Head of Epidemiology
$200k - $245k
Expert
Master's, PhD
Remote in USA+1 moreMore locations: Durham, NC, USA
RemoteOccasional domestic and international travel, including visits to site locations.
Biology & BiotechClinical Research Operations
About the job
Requirements
- A doctoral-level degree in a discipline-relevant area such as epidemiology, pharmacoepidemiology, public health, or a related quantitative health science; a graduate-level degree such as an MS or MPH may be considered in lieu of this requirement with relevant and equivalent experience and successful project outcomes.
- Recognized scientific and strategic leadership in epidemiology and real-world evidence, including advanced methodology, regulatory-grade evidence, program governance, and capability development.
- Demonstrated success strengthening an epidemiology capability, complex program portfolio, or strategic client relationship while sustaining scientific quality and client trust.
- Demonstrated success developing senior scientific leaders and leading multidisciplinary teams through growth and change.
- Senior-level communication, judgment, influence, and relationship-building skills across scientific, commercial, and client stakeholders.
- Strong understanding of epidemiological guidelines, including STROBE/RECORD and ISPE/ENCePP, and major regulatory real-world evidence principles, including the FDA Real-World Evidence Framework, ICH E6(R3), and ICH M14.
- At least 15 years of relevant experience, or at least 12 years with a doctoral-level degree, including extensive leadership of complex portfolios, major client relationships, business growth, scientific strategy, and senior leaders.
- At least 10 years of experience leading cross-functional teams and developing staff.
Responsibilities
- Significantly contribute to epidemiology growth strategy and lead selected priorities aligned with broader Fortrea Consulting strategy.
- Sponsor or provide senior scientific approval for selected high-value epidemiology pursuits and client relationships in partnership with commercial and Consulting leaders.
- Provide epidemiology input to commercial priorities, opportunity-pipeline reviews, and selected key-account opportunities.
- Build selected external scientific relationships and alliances that strengthen Fortrea’s epidemiology credibility and differentiation.
- Shape scientific direction and the capability roadmap for epidemiology in alignment with broader real-world evidence and Fortrea Consulting strategy.
- Recommend and lead selected priorities for epidemiology methods, technology, data partnerships, talent, quality, and scalable delivery with relevant functional leaders.
- Establish governance within epidemiology for scientific standards, review, risk escalation, reproducibility, transparency, and regulatory readiness.
- Shape Fortrea’s external scientific voice through thought leadership, professional engagement, and representation with senior stakeholders.
- Partner with other capability leaders to contribute epidemiology expertise to integrated evidence strategies and delivery models.
- Serve as senior scientific sponsor for selected complex or high-risk epidemiology programs.
- Ensure epidemiology strategies and deliverables across the portfolio meet Fortrea’s standards for credibility, relevance, transparency, and defensibility.
- Connect client needs and market signals to epidemiology capability priorities and cross-functional evidence solutions.
- Advise senior client stakeholders on epidemiology and real-world evidence strategy, evidence gaps, and regulatory, payer, or health technology assessment implications within selected programs.
- Provide senior epidemiology escalation and decision support for material scientific and quality risks and partner with accountable business leaders on delivery, financial, or relationship risks.
- Ensure understanding and appropriate application of epidemiologic and causal-inference methods, complex applications including natural history, external control arms, and target trial emulation, and regulatory frameworks and guidance.
- Develop epidemiology leaders and establish expectations for scientific, commercial, operational, and people leadership.
- Lead senior epidemiology leaders and be accountable for leadership development, succession, and organizational effectiveness within epidemiology.
- Provide a resource to leadership for cross-functional teams challenged on strategic client engagements.
- Lead workforce planning, senior hiring, promotion, performance, and deployment decisions within epidemiology in partnership with broader Consulting leadership.
- Build an inclusive, accountable epidemiology culture that attracts, develops, and retains talent and collaborates across Fortrea Consulting.
- Model Fortrea culture, business ethics, scientific integrity, and responsible decision-making.
- Perform other duties as needed or assigned.
Desired Qualifications
- Applied use of secondary real-world data sources such as claims, electronic health records, and registries.
- Experience representing an epidemiology or real-world evidence capability with senior client, regulatory, payer, health technology assessment, industry, and scientific stakeholders.
- Successful experience with external control arms or synthetic controls, natural history studies, and health economics and outcomes research deliverables such as comparative-effectiveness studies, payer evidence, and indirect treatment comparisons.
- Demonstrated success originating or expanding strategic client relationships and multidisciplinary programs.
- Track record of building new offerings, markets, partnerships, or delivery models with measurable organizational impact.
- Experience shaping strategy for an epidemiology or real-world evidence capability and integrating scientific, commercial, people, technology, quality, and delivery priorities.
- Recognized external influence through scientific leadership, professional organizations, guidance development, publications, or senior advisory roles.
- Ability to challenge conventional thinking to solve client issues and develop solutions.
About the company
Fortrea is a global contract research organization that provides clinical development services for the life sciences industry. It offers full service, functional service, and hybrid outsourcing models across Phase I–IV trials, clinical pharmacology, and consulting, serving biotech, biopharma, medical devices, and diagnostics. Its work is delivered through a network of investigators and specialized teams in approximately 100 countries, supporting trial design, execution, data management, and regulatory compliance. Fortrea’s approach combines its legacy experience from Covance and Labcorp with a pureplay CRO model to deliver fit-for-purpose solutions and agile project delivery. This positions it to manage trials across more than 20 therapeutic areas with scientific rigor and operational excellence. The company aims to bring predictability to clinical trial execution and help clients turn research ideas into real-world outcomes.
Company Size
10,001+
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Founded
2023
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Q2 2026 revenue beat estimates at $678.2 million, lifting full-year guidance.
- Book-to-bill hit 1.06x in Q2, signaling improving demand after biotech recovery.
- Knoblauch returned September 9, 2026, restoring dedicated CFO leadership after litigation.
What critics are saying
- Fortrea's revenue still fell 4.5% in Q2, exposing fragile organic growth.
- FSP headwinds continue, and management cited flat second-half performance after Q2.
- Another CFO lawsuit or compliance dispute shatters buyer trust across Fortrea's pipeline.
What makes Fortrea unique
- Fortrea owns early-phase capabilities after buying Worldwide's CPU and bioanalytical lab in Texas.
- Its 100-country footprint and 20-therapeutic-area depth support global multicenter trials.
- Three decades of clinical development experience gives Fortrea credibility with biopharma sponsors.
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Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Disability Insurance
- 401(k) Retirement Plan
- 401(k) Company Match
- Unlimited Paid Time Off
- Paid Vacation