Vice President, SFARI Cohorts and Biorepositories

POSITION SUMMARY

SFARI COHORTS AND BIOREPOSITORIES

Since its beginning, SFARI has partnered with families and clinical centers across the country to build large and diverse cohorts of well-characterized individuals with autism or with specific genetic alterations associated with neurodevelopmental risk. These include the Simons Simplex Collection (SSC), Simons Searchlight, Autism Inpatient Collection, and SPARK. The principles of community-based participatory research have been key to all cohort activities. Aggregate and deidentified genetic and clinical data from these cohorts are made available to autism researchers through SFARI Base, a clearinghouse for autism and autism-related research data and biospecimens supported by SFARI. Through the Research Match program, investigators can submit proposals to recruit SPARK and Simons Searchlight participants to conduct new research projects. SFARI-supported biospecimen repositories include an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) bank created from individuals in the SSC and Simons Searchlight cohorts, and a post-mortem brain bank, Autism BrainNet.

VICE PRESIDENT FOR SFARI COHORTS AND BIOREPOSITORIES

The Vice President for SFARI Cohorts and Biorepositories will join the SFARI leadership team and be responsible for overall management of research cohorts and biorepositories. The Vice President will lead the development of policies and procedures to support cohort activities and work with staff and external stakeholders to ensure that program aims are met and that they align with SFARI’s strategic goals. This will require working closely with the SFARI science team, informatics, grantees, and service providers. The Vice President will be a member of the SFARI senior leadership team, which includes the Executive Vice President, Sr. Vice President, Director of Finance and Administration, and Vice President of Informatics.

This is a full-time position located onsite in our New York City office.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Coordinate management of SFARI collections, including the following cohorts and biorepositories: SPARK, Searchlight, AIC, SSC, ABN, iPSC bank, and ASD animal models

• Work closely with scientific leads of all cohorts and biorepositories to track operations across all SFARI collections, troubleshoot bottlenecks, and identify opportunities for increased efficiency

• Monitor research compliance needs and work with SF Director, Research Compliance to resolve concerns

• Take the lead on development of data sharing policies

• Monitor resource needs and budget and staff allocations to support activities

• Document standard operating procedures

• Liai­­­se with grantees, contractors and service providers

• Participate in related SFARI and foundation activities

• Perform any other duties or tasks as assigned or required

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• PhD in a related field strongly preferred; Master’s degree is acceptable with sufficient research experience

Experience

• Minimum 12 years of experience in scientific and/or clinical project management

Related Skills & Other Requirements

• Experience with human subjects research

• Skilled in project management, organization, planning and execution, and documenting standard operating procedures. Experience working with project management software tools a plus

• Experience managing distributed teams and outsourced vendors, including vendors of clinical services

• Holistic, system-level problem solving skills

• Experience working in or with academic research institutions

• Outstanding communication skills

• Outstanding organizational and time management skills

• Ability to collaborate across teams

• Leadership skills

• Ability to manage multiple simultaneous projects and competing deadlines

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• The full-time annual compensation range for this position is $235,000 – 300,000, depending on experience.

• In addition to competitive salaries, the Simons Foundation provides employees with an outstanding benefits package.

THE SIMONS FOUNDATION’S DIVERSITY COMMITMENT

Many of the greatest ideas and discoveries come from a diverse mix of minds, backgrounds and experiences, and we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment. The Simons Foundation actively seeks a diverse applicant pool and encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply. We provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic disposition, neurodiversity, disability, veteran status, or any other protected category under federal, state and local law.