Institute for Medical Research at the Durham VA Health Care System

DATA INTEGRATION MANAGER

PI: Dr. Stephen Freedland

Occupational Summary

The Institute for Medical Research, (IMR), a private nonprofit organization that conducts cutting edge research for the Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System (DVAHCS), seeks to hire a Data Integration Manager.  The successful candidate would be employed in the laboratory of Dr. Stephen Freedland, a nationally recognized leader in urology research. The Freedland Urology Research Group primarily examines urology and oncology disease in veterans with a particular focus on lifestyle, race, and risk stratification, and is supported by numerous federal grants as well as leading industry sponsors. 

The Data Integration Manager oversees the collection and management of large amounts of clinical data and will be expected to learn clinical research methods and clinical presentations of urologic diseases.  Applicants must have the ability to: work independently in a fast-paced environment; prioritize and manage the workflow of multiple projects; effectively communicate both orally and in written form; translate clinical specifications to technical requirements; sit for long periods in front of computers; and be fluent in English.

Specific Qualifications

1. Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems/Technology, or another relevant field
   1. Or a minimum of 10 years of experience as an ETL developer, database programmer, data architect or other relevant work that aligns with the qualifications of this job will be considered in lieu of education in the computer science field.
2. Demonstrated experience in designing and implementing ETL workflows.
3. Intimate familiarity with the best practices, methodologies and/or frameworks associated with the following practices:
   1. Relational database tools, design, and analysis
   2. ETL development
   3. Data warehouse or data mart development
   4. Principles of data querying
4. Minimum of 10 years practical experience with SQL and RDBMSes (preferably Microsoft SQL Server) and at least one general-purpose programming language (e.g., Python, Java, etc.)
5. Minimum of 3 years project management experience, including development of project timelines, requirements gathering, and communication with stakeholders.
6. Minimum of 3 years staff management experience, including hiring, staff training and development, reviews, and mentoring.
7. Organized and detailed-oriented self-starter with the capacity to deliver on multiple projects simultaneously, manage multiple tasks, changing priorities and deadlines
8. Ability to solve problems, troubleshoot, contribute new ideas, meet tight deadlines, and be decisive under pressure
9. Ability to look at data, identify potentially suspicious values, perform extensive and thorough quality control processes
10. Strong verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills
11. Experience with Git preferred
12. Experience with Jira is a plus
13. Experience with Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing is a plus

Oversee ETL Development

1. Oversee planning and implementation of ETL operations and data integration in support of clinical research, including development of data marts to serve internal data querying needs
2. Serve as the domain expert for VA data and the corporate data warehouse (CDW)
3. Distribute tasks to the Data Integration Team based on priorities provided by the Data Operations Manager to ensure adherence to project schedules and deadlines
4. Track development progress to assess productivity and identify impediments
5. Resolve development impediments and ensure timely escalation to appropriate staff members, as needed
6. Provide input on project decisions related to timelines, feasibility, and other relevant working with team leads to make sure work is completed in timely manner for project deadlines to be met
7. Oversee creation and maintenance of development documentation and files, including, but not limited to, codebooks, user guides, ETL flow diagrams, etc.
8. Coordinate with research coordinators to ensure all procedures adhere to HIPAA and IRB compliance

Supervise Data Integration Team

1. Lead hiring and onboarding tasks for Data Integration Team roles
2. Lead team meetings on a frequent and regular schedule
3. Develop and maintain staff training on data systems, development processes, and resources; participate in or lead internal knowledge sharing sessions
4. Draft and enforce policies specific to the Data Integration Team
5. Approve timecards and time-off requests
6. Conduct performance reviews, provide ongoing feedback regarding performance and productivity, and recommend salary adjustments, as appropriate
7. Manage technical workflow according to best practices, including time tracking, acceptance criteria approvals, and QA workflows

Collaborate with Team Members

1. Attend and/or lead kick-off meetings, project meetings, and other ad-hoc meetings
2. Work with Data Operations Manager, technical staff, and other team leaders to gather business requirements for projects and develop sustainable data solutions
3. Regularly provide status updates to stake holders
4. Communicate with VA technology departments to address/resolve IT needs and problems
5. Train additional team members, as necessary

The prior statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

This is a full-time position based in Durham, North Carolina, and candidates will be asked to relocate to North Carolina upon acceptance of an offer if they are not already local. While the work is generally remote, the employee will be required to attend occasional meetings in the Durham office.

The salary range for this position is $95,000 - $120,000. 

Employee Benefits: IMR offers a competitive benefits package which includes health insurance, a matching 403b retirement savings plan, and paid holiday, vacation, and sick leave. Please visit www.imr.org for information about employee benefits.

All IMR employees are required to obtain a Workers Without Compensation (WOC) appointment at the Durham VA Health Care System (DVAHCS).  As a result, the successful candidate must undergo a federal background check and may be subject to a drug test. Participation in the vaccination programs may be required for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Workers Without Compensation (WOC) appointments. We will not sponsor applicants for work visas.          

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disabled persons and Veterans.

Click here to apply to this position and others directly on the Institute for Medical Research Careers Page!