Export Control Officer (hybrid)

Boston Children’s Hospital; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Boston Children’s Hospital is seeking an Export Compliance Specialist to provide enterprise-wide leadership and guidance on federal export control laws and research security mandates. You will oversee ITAR, EAR, OFAC and MFTRP requirements, lead investigations, update policies, and deliver targeted trainings to faculty and staff.

The role involves chairing the Export Control Working Group, collaborating with Supply Chain, IT, and Global Health, and ensuring compliance across hospital, research,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field required.
• 5+ years in export compliance at an academic medical center or equivalent.
• Experience with ITAR, EAR, OFAC classifications and licensing.
• Experience developing policies, conducting trainings, and leading investigations.

Responsibilities

• Conduct export control and research security reviews and classifications.
• Develop and maintain enterprise-wide policies and procedures.
• Perform screening and background checks on international visitors and end-users.
• Create and monitor Technology Control Plans (TCPs) and annual audit work plans.
• Review research proposals and data/material transfer agreements to identify export risks.
• Coordinate with Institutional Review Entity and cross-functional teams on compliance matters.

Skills

Export controls

Regulatory compliance

Risk assessment

Training delivery

Policy development

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Tools

RPS

TCPs

NSPM-33

Job description

Position Summary

Reporting to the Research Compliance Officer, the Export Compliance Specialist provides enterprise-wide leadership, operational support, and regulatory guidance to ensure Boston Children’s Hospital complies with federal export control laws and research security mandates. This role oversees the day-to-day management of compliance frameworks including ITAR, EAR, OFAC, and Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program (MFTRP) requirements while spearheading investigations, updating institutional policies, and delivering targeted training to faculty and staff.

Key Responsibilities

• Compliance & Classification: Conduct export control and research security reviews for hospital, research, and educational activities. Determine accurate classifications, jurisdictions, and eligibility for licensing exemptions or the Fundamental Research Exclusion (FRE).
• Policy & Program Development: Develop, implement, and maintain enterprise-wide policies and procedures aligned with federal/state laws, emerging technologies, and industry best practices.
• Risk Mitigation & Screening: Perform Restricted Party Screening (RPS) and comprehensive background checks on international visitors, end-users, and remote personnel to mitigate security and reputational risks.
• Control Plans & Auditing: Create and monitor Technology Control Plans (TCPs). Develop an annual work plan featuring internal audits and routine compliance monitoring.
• Contract & Agreement Support: Review research proposals, clinical trials, data/material transfer agreements (DTAs/MTAs), and contracts to identify export risks and ensure proper safeguarding terms for Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).
• Research Security & Foreign Influence: Manage compliance with federal research security mandates (e.g., NSPM-33, CHIPS and Science Act). Oversee documentation of foreign collaborations, funding, and appointments to mitigate insider threats and undue foreign influence.
• Training & Advisory: Design and deliver targeted training for faculty, clinicians, and researchers on export controls, international travel, dual-use items, the DoJ Bulk Data Rule, and the NIH Biospecimen Security Policy.
• Chair the Export Control Working Group, partnering with key departments such as Supply Chain, IT, and Global Health. Serve as a formal member of the Institutional Review Entity (IRE) and Foreign Talent Recruitment Program (FTRP) subcommittees, while benchmarking best practices with Harvard Medical School affiliates and peer academic medical centers.
• Conducts inquiries and investigations relating to export compliance. Receives, investigates, documents, and tracks export compliance complaints from workforce members, the compliance hotline, or other sources. Develops and oversee as needed, corrective action plans (including ensuring consistent application of disciplinary action standards) in response to such complaints and investigations. Cooperates with federal and state entities in any export compliance program audits, inquiries, or investigations.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's Degree required. Area of study: Research and academic compliance, research administration, information security, or a related field required

Experience: 5 years experience in an export compliance position at an academic medical center, research-based university, or comparable experience, including experience in technology or technical data classifications according to the federal regulations, and the submission and management of export and deemed export licenses required.

Preferred: Knowledge of academic (biomedical) research regulatory environment, experience with FRE, implementation of NSPM-33 research security program, working knowledge of EAR, ITAR, NIST SP 800-171, DFARS 252.204-7012, and National Security Directive 189. Familiarity with secure research environments and cybersecurity concepts.