Director of Research

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Supervise and mentor research staff, fostering a culture of innovation, agility, and professional growth.
• Oversee research project execution, ensuring adherence to timelines, budgets, and regulatory standards.
• Provide strategic research insights and deliver routine updates to StartCare leadership and stakeholders.
• Lead the design and implementation of mixed-methods studies, from proposal development through data collection and analysis.
• Drive grant strategy, identifying and pursuing funding opportunities that expand StartCare’s research impact.
• Collaborate across clinical and non-clinical teams to ensure effective study implementation and milestone achievement.
• Partner with the Evaluation Unit to align research initiatives with organizational priorities.
• Lead the development and submission of publications, abstracts, posters, presentations, and concept papers to showcase StartCare’s research at conferences and plenary sessions.
• Represent the organization at conferences, community events, and with external stakeholders.
• Ensure findings are translated into actionable insights that inform policy, practice, and future innovation.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree (PhD, DrPH, ScD, or equivalent) in public health, behavioral science, psychology, epidemiology, health services research, or a related field.
• Track record of securing funding, managing research protocols with expertise in participant enrollment, interviews and structured assessments, and experience in supervising research staff.
• 7+ years of progressively responsible experience in health research, with at least 3 years in a leadership or management role.
• Demonstrated experience designing and executing mixed methods research in clinical or community health settings.
• Strong knowledge of IRB processes, HIPAA, and relevant CFR regulations for research involving human subjects.
• Experience with data analysis and interpretation, including working knowledge of statistical software (e.g., SPSS, SAS, R, and qualitative research platforms such as NVivo, Dedoose or similar).
• Experience with research trials preferred.
• Experience in both qualitative and quantitative methodology preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and supervise research staff and to manage multiple, concurrent projects.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience working in substance use, mental health, or integrated care research.
• Knowledge of and commitment to health equity and community-engaged research approaches.
• Experience using electronic health record (EHR) data for research purposes.
• A record of peer-reviewed publications and presentations at scientific conferences.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for both technical and non-technical audiences.