Lead, Research Data Scientist - Cancer, Dr. Cullen lab

Houston Methodist•Houston, TX

About The Position

Will play a vital role in creating, managing, and integrating clinical and research data infrastructure for the Cancer Prevention and Control Program (CPC). They will ensure data harmonization and compliance with industry standards. This position will oversee the development and optimization of data pipelines, statistical data analysis, facilitate research collaboration with other cancer centers, and promote data quality initiatives. The ideal candidate will bridge the gap between technical data requirements and clinical research needs, supporting CPC and its mission to advance cancer research through high-quality real-world data. Design, implement, and maintain a state-of-the-art data management infrastructure that includes robust DataMart from multiple novel sources reflecting medical, social, genomic, and environmental drivers of health, consistent with the departmental mission. Engage in strategic negotiations and collaborations with key data providers, including institutional EMR teams, the Texas Cancer Registry, and other state and local agencies, to secure access to data critical to understanding the medical and socioecological contexts of health in patients with cancer. Liaise with multidisciplinary teams to ensure seamless data flow, integration, and alignment with project objectives. Oversee strategic guidance on data elements, methods, and models required for clinical and research objectives, and facilitate the identification and extraction of these elements from the EHR and data warehouse systems. Oversee data collection and harmonization processes, ensuring compliance with applicable industry data standards (e.g., FHIR, HL7, NAACCR). Collaboratively develop and deploy quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) measures to maintain data integrity and reliability. Apply statistical and epidemiological methods to analyze data on health outcomes and survival in patients with cancer. Develop and adhere to statistical analysis plans (SAP), prepare research presentations, and draft results for peer-reviewed publications. Monitor emerging trends and developments in real-world clinico-omic data informatics and provide strategic recommendations on technologies and processes to optimize and advance the CPC data ecosystem. Prepare and present data insights, integration strategies, and progress reports to internal and external stakeholders. Enhance scientific discovery by contributing to hypothesis generation, cohort identification, publications, presentations, and proposals that advance CPC program goals. Establish a streamlined process for research approval that includes developing an umbrella IRB protocol and standardized data-use agreements for the novel data warehouses to facilitate quicker start times for research projects. Manage an expanding team with varied expertise within the Clinical Informatics and Data Sciences Group. Train, mentor, and supervise staff on data workflow processes, good practices, and standards. Strong understanding of data interoperability standards (e.g., FHIR, HL7, OMOP, CDISC, NAACCR). Knowledge of regulatory frameworks such as HIPAA, GDPR, and GCP. Familiarity with cancer genomics repositories and/or cancer registries is highly desirable. Technical Proficiency: Proficiency with data integration tools and platforms (e.g., ETL processes, APIs, databases). Knowledge of programming languages or tools commonly used in data analysis and integration (e.g., Python, R, SQL, Tableau). Knowledge of EPIC, PACS, LIS, and other HealthIT/business systems Deep understanding of AI lifecycle Management, AI/ML Platform architecture. Familiarity with cloud-based data environments (e.g., AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure). Familiarity with terminology systems, including SNOMED, LOINC, RxNorm, and ICD, to encode and query healthcare data.

Requirements

Master's degree in computer science, Clinical Informatics, Public Health Administration, Business Administration, or Data Science, or Engineering, or an MD with experience in Informatics and Statistics or related field
Seven years' experience in health care data analytics and/or database management in a healthcare organization
Advanced skill in fields of computer science or mathematics and applications, modeling, statistics, and analytics
Experience with cloud computing and working with big-data and common health care data models strongly preferred
Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations
Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles
Demonstrated advanced proficiency in SQL, Python, R or other common data-science tools and languages
Strong research and business acumen
Mastery in ability to communicate findings to internal and external business and IT leaders in a way that can influence how an organization approaches a business challenge
Maintains current Human Subjects Research credentials as defined by the Houston Methodist Research Institute

Nice To Haves

PhD degree preferred
Credentials or experience working with AWS and/or i2b2 or other common clinical data models strongly preferred
Current Epic¿ Certification or Proficiency in Clarity, Caboodle and Cogito preferred

Responsibilities

Manages multiple client/researcher relationships by leading the delivery of innovative strategies and solutions for our clients.
Assigns projects to other data scientists.
Oversees project progress and presents results to the stakeholders.
Mentors and guides less experienced members of the data-science and analytics teams in their development of skills and proficiencies to be more effective in their roles.
Drives contributions towards improvement of department scores for employee engagement, i.e., peer-to-peer accountability.
Leads the research data analytics insights across the hospital system.
Leads/co-leads a data science/research/business team targeted at fulfilling the organization's needs to access and understand research, clinical, financial, operational, population health, social, behavior, and marketing data.
Leads a portfolio of advanced and complex projects that require more experience and expertise.
Assigns the execution of multiple, complex analytical plans and projects and leads lower-level data scientists.
Leads, as subject matter expert, on clinical data quality issues and assurance as well as patient privacy and data security and compliance.
Oversees documenting the project requirements and results on a timely basis and reviews documentation and code submitted by lower-level research data scientists.
Facilitates quality improvement process evaluations to improve data research analytics.
Reviews presentation ideas prior to being viewed by leadership.
Provides guidance to HDSA leadership on strategic and infrastructural needs for the organization.
Leads the continuous improvement of clinical and operational data and analytics.
Actively seeks out innovative solutions to the many challenges facing researchers in the clinical outcomes space and explores solutions to collaboration across and external to the institution.
solutions with the clinicians, hospital administration, and other stakeholders.
Translates the findings into implementable informatics solutions with the clinicians, hospital administration, and other stakeholders, leading assisting the Technical and Research Data Scientists with these tasks.
Seeks opportunities to identify self-development needs and takes appropriate action.
Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management.
Completes and updates the My Development Plan on an on-going basis.