Clinical Informatics Researcher - Department of Information Services

SJCRH

Position Overview:
The Department of Information Services is seeking a highly skilled and motivated faculty- level Clinical Informatics Researcher to join our dynamic clinical informatics and clinical applications team. Faculty rank may be at the Instructor, Assistant or Associate level commensurate with years of experience and accomplishments.  This individual will be responsible for conducting cutting-edge research to advance the field of clinical informatics, focusing on improving healthcare delivery, patient outcomes, and health IT systems. The role will involve collaboration with interdisciplinary teams, the design and execution of research studies and data analysis, with an overall goal to further the mission of St. Jude to advance research and cures for pediatric catastrophic diseases.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a world-class research institution dedicated to pediatric cancer and other catastrophic diseases of childhood. We are the first and only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children and have been recognized with the highest possible ranking of “exceptional” in our two most recent five-year reviews by the NCI. St. Jude is a highly interactive environment offering its faculty a remarkable opportunity to perform cutting-edge independent and collaborative research while receiving long-term institutional support.

This faculty member will join our strong provider informatics team consisting of physicians and advanced practice providers and report directly to the Associate Chief Medical Information Officer (ACMIO).  He/she will work in collaboration with other existing clinical informatics teams across various departments (nursing, pharmacy, pathology, radiology) and in tight partnership with clinical operations, analytics, quality and safety, and clinical researchers. This collaborative environment will ensure alignment between research initiatives and practical healthcare applications. The individual will participate in the design and implementation of applied clinical informatics projects as part of the broader clinical informatics team, to ensure implementations are designed to facilitate effective analysis of metrics such as system usability, improved patient outcomes, and workflow optimization.  Preference will be given to candidates who have completed a clinical informatics fellowship or similar advanced degree program, providing them with a deep understanding of the field and hands-on experience in informatics research.

In addition to the primary informatics and research responsibilities, there is the potential for the selected individual to engage in clinical care if desired and appropriate, based on their clinical background, applicable board certification and licensure. St. Jude offers a variety of clinical care opportunities in many Pediatric sub-specialties, not exclusive to Hematology and Oncology.

Key Responsibilities

Research Design & Execution:

• Develop and lead clinical informatics research projects focused on improving healthcare systems, patient care delivery, and healthcare data management.

• Design, conduct, and analyze quantitative and qualitative research studies to assess the effectiveness and usability of health IT solutions.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including clinicians, analysts, clinical operations, and quality and safety leaders to address complex healthcare informatics challenges.

Collaboration with Clinical Informatics Teams:

• Work closely with the existing clinical informatics teams in nursing, pathology, pharmacy, and radiology to ensure seamless integration of research findings into clinical practice and operational workflows.  

• Coordinate with the clinical informatics teams to align research objectives with organizational goals, ensuring that research outcomes contribute to system improvements, user experience enhancements, and patient safety initiatives.

• Participate in the design and implementation of applied clinical informatics projects as a   member of the broader clinical informatics team

• Assist in the development and optimization of clinical decision support systems (CDSS)

• Assist in the use of existing data analytics platforms to analyze research objectives

Data Analysis & Reporting:

• Lead data collection efforts, including the extraction and integration of health data from electronic health records, health information exchanges, and other clinical databases.

• Utilize statistical and informatics methodologies to analyze complex datasets and generate actionable insights and potential optimization/quality improvement projects

• Prepare reports, manuscripts, and presentations for internal stakeholders, funding agencies, and peer-reviewed journals.

Innovation & Strategy:

• Contribute to the development and evaluation of innovative health IT tools and solutions, such as predictive analytics, AI/ML algorithms, clinical decision support systems, and population health management platforms.

• Evaluate emerging technologies in clinical informatics and provide strategic recommendations for their adoption within healthcare settings.

• Engage in the continuous improvement of health IT systems, focusing on usability, interoperability, patient safety and clinical care outcomes.

Stakeholder Engagement & Leadership:

• Collaborate with clinical and operational teams to ensure alignment between research findings and practical healthcare implementation.

• Engage with external stakeholders, including academic institutions, industry partners, and government agencies, to further research goals and secure funding for projects.

• Present research findings at scientific conferences, workshops, and symposia, and contribute to the clinical informatics community through professional organizations and working groups

Mentorship & Professional Development:

• Mentor junior researchers, graduate students, and fellows in the field of clinical informatics research.

• Stay current with the latest developments in clinical informatics, health IT, and related fields through continuous learning and professional development.

• Contribute to the advancement of the clinical informatics discipline by participating in the development of educational programs and training initiatives.

Clinical Care (Optional):

• If desired and depending on clinical qualifications, the individual may have the opportunity to engage in clinical care, integrating informatics tools and strategies directly into patient interactions.

Qualifications:

Education:

• Successful applicants must hold an MD, PhD, and/or equivalent doctoral level degree

• Completion of an ACGME-accredited Clinical Informatics Fellowship or equivalent advanced training with Board Certification/Eligibility in Clinical Informatics is strongly preferred for MD and/or equivalent degree applicants

Experience:

• Minimum of 2-3 years of experience in clinical informatics research, preferably within a healthcare setting.

• Demonstrated experience in designing and managing research projects, including data collection, analysis, and publication of results.

• Proven expertise in the use of clinical data management tools, electronic health records (EHR), health information exchanges, and data analysis software.

• Experience with health IT innovation, including working with artificial intelligence, machine learning, telemedicine, or mobile health technologies, is highly desirable.

Skills:

• Strong knowledge of clinical informatics frameworks, standards, and methodologies.

• Proficiency in data analysis software (e.g., R, Python, SAS, SPSS, SQL) and healthcare data standards (e.g., HL7, FHIR).

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.

• Strong problem-solving abilities and attention to detail.

• Collaborative and team-oriented, with experience working in multidisciplinary teams.

• Understanding of healthcare policy, regulations (e.g., HIPAA, HITECH), and privacy issues related to health data.

Additional Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with grant writing and securing funding for research projects.

• Involvement in professional organizations such as AMIA, ANIA, AMDIS, HIMSS, or similar.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements:

• This position is primarily office-based with opportunities for remote or hybrid work.

• In person attendance required for quarterly all hands meetings 

• Occasional travel may be required for conferences, site visits, or additional collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.

• No significant physical requirements beyond those typically associated with office-based work.

How to Apply:
Interested applicants should submit a curriculum vitae AND a 2-3 page summary of research interestsdirectly online.

More information:

Patrick K. Campbell, MD, PhD

[email protected]

Associate Chief Medical Information Officer

Associate Member, Department of Oncology

No Search Firms

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. Please do not call or email. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee or other representative at St. Jude via email, the internet or in any form and/or method without a valid written search agreement in place and approved by HR will result in no fee being paid in the event the candidate is hired by St. Jude.