Research Operations Director

UCLA Health; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 109,000 - 242,000; Full time

Job summary

UCLA Health in Los Angeles seeks a Research Operations Director to lead operational strategy and execution of multi-site research initiatives, partnering with nationally recognized investigators from proposal development through study completion.

You will lead grant development, regulatory compliance, budgets, IRB activities and data sharing agreements, collaborating with investigators, institutional leadership and clinical partners to ensure successful program execution and timely dissemination

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in public health or related field required with equivalent experience.
• 5+ years managing complex research programs or multi-site studies.
• 5+ years grant proposal development and submission to federal agencies and foundations.
• 5+ years conducting quantitative and qualitative research with study design, data analysis and interpretation.
• 5+ years managing regulatory processes including IRB submissions and human subjects protections.
• 5+ years managing research budgets, contracts, and grants administration.
• 5+ years supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in managing complex research studies including multi-site clinical or population-based research.
• Advanced knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies.
• Strong experience with grant proposal development including preparation of scientific and administrative sections.
• Experience navigating regulatory processes including IRB submissions and human subjects protections.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate multi-institutional collaborations and manage complex research operations.
• Excellent scientific writing skills for manuscripts, grant proposals and reports.
• Experience working with institutional research infrastructure such as CTSI and clinical data systems.
• Strong project management skills including managing multiple concurrent projects and deadlines.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a broad spectrum of collaborators across multidisciplinary backgrounds.

Responsibilities

• Lead operational strategy and execution of multi-site research initiatives.
• Oversee grant development and submission efforts.
• Manage regulatory compliance, study budgets, IRB activities, and data sharing agreements.
• Collaborate with investigators, institutional leadership, clinical partners and external stakeholders to ensure program success.
• Contribute to data analysis and dissemination of findings through manuscripts, presentations and reports.

Skills

Grant proposal development

Project management

Regulatory compliance

IRB submissions

Budgeting and financial management

Multisite coordination

Scientific writing

Data analysis

Collaboration with investigators

Communication across multidisciplinary

Education

Master's degree in public health/related field

Doctoral degree (PhD) in public health/related field

Job description

Work Schedule

Monday-Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm

Employment Type

Duration

Indefinite

Salary Range: $108900.00 - 241500.00 Annually

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

The Department of Medicine is hiring a Research Operations Director to lead the operational strategy and execution of innovative, multi-site research initiatives that advance scientific discovery and improve patient care. In this leadership role, you will partner with nationally recognized investigators to oversee complex research programs from proposal development through study completion.

You will lead grant development and submission efforts, manage multi-site research operations, oversee regulatory compliance, study budgets, IRB activities, and data sharing agreements, and collaborate with investigators, institutional leadership, clinical partners, and external stakeholders to ensure successful program execution. You will also contribute to data analysis and the dissemination of research findings through manuscripts, presentations, and scientific reports that support the PI's national research agenda.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced research leader who thrives in a collaborative environment and is passionate about advancing high-impact clinical and translational research..

Annual range: $108,900.00-$241,500.00

Job Qualifications

Required:

• Master's degree in public health, epidemiology, health services research, social sciences, or a related field, and/or equivalent experience/training
• 5+ years m anaging complex research programs or multi-site studies within academic medical centers or research institutions
• 5+ years d eveloping and submitting competitive grant proposals to federal agencies (e.g., NIH, DoD, NCI, PCORI) and foundations
• 5+ years c onducting quantitative and qualitative research, including study design, data analysis, and interpretation
• 5+ years m anaging regulatory processes, including IRB submissions and human subjects compliance
• 5+ years m anaging research budgets, contracts, and grants administration
• 5+ years s upervisory experience
• Demonstrated expertise in managing complex research studies, including multi-site clinical or population-based research
• Advanced knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies
• Strong experience with grant proposal development, including preparation of scientific and administrative sections
• Working knowledge of federal funding mechanisms (e.g., federal/private foundation) and grant submission processes
• Experience navigating regulatory processes, including IRB submissions and human subjects protections
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate multi-institutional collaborations and manage complex research operations
• Excellent scientific writing skills for manuscripts, grant proposals, and reports
• Experience working with institutional research infrastructure such as CTSI and clinical data systems
• Strong project management skills, including managing multiple concurrent projects and deadlines
• Ability to communicate effectively with a broad spectrum of collaborators across multidisciplinary backgrounds (e.g., engineering, cognitive science, clinical medicine)

Preferred:

• Doctoral degree (PhD) in public health, epidemiology, health services research, social sciences, or a related field, and/or equivalent experience/training
• CITI Human Subjects Research Certification (at time of hire)
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to synthesize complex datasets and research findings
• Experience and/or understanding of diagnostic accuracy, cancer screening, medical decision making, and use of AI tools in medicine

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer. Current/former UC employees are subject to a personnel file review.