Director, Applied & Developmental Research Directorate (ADRD)

About the role

The Applied Development and Research Program Director at the Frederick National Laboratory is responsible for providing strategic leadership, oversight, and management of applied research initiatives. This role involves translating scientific discoveries into practical solutions, technologies, policies, or public health interventions.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a multi-year applied research and development strategy aligned with agency and departmental priorities.
• Manage a large and complex portfolio of contracts, cooperative agreements, or internal research initiatives.
• Identify emerging scientific, technological, or public health trends and translate them into actionable programs.
• Establish optimal performance metrics and evaluate program outcomes against those metrics.
• Oversee funding opportunity announcements proposal review processes and award decisions.
• Monitor scientific and technical progress of funded projects to ensure it meets the standard of the statement of work / task order.
• Ensure compliance with federal regulations, ethical standards, and reporting requirements.
• Facilitate translation of research findings into implementation frameworks, tools, or policy recommendations.
• Establish high standards of performance for your direct reports and for their direct reports and hold others accountable for their performance.
• Manage program allocated budgets for respective programs within the remit of the directorate.
• Conduct resource planning and allocation to maximize program impact and the allocation of funds.
• Monitor financial performance and ensure stewardship of federal funds through the activities carried out by the directorate.
• Take ownership when projects fall to meet their goals and develop and implement mitigation plans while immediately informing your supervisors (Chief Medical Officer, Chief Operations Officer, and the President of Leidos Biomedical Research of the issue).
• Collaborate with federal agencies (e.g., National Institutes of Health), academic institutions, industry partners, and non-profits to advance the full lifecycle of applied research—from discovery through translation, validation, scale-up, and implementation.
• Serve as subject matter expert and represent the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research at meetings, advisory committees, and national forums.
• Cooky, navigation, legal, EEO, equal-opportunity, scam-warning boilerplate, duplicated lines, and application instructions.

Requirements

• Possession of advanced scientific (PhD) or medical degree (MD) from an accredited college/university/medical school according to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
• Foreign degrees must be evaluated for U.S. equivalency.
• A minimum of ten (10) years of experience including a minimum of eight (8) years as a clinical laboratory manager.
• Experience in a federal setting preferred such as prior work in a federally funded research and development center as a contractor or as a government employee at Health & Human Services, National Institutes of Health, the Center for Disease Control, or Federal Drug Administration as examples.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex applied research programs or portfolios.
• Knowledge of and publication record demonstrating expertise in translational science, implementation science, or technology transfer.
• Demonstrated strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a broad group of stakeholders.
• Proven ability to lead complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.
• Manage short and long-term functions within budgetary constraints.
• Maintain and apply a broad understanding of financial management principles to ensure decisions are fiscally sound and appropriate.
• Basic Microsoft Office skills.
• To obtain and maintain a security clearance.
• Criminal history considerations.

Qualifications

• Basic qualifications: Possession of advanced scientific (PhD) or medical degree (MD) from an accredited college/university/medical school according to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Minimum of ten (10) years of experience including a minimum of eight (8) years as a clinical laboratory manager.
• Prior work experience in a federally funded research and development center as a contractor or as a government employee at Health & Human Services, National Institutes of Health, the Center for Disease Control, or Federal Drug Administration as examples.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex applied research programs or portfolios.
• Knowledge of and publication record demonstrating expertise in translational science, implementation science, or technology transfer.
• Demonstrated strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a broad group of stakeholders.
• Proven ability to lead complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.
• Manage short and long-term functions within budgetary constraints.
• Maintain and apply a broad understanding of financial management principles to ensure decisions are fiscally sound and appropriate.
• Basic Microsoft Office skills.
• To obtain and maintain a security clearance.
• Criminal history considerations.

Skills

• Strategic planning and execution.
• Complex project management.
• Financial management and budgeting.
• Collaboration and stakeholder engagement.
• Communication and presentation skills.
• Leadership and team management.
• Policy development and integration.
• Regulatory compliance and oversight.
• Research and development.
• Grant and contract management.
• Public health and policy advocacy.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation.
• Health and wellness programs.
• Income protection.
• Paid leave.
• Roth IRA.
• Retirement savings plan.

Pay

$219,300.00 - $314,152.00 USD