Associate or Full Professor (WOT), Director, Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Department of Pediatrics
Position Overview
Organization: Pediatrics
Title: Associate or Full Professor (WOT), Director, Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Department of Pediatrics
Position Details
Position Description
THE SEARCH
Seattle Children’s, one of the premier children’s hospitals in the nation, invites inquiries, applications, and nominations for the Director of the Center for Clinical and Translational Research (CCTR). Reporting to the Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Vittorio Gallo, the Director will have a broad range of responsibilities, including strategic planning, research leadership and vision, and program administration in support of Seattle Children’s, the Seattle Children’s Research Institute (SCRI), and the CCTR.
The Department of Pediatrics, at the University of Washington, is seeking candidates for a full-time position at the level of Associate Professor (without tenure by reason of funding), or full Professor (without tenure by reason of funding) on the Faculty Scientist track. Rank is commensurate with experience and qualifications. This is a 12-month service period (July 1-June 30). Faculty with 12-month service periods are paid for 11 months of service over a 12-month period (July-June), meaning the equivalent of one month is available for paid time off. The anticipated start date is Winter/Spring 2025.
All University of Washington faculty engage in teaching, research and service.
Seattle Children’s serves the largest region of any pediatric hospital, covering nearly one million square miles across four states. The 407-bed hospital in Seattle anchors the health system, with additional care provided at 43 outreach sites across the Pacific Northwest. The SCRI is the fourth largest pediatric research institute in the United States, with 2,400 faculty and staff members across eight divisions conducting more than $250 million in funded research.
The CCTR is home to more than 500 research faculty and staff members from over 30 clinical divisions and is the hub for clinical investigation and therapeutic development at SCRI. Building on a history of ground-breaking achievements, CCTR investigators and staff are working together to develop next-generation therapies for a wide range of pediatric diseases and disorders. The expansive research portfolio of the CCTR is spread across numerous research domains, and the CCTR operates the Clinical Research Scholars Program, which provides mentorship and career development for junior faculty.
The Director will engage, lead, and energize the scientific community of the CCTR to build new initiatives and collaborations across and outside the organization. Embracing an innovative, forward-thinking mindset, the Director will identify strategic priorities for investment; provide leadership in clinical and translational research, scholarship, and education; create an environment that emphasizes equity, inclusion, and belonging, and assume responsibility for all facets of the Center’s finance and administration.
Seattle Children’s has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist with this important search.
SEATTLE CHILDREN’S RESEARCH INSTITUTE
The Seattle Children’s Research Institute, established in 2006, is one of the top five most funded pediatric research institutes in the United States with over $253 million in extramural awards, including over $120 million from the NIH in 2023. The SCRI is organized into research centers, bringing together clinician scientists and PhD researchers to tackle the pressing issues in pediatric care. The research centers include:
· The Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research
· The Center for Child Health, Behavior, and Development
· The Center for Clinical and Translational Research
· The Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine
· The Center for Global Infectious Disease Research
· The Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies
· The Center for Integrative Brain Research
· The Center for Respiratory Biology and Therapeutics
The SCRI and Seattle Children’s Therapeutics form the Seattle Children’s Research Division (SCRD). The SCRD is composed of 340 principal investigators and nearly 2,500 workforce members. The SCRD has approximately 400 clinical trials active per year. Research at Seattle Children’s has led to 13 spin-off companies and 19 non-start-up commercial partnerships, and it has coordinated multi-center trials for new therapeutics for cystic fibrosis and the development of new pediatric cancer therapies. Seattle Children’s Research Division has become one of the most productive research centers in the Western United States. The SCRD pushes the boundaries of medical research to find cures and therapeutics for pediatric diseases, improving outcomes for children worldwide.
The SCRI serves to improve pediatric healthcare by leading and participating in hundreds of research projects ranging from disease mechanism studies to investigational therapy improvement. The institute is devoted to recruiting and retaining dedicated researchers while creating the facilities, infrastructure, and programs they need to transform important research findings into viable, real-world therapies. Besides the main eight research centers, focus programs at SCRI include the Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics and Palliative Care, the Health Equity Research Program based in the Center for Diversity and Health Equity, and the Center for Nursing Research based in the Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development.
Supported by Center Support Services (CSS), researchers in the centers collaborate closely with one another, as well as with their colleagues within Seattle Children’s Therapeutics, healthcare providers at Seattle Children's Hospital, and researchers at partner institutions, such as the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and the Allen Institute. SCRI generates funding through the federal government, industry collaborations, as well as philanthropy and private donor opportunities. The Research Institute also houses the Joint Scientific and Operations Council (JSOC) and Scientific Leadership Council (SLC). This is a shared governance leadership council composed of all center directors, associate center directors, and Senior Administrative Team members.
THE CENTER FOR CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH
The Center for Clinical and Translational Research (CCTR) is home to more than 500 research faculty and staff members from over 30 clinical divisions and is the hub for clinical investigation and therapeutic development at Seattle Children’s Research Institute. Nearly 300 faculty span over ten divisions and 18 specialties within the Department of Pediatrics and includes faculty from other University of Washington clinical departments. In 2023, the CCTR conducted over $26 million in funded research and has over 500 active IRB studies. The Center plays an integral role locally, nationally, and internationally in turning scientific discoveries into improved treatments for children. Building on a history of ground-breaking achievements, CCTR investigators and staff are working together to develop next-generation therapies for a wide range of pediatric diseases and disorders.
The CCTR offers patients and families access to the latest clinical trials aimed at finding better ways to diagnose and treat childhood diseases. The CCTR is home to the Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics and Palliative Care, the first in the country to focus on bioethics issues and palliative care scholarship in pediatrics.
The Center’s vision is to be the bridge to advance laboratory discoveries from the institute toward new and innovative treatments that will potentially prevent and cure childhood illnesses and improve the quality of children’s daily lives. CCTR aims to advance the science of clinical research by focusing on new methods to conduct better research in children and mentor new clinical scientists to become tomorrow’s leaders.
The CCTR sponsors programs designed to promote the development of clinical and translational research projects and to assist in career development for clinical researchers at all levels. The Clinical Research Scholars Program (CRSP) is an intensive mentored research career development program to support junior faculty of the CCTR. This is accomplished through a structured program of mentoring by dedicated CRSP Faculty, educational seminars, and financial support. The Faculty Research Support Fund offers in-kind support to CCTR investigators with limited or no funding who wish to initiate a research project, or to those who have funding but may need additional resources for project completion. The Pediatric Pilot Fund is a competitive program that supports investigators initiating “proof of concept” testing, obtaining preliminary findings, or conducting other activities necessary to prepare for competitive, full-scale grant applications.
CCTR provides the infrastructure and knowledge Seattle Children’s researchers need to develop innovations that will advance pediatric care and speed improvements to children’s health. As such, the CCTR provides training and guidance on study design and helps support the infrastructure needed to conduct high-impact clinical research. This includes the Clinical Research Scholars Program, which provides mentored career development for junior faculty. The CCTR is also closely aligned with and participates in the University of Washington’s Institute of Translational Health Sciences (ITHS), which is home to its CTSA grant.
The Research Integration Hub increases and accelerates innovative clinical research throughout the Seattle Children's healthcare system by aligning and expanding its clinical research infrastructure, core services, and facilities. The Research Integration Hub at Seattle Children’s provides several cores, each with specialized teams and facilities for supporting the work of clinical researchers from all pediatric subspecialties. Funding is available to subsidize core services from the CCTR and the Research Integration Hub.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND ANTI-RACISM
Seattle Children’s is dedicated to being an anti-racist and equitable health organization. Seattle Children’s has adopted a long-term, comprehensive Health Equity and Anti-Racism Action Plan. This plan was designed with the guidance and support of its patients, workforce, community, and trusted expert leaders on anti-racism work, equity, inclusion, and diversity. Seattle Children’s executive leaders hold themselves and their teams accountable for fostering an inclusive work and care environment, emphasizing that racism is not tolerated. Seattle Children’s recruiting efforts must ensure it attracts and retains a workforce that represents the diversity of its patients. The institution must examine and dismantle organizational policies and systems that allow racism to persist and replace them with new systems that create racial equity.
Through the Research Division Anti-Racism Committee (RARC) and Seattle Children’s Center for Diversity and Health Equity (CDHE), Seattle Children’s is actively creating equitable participation opportunities for diverse communities and equitable career pathways for diverse faculty and staff. The Research Division Anti-Racism Committee provides funding to support investigator and staff time working with operational owners to dismantle structural barriers to equity and inclusion. The Center for Diversity and Health Equity provides funding support for research projects and research teams that focus on health equity issues, along with programs to build robust pathways into successful research centers for individuals from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine.
Seattle Children’s is dedicated to reducing health disparities and improving the lives of all patients, families, research participants, and its community. Seattle Children’s actively creates equitable participation opportunities for diverse communities and equitable career pathways for diverse faculty and staff through the Research Division Research Anti-Racism Committee and Center for Diversity and Health Equity.
THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF PEDIATRICS
The University of Washington Department of Pediatrics is a national leader and has a global presence in advancing the science of childhood health, disease prevention, and cures. The Department is redefining how healthcare can be delivered effectively to diverse communities and how a diverse department can create a vibrant workplace as well as a rich academic environment. Over 250 Pediatric residents and fellows are trained annually by 600 faculty. The Department of Pediatrics serves the Northwest region of the United States with clinical and training programs that span Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho, and internationally in Kenya. The Department is committed to an integrated clinical and research environment. Through discoveries and advances, UW Pediatrics is improving health outcomes for children worldwide.
ROLE OF THE DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH
Reporting to the Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, the Director represents the CCTR within the SCRI and externally. This position is responsible for providing long-term institutional strategy and day-to-day operations of the Center. The Director is responsible for the Center’s administration, faculty development, and scientific development. The Director oversees the Center’s overall budget, sets financial goals in partnership with SCRI’s leadership, participates in the annual budgeting process, reviews and recommends pilot and bridge funding requests, and monitors and reconciles the Center’s budget in partnership with administrative leaders. The Director also sits on the Joint Scientific and Operations Council (JSOC) and Scientific Leadership Council (SLC), which oversees the strategic plan for the SCRI.
OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES
The Director will address the following key opportunities and challenges detailed below:
Collaboratively lead and set the strategic path forward for the CCTR
The CCTR has historically been the home for clinical research in the SCRI. As the SCRI has continued to grow and evolve, clinical research has expanded into other centers, and researchers have moved between centers. With a renewed emphasis on aligning research with clinical priorities, the CCTR is poised to serve as an important bridge between these missions. The next Director will work with key stakeholders in the Center, the SCRI, and the hospital to define a vision for the CCTR that aligns with the strategic plan of Seattle Children’s and the SCRI. The Director will identify opportunities to develop infrastructure, support training programs, and align expertise with clinical needs to bring together researchers in the Center under a common goal of clinically relevant projects with the opportunity for national and international impact.
Continue the development and stewardship of impactful connections between the clinical and research missions at Seattle Children’s
A key component of Seattle Children’s strategic plan is to improve the alignment of clinical and research priorities. The CCTR, which is the primary research home for the majority of clinician scholars at Seattle Children’s, will play an important role in building the cycle of clinical needs inspiring research projects that then advance clinical care and outcomes. The Director of the CCTR will work closely with clinical leadership, connecting clinicians with the resources and expertise needed to execute interdisciplinary research projects that impact their patients, with a focus on equity.
Recruit, retain, mentor, and inspire the next generation of faculty and leadership
The Director’s primary role is to support the Center’s people and foster an environment that allows them to deploy their talents, attain their professional goals, and advance scientific discovery in pediatric care. The Director is responsible for faculty mentorship and career development. A crucial measure of the Director’s success will be the recruitment and retention of faculty and the development of a diverse talent pipeline. With clinician scholars and researchers across more than 30 subdivisions, the Director must partner with the appropriate Department or Division leaders to jointly recruit new faculty scientists who will thrive in the CCTR and Seattle Children’s and support those researchers as they advance in their academic careers.
Develop a robust and broad research portfolio throughout the Center
As the largest and broadest center at SCRI, the Director of the CCTR must be able to develop and support research across numerous fields and be aware of the available resources for the success of faculty scientist and clinical scholars within the CCTR. The breadth of research is also reflected in the diverse funding sources within the CCTR, which includes federal, private industry, foundation, and internal sources. The Director must be active in identifying potential funding sources to support research within the Center and shepherd faculty as they pursue new grants and new lines of research.
Support and enhance an inclusive and diverse community culture
The Director will be committed to promoting anti-racism within the CCTR, SCRI, and Seattle Children’s. They will ensure that diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are part of the Center’s everyday work, driven by a vision that understands the importance of representation and fosters an equitable and inclusive culture and community. The Director must ensure the Center attracts and retains a diverse faculty, staff, and trainees, cultivating an environment of respect and inclusion for all. The Director will be expected to sustain a workplace that values and appreciates the talents and experiences of its employees and ensures that diverse perspectives are incorporated into daily work. The Director will partner with the Research Division Anti-Racism Committee as well as the SCRI Diversity Recruitment Ambassador when appropriate and will be expected to hold faculty and the Center accountable for exhibiting professionalism and equity in their work and in the workplace.
Maintain and grow partnerships and collaborations
Serving as the chief ambassador and spokesperson for the Center, the new Director will build and cultivate strategic partnerships and affiliations and work within the CCTR and across the other centers to expand the CCTR’s impact. Working closely with the other Center Directors and faculty, the Director will explore ways to enhance current relationships and identify additional mutually beneficial partnerships. The Director must also facilitate further collaborations with the University of Washington, including through the ITHS, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, and other clinical providers in the region.
Salary
The base salary range for this position will be: 225,000-$500,004 annually ($18,750-$41,667 monthly), commensurate with experience and qualifications, or as mandated by a U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage determination. This range may be inclusive of base salary provided through the Children’s University Medical Group (CUMG) practice plan, in addition to base salary provided by the University. Please note that only compensation provided by the University is included in University benefit determinations and calculations. Compensation provided by Children’s University Medical Group (CUMG) practice plan may provide eligibility for separate benefits offered by that organization.
Other compensation associated with this position may include incentive through Children’s University Medical Group practice plan. Additional administrative responsibilities may be offered to a specific candidate with appropriate experience and qualifications which may result in an administrative supplement (ADS).
Qualifications
MD or DO, combined MD/PhD, PhD or foreign equivalent in health-related fields; a physician who will be actively involved in patient care will have to be fully licensed and eligible for licensure as a physician in the State of Washington;
Ten years prior experience in leading an extramurally funded research program;
Academic record sufficient to merit appointment as an Associate Professor or Professor at the University of Washington;
In order to be eligible for University sponsorship for an H-1B visa, graduates of foreign (non-U.S.) medical schools must show successful completion of all 3 steps of the U.S. Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) or equivalent as determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Instructions
All candidates must submit their applications, including CV, cover letter and diversity statement.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, gender identity or expression, age, disability, or protected veteran status.
Benefits Information
A summary of benefits associated with this title/rank can be found at https://hr.uw.edu/benefits/benefits-orientation/benefit-summary-pdfs/. Appointees solely employed and paid directly by a non-UW entity are not UW employees and are not eligible for UW or Washington State employee benefits.
Commitment to Diversity
The University of Washington is committed to building diversity among its faculty, librarian, staff, and student communities, and articulates that commitment in the UW Diversity Blueprint (http://www.washington.edu/diversity/diversity-blueprint/). Additionally, the University’s Faculty Code recognizes faculty efforts in research, teaching and/or service that address diversity and equal opportunity as important contributions to a faculty member’s academic profile and responsibilities (https://www.washington.edu/admin/rules/policies/FCG/FCCH24.html#2432).
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Disability Services
To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu.