Director of Scientific Core Facilities
6670 Bertner Ave, Houston, TX 77030
- Job Ref:
- 74957
- Talent Area:
- Leadership Management
- Job Shift:
- 1st - Day
- Job Type:
- Full-Time
- Posted Date:
- Sept. 2, 2025
At Houston Methodist, the Director Scientific Academic Core Facilities/Lab position is responsible for providing administrative and scientific management of a Houston Methodist Research Institute (HMRI) Core Facility/Laboratory under regulatory oversight (FDA, CLIA, etc.) or with complex structure (ex. Biorepository). This position runs the lab(s) independently in order to support research and other academic endeavors by effectively utilizing resource allocation and planning for labs. This position staffs the lab, orders, maintains, and oversees setup of equipment, maintains safety protocols and handles other administrative and operational needs in support of the lab
The Director position responsibilities include overseeing the activities of the department staff, ensuring quality, productivity, functional excellence and efficiency to accomplish strategic and operational objectives. In addition, this position is accountable for employee engagement, adequate staffing levels, budget development and compliance, staffing decisions such as hiring and terminating employment, coaching and counseling employees on work related performance, and developing and implementing policies and procedures to ensure a safe and effective work environment. This position also ensures training, monitoring and operations initiatives are implemented which secure compliance with ethical and legal business practices and accreditation/regulatory/government regulations.
Requirements:
- Directs, develops and implements strategic and operational/high level projects and processes either through independent/highly autonomous work or through the facilitation of work teams to enable the effective and efficient completion of objectives.
- Oversees management of and ensures development for staff to meet overall objectives in terms of quality, service and cost effectiveness. Provides timely guidance and feedback to help others strengthen specific knowledge/skill areas needed to accomplish a task or solve a problem. Directs management responsibilities of selection, scheduling, supervision, retention, and evaluation of employees.
- Meets or exceeds threshold goal for department turnover and/or system metrics on employee engagement indicators: action readiness score, tier level.
- Provides leadership and communication to maintain a competent and engaged employee group by conducting regular department meetings to review policies and procedures and operational matters, rounding on all employees, completing performance appraisals, conducting new hire feedback sessions, coaching/corrective counseling, and providing recognition/commendations to achieve desired outcomes.
- Identifies opportunities and takes action to build strategic relationships between one's area and other areas, teams, departments, and units to achieve business goals. Drives the promotion of teamwork within and between departments; participates and/or leads and facilitates department process improvements as needed.
- Assists Houston Methodist Research Institute Principal Investigators with highly developed functional and scientific advice related to Core area of expertise
- Works with Communications and External Relations Office to establish Intra- and Inter-Net pages, marketing pamphlet, and other marketing tools (seminar, Grand Rounds, Posters, etc.)
SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Oversees department operations, designated projects, schedules and activities as needed to ensure that goals or objectives are accomplished within the prescribed time frame. Sets priorities and functional standards, giving direction to staff as necessary to ensure the best possible delivery of service and high customer/patient satisfaction.
- Drives department service standards and activities to impact department and/or system score for patient/customer-based satisfaction, through role modeling and fostering accountability. Serves and actively participates on various entity committees as a voice for the department.
- Provides both scientific and administrative management, oversight and direction for complex, state of the art or regulated Core. Provides day to day management of the Core.
- Works with Core staff to ensure Core is prepared for inspections by Internal and External regulatory or certifying organizations (FDA, CAP) applicable certifications, Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments, (CLIA) and adheres to safety standards (HM, HMRI, Core Specific). (EF)
- For new core, oversees the creation, development, and implementation of the Core facilities.
QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Ensures a safe and effective working environment; monitors and/or revises the department safety plan and/or any specific accreditation/regulatory required safety guidelines. Responsible for staff maintenance of credentials and competencies, per accrediting/ licensing agency and/or department guidelines as applicable.
- Employs a proactive approach in the optimization of safe outcomes and information systems by monitoring and improving the department workflow and enhancing operations, using peer-to-peer accountability and identifying solutions via collaboration. Implements process improvements utilizing tools such as lean principles. Role models situational awareness, using teachable moments to improve safety.
- Responsible for employee compliance to policies and procedures and performs associated actions upon non-compliance (i.e., licensure/certification compliance, focal point review requirements, disaster plan, in-services, influenza immunization, wage and hour, standard hours, timely termination submission, timely timecard approval, etc.).
- Ensures appropriate Facility/Laboratory compliance with system, institutional and accrediting agency regulations.
- Defines and develops compliance reports according to the Core's needs. Develops and implements strategic operational and scientific planning for the Core.
FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Develops and manages department operational and capital budgets, approvals, and ongoing maintenance of the department(s), ensuring operation in a cost-effective manner. Proactively identifies and plans for capital needs related to current equipment and future department projects. Ensures staffing plans and schedules meet department needs that reflect understanding of the importance of cost-effectiveness.
- Creates department strategies to achieve financial target and staffing needs, through optimizing productivity, supply/resource efficiency, minimizing incidental overtime and overtime percentage, and other areas according to department specifications.
- establishes a schedule of charges (fee schedule) for services/resources provided by the Core in coordination with the Office of Central Laboratory Operations and the Office of Budgets and Financial Reporting and in compliance with Federal regulations.
GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Identifies and implements innovative solutions for practice or workflow changes to improve department, entity or system operations by leading unit projects and/or other department/ system-directed activities. Proactively leads task forces and committees. May represent HM at assigned community or professional organization meetings.
- Drives change initiatives, maintaining effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work responsibilities or environment; adjusts effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements or cultures. Partners effectively with stakeholders as appropriate.
- Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates the individual development plan (IDP) on an on-going basis. Conducts conversations with staff on their development and IDP.
- Develops and implements Core Strategic Plan, including scientific direction and budget planning in coordination with Houston Methodist Research Institute and Houston Methodist Strategic Plans. In addition, may sit on Institute-Level strategic planning committees and teams.
- Provides scientific advice around expertise, financial comparisons for technology/equipment options and recommends direction for the Core's capital equipment purchases for HMRI/Leadership/Strategic Plan.
This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.
Qualifications:
- Terminal degree in one of the natural sciences required
WORK EXPERIENCE
- Seven years of experience in administration/management
- Five years' experience managing a technical/research resource.
- N/A
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
- 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 about activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
- Demonstrates the ability to interact with others in a way that gives them confidence in one's intentions and those of the organization
- Ability to use appropriate interpersonal styles and techniques to gain acceptance of ideas or plans; modifying one's own behavior to accommodate tasks, situations and individuals involved
- Demonstrates leadership qualities and critical thinking through self-direction initiative and effective interpersonal skills and oral/written communication skills
- Ability to identify and understand issues, problems and opportunities, comparing data from different sources to draw conclusions; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; taking action that is consistent with available facts, constraints and probable consequences
- Extensive knowledge of regulatory and accreditation agency requirements that impact department; stays abreast of industry changes
- Demonstrates highly effective communication skills-strong written communications and platform presentation abilities
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment
- Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability in the workplace
- Capable of leading teams/facilitating groups, building consensus and garnering highest confidence in professionalism and work product by senior leadership
- Ability to work under pressure and balance many competing priorities; highly responsive and solution/action oriented
- Proficiency in spreadsheet, word processing, and presentation software
- Maintains a positive and supportive attitude and demeanor
- Professional handling of exposure to confidential/sensitive information
- Expertise in a Core Facility/Laboratory specific scientific area, e.g. Flow Cytometry, Biorepository Management, MRI
- Aptitude to learn computer based Core management/invoicing systems (iLab, VELOS, LAMBS)
SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
WORK ATTIRE
- Uniform No
- Scrubs No
- Business professional Yes
- Other (department approved) No
ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.
- On Call* No
TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**
- May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area No
- May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No
Company Profile:
Houston Methodist Academic Institute oversees the Education Institute and Research Institute, including 772 faculty and 56,250 learners. The Academic Institute aligns our research and education initiatives in service to the clinical mission, providing solutions that answer the call for new technologies and skills our clinicians need for patient care.
Houston Methodist Education Institute coordinates our primary academic affiliation with Weill Cornell Medicine and other joint programs, including the Engineering Medicine Program at Texas A&M University Intercollegiate School of Engineering Medicine. The Education Institute also oversees continuing medical education and graduate medical education, and supports more than 1,000 trainees in residence for medical, nursing, allied health and research education programs.
Houston Methodist Research Institute supports research programs and infrastructure that enable faculty across the system to bring new scientific discoveries to patients as rapidly as possible through the full cycle of a cure from conceptual bench research, to prototyping and development, to clinical trials and FDA approval. The Research Institute supports more than 1,387 clinical research protocols and $70.3 million in extramurally funded translational research programs.
Houston Methodist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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