Associate Director, Pediatric Clinical Research (Physician) - Cancer Institute

Job Summary

The Associate Director of Pediatric Clinical Research - Cancer Center, serves as the senior operational and execution leader for all pediatric cancer clinical research activities within the Cancer Center, including early phase (Phase I/first in child), investigator initiated, cooperative group, and sponsor driven trials supported by the CORKK and Cancer Center grant portfolio. This role is accountable for end-to-end program execution, ensuring that clinical research strategy, operations, regulatory compliance, workforce planning, and grant deliverables are aligned, resourced, and delivered on time. Provides nonclinical executive leadership, translating Cancer Center and physician led scientific priorities into structured, compliant, and scalable research programs. Provides oversight and scientific direction in protocol development, translational integration, data interpretation, regulatory documentation, and dissemination of research findings, while retaining responsibility for operations, performance, governance, and program execution.

Qualifications

Minimum Job Requirements

• MD, PhD (Clinical Translational Science), or equivalent doctoral degree in Molecular Pharmacology, Biomedical Science, or related field. Doctor of Medicine with board certification (Unrestricted Florida Medical license or eligibility)
• 8-10 years of advanced knowledge of drug development pathways, IND driven research, FDA regulatory requirements, and Good Clinical Practice (GCP).
• 8-10 years of experience overseeing large, complex, multidisciplinary clinical research portfolios, including early phase, investigator initiated, cooperative group, or sponsor driven trials.
• 8-10 years of experience managing enterprise level clinical research execution, including study activation, operational workflows, accrual management, and portfolio prioritization.
• 8-10 years of extensive experience supporting grant funded research programs, including delivery of milestones, performance metrics, and reporting requirements.
• 8-10 years of experience working with regulatory and compliance frameworks, including IRB oversight, GCP, sponsor requirements, and FDA adjacent research processes (without requiring clinical licensure).
• 8-10 years of experience partnering with physician leadership to translate scientific priorities into executable operational plans.
• 8-10 years of leadership experience supervising research operations teams, program managers, or senior research staff.
• 8-10 years of experience working cross functionally with Regulatory Affairs, Clinical Trials Operations, Pharmacy, Biostatistics, Translational Science, Finance, and Sponsored Programs.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Experience in pediatric oncology clinical research, rare disease research, or high complexity therapeutic areas.
• Experience supporting early phase (Phase I/first in child) clinical trials from an operational and governance perspective.
• Experience with statewide, multi-institutional, or consortium-based research collaborations.
• Prior responsibility for grant governance, sustainability planning, or expansion of research programs beyond initial funding periods.
• Experience developing or implementing research performance dashboards, KPIs, or continuous quality improvement initiatives.
  *Inquire for more details!

About Nicklaus Children’s Health System

About Nicklaus Children’s Health System Where Your Child Matters Most ™

For more than 75 years, Nicklaus Children’s Health System has stood as a beacon of hope for children and families across the state of Florida and beyond. Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is South Florida's #1 nonprofit, freestanding specialty licensed hospital exclusively for children. Nicklaus Children’s provides pediatric care across a growing network of hospital and community-based partnerships, including within NCH North Hospital in Naples, Jupiter Medical Center, select Baptist Health Hospital pediatric emergency units, as well as at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Fort Lauderdale and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Coral Springs, each located on the campuses of Broward Health. The hospitals and their network of more than 35 outpatient locations offer lifesaving care in Miami-Dade, Broward, Martin and Palm Beach counties. The 474-bed system is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine, with many programs routinely ranked among the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report since 2008. Nicklaus Children’s also includes a nonprofit physician practice subsidiary with more than 40 pediatric specialties and an ambulatory surgery center.

Discover South Florida
The communities in South Florida offer all the advantages of a tropical, diverse and metropolitan region. Enjoy abundant sunshine and warm weather year-round with easy access to numerous recreational opportunities, beaches, cultural and professional sporting venues, and international travel.