Molecular Oncology Initiative Program Manager

Administers all finance, human resources and facilities and other operational activities for small to mid-sized academic or research program. Administers major program components, and some or all of the program's operational requirements. Develops and organizes conferences and other public forums. Works under direction of Principal Investigator or more senior Academic Program Officer to establish center agenda, funding, objectives.

The Molecular Oncology Initiative (MOI) at UCSF is responsible for enabling precision oncology for cancer patients at UCSF, driving both the clinical implementation of personalized cancer care and the research that advances it. 

MOI provides support for clinicians in the interpretation of our own internal tumor sequencing platform (UCSF500) as well as platforms offered by external vendors. 

The MOI Program Manager will play a central role in this mission, operating under the direction of the MOI Director and Associate Director as well as supervision by HDFCCC administration. 

The MOI Program Manager will lead the MOI Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC), reviewing and quality controlling the work and providing constructive, actionable feedback to support accuracy and continuous improvement in data collection and abstraction activities. 

The MOI Program Manager will be expected to work with considerable independence alongside MOI team members to execute MOI activities, taking ownership of implementation while operating within a framework of regular oversight and guidance.

The current job responsibilities for this position do not involve any direct patient contact. Candidates must live or plan to move to the Bay Area and are required to come to Mission Bay campus at least twice and preferably three times a week. 

This position has two core areas of responsibility:

1. Program Management — serving as the operational backbone for MOI's clinical and research activities, shepherding projects from inception to completion

2. Data Quality Management — taking a leading role in designing, testing, and implementing automated pipelines for the collection and quality assurance of clinical and genomic data across all MOI projects, while also performing manual QC as required to ensure data integrity across all activities.This includes also design and data management using RedCap and other database tools. 

Department Overview

The UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center (HDFCCC) is redefining what is possible by advancing cancer research and patient care. By unifying outstanding researchers and clinicians, the center minimizes cancer incidence, establishes new frontiers in cancer care, and improves our patients’ lives. We have received the prestigious designation of “comprehensive” from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).We combine basic science, clinical research, epidemiology, cancer control and patient care throughout the University of California, San Francisco. 

The Molecular Oncology Initiative (MOI) at UCSF is responsible for enabling precision oncology for cancer patients at UCSF, driving both the clinical implementation of personalized cancer care and the research that advances it. MOI provides support for clinicians in the interpretation of our own internal tumor sequencing platform (UCSF500) as well as platforms offered by external vendors. 

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• Advanced degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training required including but not limited to biological sciences, biomedical informatics, public health, or a related discipline.

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in program management, data quality control, or a related role, preferably in an academic medical or research setting 

• Strong foundational knowledge of medical terminology and clinical oncology concepts, including cancer diagnoses, staging, pathology, imaging, and treatment modalities (e.g. surgical, systemic, and radiation therapies); this knowledge is essential for independently and accurately performing quality control of clinical oncology data abstractions 

• Demonstrated experience with IRB submissions, contract management, or other research compliance and oversight activities 

• Experience performing clinical data abstraction and/or quality control of clinical or genomic data 

• Familiarity with electronic health records (EHR) and the ability to navigate complex patient clinical histories spanning diagnoses, imaging, pathology, and treatment records 

• Strong organizational skills with demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, maintain document control systems, and track and follow up on action items across a team to ensure project/task completion in a timely manner.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear meeting notes, program updates, and reports for diverse audiences 

• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively, with a demonstrated capacity to proactively identify problems and develop solutions with minimal supervision

• Proficiency with standard project management tools.

• Prior experience with various computer programs (Microsoft Office; internet-based databases).

• Ability to sit and work at a computer for several hours per day.  May need to travel between one or more campuses via UCSF shuttle. 

• Ability to work with a sensitive population of patients (oncology patients).

• Ability to work well independently, complete projects in a timely manner, and prioritize multiple projects to ensure the completion of essential tasks by deadlines.

• Excellent problem-solving skills and able to use good judgement in application of problem-solving skills.

• Effective at applying constructive feedback on projects and performance.

• Thorough knowledge of administrative, budgetary, human resources and financial principles and practices.

• Strong oral and written communication skills.

• Strong ability to think creatively and independently on concepts requiring advanced analytical skills.

• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with diverse groups to achieve results.

• Strong ability to work collaboratively with internal and external peers and managers.

PREFERRED:

• Terminal degree in a related area (PhD, JD, MD, etc.) such as biological sciences, biomedical informatics, computational biology, public health, or oncology-related discipline and / or equivalent experience / training.

• 3–4 years of experience in program management and/or data quality control, ideally within a precision medicine, oncology, or genomics program 

• Familiarity with cancer genomics and next-generation sequencing (NGS), including experience interpreting or working with NGS test results such as the UCSF500 panel 

• Experience with oncology-specific data standards and ontologies, including OncoTree or similar cancer classification systems 

• Experience with REDCap database design, build, and maintenance 

• Experience designing or implementing automated data abstraction or QC pipelines 

• Practical experience working with large language models (LLMs) and the ability to thoughtfully evaluate when LLM-based solutions are appropriate versus rule-based or heuristic approaches 

• Experience providing feedback, guidance, or informal mentorship to junior research staff or coordinators 

• Familiarity with UCSF systems and institutional policies, including UCSF research compliance frameworks

• Solid fundraising experience.

• Academic background and experience in selected area of research preferred.

LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS:

• Advanced degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training required including but not limited to biological sciences, biomedical informatics, public health, or a related discipline.

Budgeted Job Salary Range: 130,000 - 145000