs assessments with investigators to identify opportunities for clinical information systems and data services.

·       Monitor emerging trends in biomedical informatics, clinical data science, AI, and translational research.

·       Oversee the design, development, and implementation of clinical informatics solutions that support research, quality improvement, and health intervention initiatives.

·       Ensure scientific rigor, regulatory compliance, and reproducibility across projects.

Strategic Partnerships and Collaboration

·       Lead collaborative informatics and data science initiatives with internal and external stakeholders to achieve objectives outlined in the CCTS grant.

·       Partner with the Center and Program leadership to represent CCTS in national networks and collaboratives, including the Clinical and Translational Science Awards Program Consortium.

·       Strengthen institutional partnerships with UI Health IT, UIC’s Advanced Cyberinfrastructure for Education and Research (ACER), and the AI.Health4All Center.

·       Serve as liaison between campus units and CCTS leadership to ensure alignment of informatics and data science strategies with institutional priorities.

·       Identify, evaluate, and recommend collaborative opportunities through engagement with CTSA hubs, Enterprise Committees, Working Groups, and professional associations.

·       Develop coalitions that expand institutional capabilities and enhance national visibility.

Research Innovation and Scientific Contribution

·       Provide strategic leadership for the Informatics and Data Science Program, shaping vision, policies, and priorities that advance clinical, biomedical, and translational research across the institution and collaborative networks.

·       Lead the development and expansion of innovative informatics and data science programs that address critical translational research challenges and enhance research infrastructure.

·       Initiate and oversee novel research initiatives in clinical and translational informatics, including applications in data science, real-world evidence, pragmatic trials, and implementation science.

·       Identify and pursue opportunities for UIC leadership in national informatics innovation, translational science initiatives and extramural funding; lead or contribute to multi-investigator and multi-site grant proposals aligned with NIH and CTSA priorities.

·       Build and coordinate multidisciplinary teams to design and conduct high-impact research and preliminary studies that support competitive grant submissions.

·       Provide expert guidance to investigators on study design, protocol optimization, data capture strategies, and advanced analytics.

·       Disseminate best practices and contribute to consortium-wide guidance, white papers, peer-reviewed publications and presentations at national scientific conferences.

·       Represent the Informatics/Data Science program in institutional and national forums and contribute to reporting and evaluation of program outcomes in alignment with NIH CTSA requirements.