Program Manager, Director - Cancer Research exp (Job 1328)

DLH•Durham, NC

About The Position

DLH delivers improved health and national security readiness solutions for federal programs through science research and development, systems engineering and integration, and digital transformation. Our experts in public health, performance evaluation, and health operations solve the complex problems faced by civilian and military customers alike by leveraging advanced tools – including digital transformation, artificial intelligence, data analytics, cloud enablement, modeling, and simulation, and more. With over 2,400 employees dedicated to the idea that “Your Mission is Our Passion,” DLH brings a unique combination of government sector experience, proven methodology, and unwavering commitment to innovation to improve the lives of millions. Overview DLH seeks a dynamic and visionary Project Director (PD) to serve as the scientific and operational lead for a major, long-standing federally funded cohort study investigating environmental and genetic risk factors for cancer and other chronic diseases. The Project Director is responsible for end-to-end contract execution: leading multidisciplinary teams, collaborating directly with government Principal Investigators, and ensuring delivery of complex, protocol-driven research activities, including participant engagement, biospecimen management, data operations, and outcome validation. The PD operates at the intersection of executive project management and epidemiologic subject matter expertise, guiding study strategy, operational excellence, and scientific contribution throughout all phases of this nationally recognized research program. Beyond operational leadership, the PD is expected to bring an established professional network and the strategic acumen to identify, shape, and capture new contract opportunities that expand the organization’s public health research portfolio. Leadership Expectations The Project Director exemplifies executive leadership and strategic vision by: Providing direction to internal and external teams Maintaining mature, collaborative relationships with federal stakeholders Communicating effectively and authoritatively with senior agency executives, scientific partners, and internal leadership to align project execution with evolving research objectives and organizational goals Driving operational excellence, ensuring complex study deliverables are met, and resolving challenges to achieve high performance, data integrity, and participant retention Serving as a visible, well-connected presence across the federal public health research landscape, actively cultivating agency relationships and competitive intelligence to drive growth for DLH

Requirements

Doctorate (PhD, DrPH, ScD) in epidemiology, public health, biostatistics, or a closely related discipline
10–15 years’ progressively responsible experience leading complex epidemiologic or public health research programs, with demonstrated success in longitudinal study design, execution, and operations
Experience as Principal Investigator, Project Director, or equivalent leadership of multi-year, cohort-based public health research studies
Subject matter expertise in cancer required; additional subject matter expertise desired in environmental health, chronic disease epidemiology, genetics, or public health surveillance
Direct experience in federal research contract management and client interaction at the senior level
Demonstrated ability to mentor, supervise, and inspire multidisciplinary teams in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment
Exceptional strategic planning, executive communication, and scientific writing skills
Robust portfolio of peer-reviewed publications, presentations, and involvement in scientific societies or national associations
Record of innovation and leadership in advancing large-scale research initiatives and process improvement
United States citizenship is required per federal contract terms

Nice To Haves

Project management certification (PMP or equivalent) and experience with government contracting strongly preferred
Proven track record of winning federal contracts or task orders as proposal PI/PD, or BD principal, with demonstrable revenue brought to previous employers
Established network of relationships with senior scientific and programmatic leaders at NIH or CDC, or comparable federal agencies
Experience responding to federal procurement vehicles, including RFPs, RFQs, BAAs, and IDIQs, with direct involvement in technical and management volume development
Demonstrated success in identifying and converting pre-RFP intelligence into competitive wins, including shaping opportunities through white papers, capability briefings, and sources sought responses
Experience building and leading cross-organizational teaming arrangements with academic, nonprofit, and industry partners on large-scale federal proposals

Responsibilities

Oversee all aspects of daily contract operations, acting as the executive liaison and primary representative to federal clients and agency leadership
Proactively communicate project status, risks, issues, and mitigation strategies to ensure transparency and accountability across all contract activities
Provide expert scientific and epidemiological guidance across all phases of cohort study operations, including study design, protocol development, and field execution
Direct the design, implementation, and analysis of detailed follow-up protocols, multi-mode survey data collection, biospecimen operations, and preparation of analytic datasets
Lead and supervise multidisciplinary teams comprising survey operations, data management, laboratory, quality assurance, and participant engagement professionals
Recruit, mentor, and guide staff, fostering a culture of professional growth, operational excellence, and adherence to the highest ethical standards
Develop and implement culturally competent participant retention and engagement strategies to sustain high response rates and maximize longitudinal follow-up
Oversee integration, cleaning, quality assurance, and management of multiple concurrent data streams—including questionnaire, biospecimen, administrative, and medical record data
Oversee biospecimen collection, processing, tracking, and repository operations in partnership with laboratory leadership, ensuring compliance with all safety and quality regulations
Coordinate and support health outcome validation activities, including medical record and pathology report procurement and abstraction and linkage to data resources including cancer registries and the National Death Index
Cultivate and maintain collaborative relationships with government scientists, academic partners, external investigators, and multi-cohort consortia
Ensure compliance with all federal research regulations (IRB, HIPAA, Certificates of Confidentiality), as well as rigorous adherence to confidentiality, data privacy, and ethical standards
Lead strategic planning and process improvement initiatives to drive continuous operational innovation and contract performance
Manage project budgets, staffing plans, schedules, and resource allocation for optimization and sustainability of contract deliverables
Support business development by identifying new contracts and grant opportunities, contributing to proposal development, and positioning DLH as a leader in cohort-based public health research
Represent DLH at scientific conferences, on committees, and through authorship of manuscripts and presentations to enhance organizational visibility and scientific reputation
Maintain situational awareness of advancements in epidemiology, biomedical research, and data science to ensure the program remains at the forefront of the field
Leverage established relationships across NIH, CDC, NIEHS, and other federal agencies to identify and shape emerging procurement opportunities, including pre-RFP engagement, sources sought responses, and strategic teaming arrangements
Contribute to capture efforts for new federal contracts and task orders, from early pipeline identification through proposal submission, drawing on deep knowledge of agency priorities, procurement timelines, and competitive landscapes
Serve as a trusted advisor and visible thought leader within the federal public health research community, actively participating in advisory panels, interagency working groups, and stakeholder forums to expand DLH’s reputation and reach
Drive revenue growth targets by building and executing a business development pipeline aligned with DLH’s strategic priorities in epidemiology, environmental health, and data-intensive public health research
Develop and sustain strategic partnerships with academic institutions, nonprofit research organizations, and subcontractors to strengthen competitive positioning on major federal procurements

Benefits

DLH Corp offers our employees an excellent benefits package, including Personal Time Off (PTO), medical, dental, vision, supplemental life with AD&D, short and long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, parental leave, legal services, and more.
We want our employees to save for their future; therefore, we offer a 401(k) Retirement Plan, which includes a matching component.
DLH is dedicated to your career development, providing training to help drive success, with access to our best-in-class e-learning suite for formal and informal learning, professional and technical certification preparation, and education assistance at accredited institutions.

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