MOI Program Manager

University of California, San Francisco•San Francisco, CA

9d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Molecular Oncology Initiative (MOI) at UCSF is responsible for enabling precision oncology for cancer patients at UCSF, driving both the clinical implementation of personalized cancer care and the research that advances it. MOI provides support for clinicians in the interpretation of our own internal tumor sequencing platform (UCSF500) as well as platforms offered by external vendors. The MOI Program Manager will play a central role in this mission, operating under the direction of the MOI Director and Associate Director as well as supervision by HDFCCC administration. The MOI Program Manager will lead the MOI Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC), reviewing and quality controlling the work and providing constructive, actionable feedback to support accuracy and continuous improvement in data collection and abstraction activities. The MOI Program Manager will be expected to work with considerable independence alongside MOI team members to execute MOI activities, taking ownership of implementation while operating within a framework of regular oversight and guidance. The current job responsibilities for this position do not involve any direct patient contact. Candidates must live or plan to move to the Bay Area and are required to come to Mission Bay campus at least twice and preferably three times a week. This position has two core areas of responsibility: Program Management — serving as the operational backbone for MOI's clinical and research activities, shepherding projects from inception to completion Data Quality Management — taking a leading role in designing, testing, and implementing automated pipelines for the collection and quality assurance of clinical and genomic data across all MOI projects, while also performing manual QC as required to ensure data integrity across all activities. This includes also design and data management using RedCap and other database tools. Department Overview The UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center (HDFCCC) is redefining what is possible by advancing cancer research and patient care. By unifying outstanding researchers and clinicians, the center minimizes cancer incidence, establishes new frontiers in cancer care, and improves our patients’ lives. We have received the prestigious designation of “comprehensive” from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). We combine basic science, clinical research, epidemiology, cancer control and patient care throughout the University of California, San Francisco. The Molecular Oncology Initiative (MOI) at UCSF is responsible for enabling precision oncology for cancer patients at UCSF, driving both the clinical implementation of personalized cancer care and the research that advances it. MOI provides support for clinicians in the interpretation of our own internal tumor sequencing platform (UCSF500) as well as platforms offered by external vendors.

Requirements

Advanced degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training required including but not limited to biological sciences, biomedical informatics, public health, or a related discipline.
Minimum of 3 years of experience in program management, data quality control, or a related role, preferably in an academic medical or research setting
Strong foundational knowledge of medical terminology and clinical oncology concepts, including cancer diagnoses, staging, pathology, imaging, and treatment modalities (e.g. surgical, systemic, and radiation therapies); this knowledge is essential for independently and accurately performing quality control of clinical oncology data abstractions
Demonstrated experience with IRB submissions, contract management, or other research compliance and oversight activities
Experience performing clinical data abstraction and/or quality control of clinical or genomic data
Familiarity with electronic health records (EHR) and the ability to navigate complex patient clinical histories spanning diagnoses, imaging, pathology, and treatment records
Strong organizational skills with demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, maintain document control systems, and track and follow up on action items across a team to ensure project/task completion in a timely manner.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear meeting notes, program updates, and reports for diverse audiences
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively, with a demonstrated capacity to proactively identify problems and develop solutions with minimal supervision
Proficiency with standard project management tools.
Prior experience with various computer programs (Microsoft Office; internet-based databases).
Ability to sit and work at a computer for several hours per day.
May need to travel between one or more campuses via UCSF shuttle.
Ability to work with a sensitive population of patients (oncology patients).
Ability to work well independently, complete projects in a timely manner, and prioritize multiple projects to ensure the completion of essential tasks by deadlines.
Excellent problem-solving skills and able to use good judgement in application of problem-solving skills.
Effective at applying constructive feedback on projects and performance.
Thorough knowledge of administrative, budgetary, human resources and financial principles and practices.
Strong oral and written communication skills.
Strong ability to think creatively and independently on concepts requiring advanced analytical skills.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with diverse groups to achieve results.
Strong ability to work collaboratively with internal and external peers and managers.

Nice To Haves

Terminal degree in a related area (PhD, JD, MD, etc.) such as biological sciences, biomedical informatics, computational biology, public health, or oncology-related discipline and / or equivalent experience / training.
3–4 years of experience in program management and/or data quality control, ideally within a precision medicine, oncology, or genomics program
Familiarity with cancer genomics and next-generation sequencing (NGS), including experience interpreting or working with NGS test results such as the UCSF500 panel
Experience with oncology-specific data standards and ontologies, including OncoTree or similar cancer classification systems
Experience with REDCap database design, build, and maintenance
Experience designing or implementing automated data abstraction or QC pipelines
Practical experience working with large language models (LLMs) and the ability to thoughtfully evaluate when LLM-based solutions are appropriate versus rule-based or heuristic approaches
Experience providing feedback, guidance, or informal mentorship to junior research staff or coordinators
Familiarity with UCSF systems and institutional policies, including UCSF research compliance frameworks
Solid fundraising experience.
Academic background and experience in selected area of research preferred.

Responsibilities

Administers a small to mid-sized program with primary responsibility for administrative and programmatic activities.
Works with program leadership to identify and pursue funding opportunities and revenue streams.
Participates in the program budgeting and accounting processes to support financial infrastructure of program.
Serves on committees representing the program, participating in short term and long term planning.
Prepare, submit, and maintain Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocols, including drafting new submissions and managing amendments and renewals in compliance with UCSF policies and federal regulations.
Organize and coordinate meetings across MOI's clinical and research activities, including scheduling, agenda preparation, minute-taking, and distribution of follow-up action items; proactively track and follow up on outstanding action items to ensure accountability and maintain project momentum.
Support contract lifecycle management by completing intake and onboarding documentation to enable the UCSF contract officer to efficiently draft and review agreements; coordinate with relevant stakeholders to facilitate timely contract execution.
Assist in institutional compliance and oversight activities as required by UCSF policies, including risk assessments, Business Impact Analyses, and software management reviews.
Maintain rigorous document control and organizational systems to ensure that all program materials, protocols, and records are current, accessible, and audit-ready.
Contribute to the preparation of program updates, progress reports, and presentations for internal and external stakeholders.
Assist in the deployment and development of tools to facilitate linking UCSF500 reports to clinical trials (MTB triage tool).
Assist in preparation of budgets, progress reports, liaison with finance and administration of HDFCCC.
Attend and actively participate in regular team meetings as well as professional development opportunities.
Assist the Associate Director in training other team members on protocols, data collection/entry, database procedures, medical chart review and other procedures.
Ensures the integrity and accuracy of clinical and genomic data collected across all MOI program activities and research projects through systematic quality control processes.
Assist in the design and implementation of data collection infrastructure, primarily REDCap-based projects and databases, in collaboration with MOI team members; assume ongoing responsibility for database maintenance, including data integrity monitoring, structural updates as project needs evolve, and ensuring that data remains accurate, complete, and consistently organized across all MOI activities.
Perform manual QC of clinical research coordinator (CRC)-led abstractions of UCSF500 next-generation sequencing test results, with a focus on two core determinations: Accurate identification and coding of patient cancer diagnoses using the OncoTree standardized oncology ontology Classification of sequenced tumor specimens as representing a primary tumor, local recurrence, or metastasis
Perform manual QC of detailed patient clinical oncology history abstractions, encompassing imaging findings, pathology results, cancer diagnoses, and treatment histories
Ensure that QC activities meet the data quality standards required across all MOI data consumers and collaborators, including clinical reporting to Cancer Genetics and Cardio-Oncology, data submissions and contributions to AACR Project GENIE as a participating institution, and data releases for the UCSF cBioPortal.
Proactively identify opportunities to reduce reliance on manual abstraction by designing and implementing programmatic approaches to collecting high-value clinical variables, in collaboration with MOI team members.
Leveraging large language models (LLMs) where appropriate to support clinical data abstraction and QC processes, including the critical judgment to determine when LLM-based solutions are warranted versus when rule-based logic, heuristics, or other programmatic approaches are more appropriate, efficient, or interpretable.
Assist in the design, and lead in the development and implementation of automated QC pipelines that apply defined rules and metrics to flag data requiring review, enabling the MOI to scale its quality assurance activities across large patient cohorts without requiring exhaustive manual review of every data point.
Maintain and continuously refine QC rules, metrics, and workflows as MOI data collection activities evolve, ensuring that automation solutions remain robust, scalable, and fit for purpose.