Associate Director - Clinical Outcomes Assessment (COA) Measurement Science

AstraZeneca•Gaithersburg, MD

8d•$149,053 - $223,579•Hybrid

About The Position

At AstraZeneca, we pride ourselves on crafting a collaborative culture that champions knowledge-sharing, ambitious thinking and innovation – ultimately providing employees with the opportunity to work across teams, functions and even the globe. Recognizing the importance of individualized flexibility, our ways of working allow employees to balance personal and work commitments while ensuring we continue to create a strong culture of collaboration and teamwork by engaging face-to-face in our offices 3 days a week . Our head office is purposely designed with collaboration in mind, providing space where teams can come together to strategize, brainstorm and connect on key projects. Are you ready to be part of the future of healthcare? Can you think big, be bold, and harness the power of digital and AI to tackle longstanding life sciences challenges? Then Evinova, a global health tech business might be for you! Transform patients’ lives through technology, data, and innovative ways of working. You’re disruptive, decisive, and transformative. Someone excited to use technology to improve patients’ health. We’re building a new Health-tech business – Evinova, a fully-owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca Group. Evinova delivers market-leading digital health solutions that are science-based, evidence-led, and human experience-driven. Thoughtful risks and quick decisions come together to accelerate innovation across the life sciences sector. Be part of a diverse team that pushes the boundaries of science by digitally empowering a deeper understanding of the patients we’re helping. Launch pioneering digital solutions that improve the patients’ experience and deliver better health outcomes. Together, we have the opportunity to combine deep scientific expertise with digital and artificial intelligence to serve the wider healthcare community and create new standards across the sector. Introduction to Role: We’re building out a best-in-class Measurement Science team to support R&D as well as digital solutions, which will be part of the future of measurement science and analytics to support novel endpoints/interventions. Digital health, the point at which healthcare, technology, data and analytics converge, is the subject of great promise, with the World Health Organisation believing it has the potential to improve health for everyone. An Associate Director in the COA Measurement Science group will serve as a subject matter expert regarding the use of COA such as traditional survey-like instruments using rating or ranking scales and/or COA along with novel sensor/wearable data capture tools to inform identification and/or evaluation of symptoms, function, health-related quality of life, or other patient-centric concept of clinical benefit/risk throughout the oncology drug development lifecycle. The Associate Director will be responsible for providing qualitative and quantitative measurement expertise for the development and execution of patient-centered measurement strategies and dissemination of findings to key stakeholders, such as R&D global and/or cross-functional teams, regulators, payers, healthcare professionals and most importantly patients in support of more efficient identification of treatment benefits vs risks in Oncology. This includes but is not limited to: identification of unmet measurement need by conducting literature reviews and/or qualitative research studies, description of context of use (e.g., selection of responders for fit-for-purpose use of Patient-Reported Outcomes, Observer-Reported Outcomes, Clinician-Reported Outcomes, or Performance Outcome assessments), selection of data collection strategy and implementation in clinical research or real world setting, collaboration for data analyses and interpretation and audience-adapted publications. The Associate Director will be expected to partner with scientific leaders within the organization to identify specific areas of interest for professional development, with the ultimate goal of becoming a recognized leader in the COA/digital health field.

Requirements

A Bachelors degree in a related discipline, plus 7 years practical experience
Combination of academic training and practical experience in outcomes research.
Experience in performing outcomes research, in any setting, including life sciences company, research organization, academic institution or governmental agency including experience in interpreting COA data from clinical research and communicating scientific evidence.
Experience collaborating with cross-functional partners with varying levels of knowledge and experience in COA and Digital health sciences.
Working knowledge of Patient Focused Drug Development (PFDD) FDA Guidance documents and other relevant guidance documents and best practices to capture patient's experience in drug lifecycle
Conceptual, analytical and strategic thinking
Creative, innovative, and solution-focused
Curious, embraces new ways of problem solving, new ideas, and new ways of working
Strong communication skills, the ability to build relationships among cross-functional partners and stakeholders, and the ability to influence without authority.

Nice To Haves

An advanced degree in a science related field and/or other appropriate knowledge/experience is preferred.
Doctoral degree (e.g., Ph.D., Sc.D. or Dr.P.H.) in a relevant discipline such as, but not limited to, health services research, health outcomes research, epidemiology, pharmacy administration, public health, economics, statistics or decision sciences, plus 2 years practical experience OR: Clinical degree (e.g., in medicine, pharmacy, nursing, or equivalent) and a masters degree in a related field (as noted above), plus 4 years practical experience OR: masters degree in a related field (as noted above), plus 4 years practical experience
Prior experience conducting of outcomes research studies, and the communication of study findings to internal and external audiences
Experience with the development, selection, and psychometric evaluation of PRO instruments used in clinical studies
Experience conducting outcomes research in different geographic regions and interacting with regulator and policy-makers
Diligence - attention to detail and ability to manage a program of concurrent activities
Resilience - ability to overcome and motivate others in the face of a changing environment

Responsibilities

Contribute to qualitative and quantitative research to generate evidence of patients' experience with treatment throughout the oncology drug development lifecycle (e.g., identification and exploration of unmet measurement need, endpoints capturing symptoms, function, or quality of life evolution overtime to inform disease progression or tolerability) including study design/oversight and data collection
Responsible for project management of functional service provider(s) for qualitative and quantitative research to inform development of conceptual disease-models and related endpoints to address measurement gap to inform the patients' experience with treatment.
With minimal supervision, contribute to the development or selection and interpretation of COA in clinical research to inform clinical benefit/risk evaluation of oncology treatment, including: measurement performance evaluation of symptom(s), function and health-related quality of life instruments, definition or development of novel COA endpoints to address evidence needs from key stakeholders, and inclusion of COA endpoints and findings in all major deliverables such as: clinical development plans, study protocols, data analysis and interpretation for clinical study reports, submissions and publications.
With support from line management, partner with scientific leaders within AstraZeneca and Evinova to identify, pursue, and develop independent scientific expertise within the COA and digital health fields.
Collaborate and partner with key internal stakeholder colleagues to ensure priorities and strategies are aligned.
Prepare, review, and publish scientific reports, internal/ conference presentations, publications, regulatory dossiers reflecting ongoing or completed work, with minimal supervision.