Senior Director - Scientific Officer

Howard Hughes Medical Institute • Washington, DC

310d • $246,093 - $399,901 • Remote

About The Position

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) seeks an academic scientist with expertise in immunology and cancer biology interested in an outstanding professional opportunity to serve as a Senior Director - Scientific Officer at HHMI. This role would be perfect for a tenure-track or tenured academic lab head who has experience running an academic lab and is looking for an opportunity to broaden their impact in science. This position is eligible for remote work, and if applicable, you can continue running a small laboratory with HHMI support. Senior Directors - Scientific Officers are members of the HHMI Science Department and play a key role in HHMI's efforts to advance science and intentionally reshape the scientific ecosystem to make it more inclusive and supportive for mentees. This role focuses on the following areas: Participate in the Evaluation of Current and Future HHMI Scientists including HHMI Investigators, Freeman Hrabowski Scholars, and Hanna Gray Fellows. This includes working with the Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer to design and implement competitions and reviews to ensure that they align with HHMI's overarching mission, values, internal policies, and inclusion goals. Liaise with HHMI Investigators at universities and research centers across the U.S. regarding scientific and administrative matters. Coordinate Programmatic and Operational Initiatives by developing policies for the Science Department that focus on promoting the best possible institutional framework for groundbreaking science that focuses on people, not projects. Senior Directors - Scientific Officers also interact with HHMI leadership across departments to coordinate institute operations. Serve as an Impactful Leader by brainstorming and vetting ideas in collaborative sessions with the Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer and other senior leaders at HHMI. These sessions lead to decision making and implementation of actions designed to transform the scientific ecosystem.

Requirements

• M.D. and/or Ph.D. plus significant experience overseeing research in basic biological and biomedical sciences required, with a focus on immunology and cancer biology.
• Minimum of 10 years of professional research experience in immunology and cancer biology.
• Experience as a Principal Investigator with current or past funding from nationally competitive grants or contracts.
• At least 5 years of administrative experience leading major academic programs or an academic department.
• Substantial experience with programs designed to foster greater inclusion in the scientific community.
• Experience in offering effective and inclusive mentoring to scientists at all career stages.

Nice To Haves

• Broad scientific interests with deep expertise in immunology and cancer biology.
• Demonstrated leadership ability and management skills.
• Effective decision-making, negotiation, communication, and mediation skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to be collegial and work with a team.
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Strength in scientific, programmatic, and policy writing.

Responsibilities

• Participate in the Evaluation of Current and Future HHMI Scientists including HHMI Investigators, Freeman Hrabowski Scholars, and Hanna Gray Fellows.
• Liaise with HHMI Investigators at universities and research centers across the U.S. regarding scientific and administrative matters.
• Coordinate Programmatic and Operational Initiatives by developing policies for the Science Department.
• Serve as an Impactful Leader by brainstorming and vetting ideas in collaborative sessions with senior leaders at HHMI.

Benefits

• Generous salary and the opportunity to serve in this role as a remote or hybrid employee.
• Direct HHMI research support to run a small laboratory at your home institution.
• The opportunity to use your scientific expertise and broaden impact across the scientific landscape.
• The chance to work with and support outstanding scientists at all career stages at HHMI.
• Opportunities to use and develop your talents toward the critical work of advancing inclusion.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Industry: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree