Assistant Director for Biofluids Core
Job Description
Department
BSD CCC - Clinical Trials Support Unit
About the Department
The UCCCC has one of the largest cancer clinical trials programs in the country and in the Chicago area, with more than 450 adult and pediatric therapeutic trials actively accruing patients. Many of these studies are investigator-initiated, including Phase I or I/II trials, demonstrating UCCCC's commitment to translating basic research findings to the clinic through proof-of-principle and early-phase studies. UCCCC opens over 130 new trials each year and accrues approximately 800 participants to therapeutic trials each year.
Job Summary
The individual will work closely with the Human Tissue Resource Center (HTRC) and the clinical trial operations teams, including Clinical Research Managers, Clinical Research Coordinators (CRCs), and Data Managers (DMs), to ensure execution of biospecimen-related protocol requirements across the full lifecycle of oncology clinical trials. This role will provide leadership for the CTSO Biospecimen Core, overseeing both research laboratory operations and associated administrative functions, while ensuring compliance with institutional, state, and federal regulations.
The position requires strong operational leadership, research oversight, and personnel management, including responsibility for collecting biospecimens, ensuring protocol compliance, managing fee-for-service operations, and developing new procedures to support evolving research needs.
Responsibilities
Oversees the development of service level agreements with HTRC that outline the sample processing and handling requirements, as well as other research-related activities that the CTSO Biospecimen Core will be responsible for overseeing.
Develops, implements, and optimizes standard operating procedures, workflows, and technical processes to improve operational efficiency and research quality.
Manages and mentors research staff, including hiring, performance management, staff development, and oversight of method development and laboratory operations.
Collaborates with financial services to establish and manage fee structures and user fees for laboratory and biobanking services.
Reviews clinical trial protocols for feasibility and billing intensity scoring.
Serves as the key collaborator with HTRC to help in inspections, safety audits, and compliance monitoring activities.
Prepares and reviews data compliance reports for leadership, focusing on protocol deviations/violations and planned corrective and preventive action plans.
Develops goals, operating procedures, and clinical research guidelines aligned with UChicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center strategy (UCCC), and institutional priorities.
Adapts UCCCC priorities and resources to address operational challenges and support evolving clinical research demands.
Manages research professionals and support staff involved with planning, monitoring, and compliance aspects of research projects. Advises other researchers on long-range plans for research projects.
Develops goals and operating procedures, practices, and guidelines for research activity based on department strategy.
Manages the laboratory facilities, including the purchase of new equipment and the maintenance and repair of laboratory equipment.
Reviews research of others, and may conduct own research, in area of expertise. Edits and approves articles, reports and manuscripts. Presents research findings at meetings and/or conference. Manages the research of processes in clinical or non-clinical settings. Program and use computers to store, process, and analyze data.
Performs other related work as needed.
Minimum Qualifications
Education:
Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
Work Experience:
Certifications:
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Preferred Qualifications
Education:
A Master's Degree in a related field.
Experience:
At least 10 years of experience operating and managing core facilities and research labs.
7-10 years of independent policy-based decision-making.
Experience directing or managing a growing team.
Experience presenting at conferences and meetings.
Preferred Competencies
Strong communication, organizational skills, and attention to detail.
Adaptability.
Problem-solving. dedication to the team mission.
Experience handling confidential and sensitive data with discretion.
Ability to work independently and cooperatively with team members.
Knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
Familiarity with graphing software (SigmaPlot and GraphPad).
Working Conditions
Ability to navigate the UChicago Campus as required by the Position.
Hybrid work arrangements may be considered.
Application Documents
Resume (required)
Cover letter (preferred)
When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.
Job Family
Role Impact
Scheduled Weekly Hours
Drug Test Required
Health Screen Required
Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
Pay Rate Type
FLSA Status
Pay Range
The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.
Benefits Eligible
The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.
Posting Statement
The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.
Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.
All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.
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