Data Science Faculty, University of Nebraska Medical Center

Data Science Faculty

University of Nebraska Medical Center

Position Description

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and its primary clinical partner, Nebraska Medicine (NM), are committed to the shared goal of a healthy future for all, through extraordinary patient care, innovative research, and premier educational programs for the patients and communities we serve. Together, UNMC/NM have approximately 12,000 employees, forming the largest employer in Omaha and the state of Nebraska.

UNMC

UNMC was founded in 1880 as the Omaha Medical College and joined the University of Nebraska in 1902. As the state’s first medical college, it grew to incorporate colleges of dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, allied health professions and public health, a graduate studies program, and two other graduate degree-granting institutes, namely the Munroe-Meyer Institute (serving persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities) and the Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases. UNMC also maintains durable research, clinical, and educational partnerships with the Children’s Hospital and Medical Center of Omaha.

As Nebraska’s only public academic health sciences center, UNMC is committed to enhancing a 21st-century health care infrastructure and workforce to carry out premier educational programs, innovative research, high quality patient care, and award-winning outreach. Serving more than 4,400 students in over two dozen programs, UNMC embraces human diversity and is an economic engine for Nebraska, with an economic impact of $5.9 billion a year. Nearly half of Nebraska’s physicians, dental professionals, bachelor-prepared nurses, and allied health professionals have graduated from UNMC.

UNMC facilitates world-class health care through the latest research innovations, with external research funding during fiscal year 2022 of $169.7 million, and additional extramural sponsored projects of an additional $82.2 million. Cutting-edge educational and research facilities include the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, Global Center for Health Security, and two modern Durham Research Center towers with 550,000 sq. ft. of research space. UNMC is a partner with the National Strategic Research Institute and U.S. Strategic Command (based just south of Omaha) on research aimed at protecting our nation’s health and security. Through this rich network of academic, scientific, and health care resources, UNMC transforms empirical discoveries in the laboratory and conceptual theories into breakthroughs for the health of Nebraskans, the nation, and the world.

NEBRASKA MEDICIINE

NM traces its roots back to 1869 with the founding of Omaha’s first hospital. Ever since, it has built an international reputation for breakthroughs in cancer care, organ transplantation, treatment of infectious diseases, cardiac and orthopedics care, and the neurosciences. NM consists of 809 licensed beds at its two hospitals, more than 1,000 physicians, and 40 specialty and primary care clinics in Omaha and surrounding areas.

OMAHA

Omaha is home to a myriad of well-established, highly successful Fortune 500 companies and has a great culture for new growing businesses. It has a reputation for its laid-back atmosphere and manageable size while maintaining thriving intellectual, sociocultural, and culinary benefits of a bigger city. The modest cost of living, housing prices, ample recreational, entertainment and cultural activities, and a thriving music and restaurant scene, are attractions for those living in, or moving to, Omaha.

OPPORTUNITY

UNMC seeks to hire several tenure-leading faculty members with expertise in data science. These faculty members will join an academic environment with strong links to the healthcare system, which is poised to catalyze clinical and translational research. Through these hires, UNMC seeks to expand existing informatics expertise by forming a team with complementary knowledge to address issues in biomedicine, and specifically to bridge the divide between basic methods and healthcare applications. Successful applicants will collaborate across units within UNMC and its clinical partners, NM and Children’s Hospital and Medical Center. These collaborations are greatly amplified by many productive interactions between institutions. For example, our National Institutes of Health funded Great Plains IDeA Clinical and Translational Research (GP IDeA-CTR) network is headquartered at UNMC, and spans all Nebraska University Institutions (at Omaha, Lincoln and Kearney), Creighton University, Boys Town, Children’s Hospital, the Omaha-Western Iowa VA Medical Center, and a Practice Based Research Network comprising 89 sites across Nebraska and the Dakotas. Other examples include close ties with many additional academic medical centers, government and private funding agencies, healthcare and life science sectors, the state of Nebraska, and other local, state, and federal government agencies. Ideally, these faculty members will serve as connectors who can leverage their knowledge of informatics and computational methods to find real-world applications within the research and clinical settings of UNMC.

As faculty members, individuals will be hired into the academic department that best fits their experience and research interests. Departments participating in the cluster hires include Neurological Sciences; Internal Medicine; Pathology and Microbiology, Surgery; Neurosurgery; Radiology; Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy; and Pediatrics/Children’s Hospital and Medical Center. In light of the diverse array of participating departments, successful applicants will have dedicated office and dry lab space to foster collaborations in a state-of-the-art and recently renovated facility.

Successful applicants will participate in externally funded research and educational programs in informatics as part of a diverse, interdisciplinary team of researchers and clinicians at UNMC, and with the GP IDeA-CTR network. New faculty members will also be expected to assist, evaluate, advise, and mentor junior faculty scholars, as well as graduate and medical students regarding research and curricular matters including participation in the M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Bioinformatics and Clinical Informatics. Opportunities for participation in the Computer Sciences programs at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and University of Nebraska at Lincoln are also available.

QUALIFICATIONS

Successful candidates will bring a strong track record of data science research innovation within the life sciences. A demonstrated ability to prioritize and sort through a multitude of opportunities, knowledge of translational research, and familiarity with academic medical centers, hospitals, and relevant corporate partners are viewed positively as well. The individual must be capable of driving a portfolio of projects while fostering a culture of inclusion and collaboration both externally and internally. Preferred candidates will have expertise in a variety of different subdisciplines of informatics with an emphasis on Machine Learning (ML) / Artificial Intelligence (AI) approaches.

The ideal candidate for this position will have the following qualifications:

• Doctoral degree in biomedical informatics, data science, statistics, or other related fields;
• Knowledge of current state of research and deployment of informatics approaches, the use of electronic health record (EHR) data, large “omics” datasets, or other high-density data generating methods to address high-impact biomedical issues, with an emphasis on clinical or clinical-translational research questions in a learning health system;
• Expertise that includes ML/AI approaches, bioinformatics, clinical research informatics, clinical decision support, image informatics, population health informatics, and/or the intersection of informatics and health services research;
• Demonstrated capacity for program development, project management, leadership and collaboration including the ability to work effectively with administrators, faculty, staff, residents/fellows, and students;
• Proven ability to lead and work in multi-disciplinary teams;
• A record of government and/or industry grant support; and
• A record of high-quality peer-reviewed publications.

Strong candidates will communicate effectively in both written and oral presentations, possess outstanding interpersonal skills to gain the confidence and respect of a wide variety of constituents and be able to inspire colleagues and staff to strive for excellence in research. They will also reflect, through actions, words, and professional conduct, the qualities of honesty, trustworthiness, transparency, and a commitment to listening carefully and objectively.

Applicants with expertise/strong interest in technology-enabled approaches to enhancing informatics, healthcare delivery, and disease prevention and treatment in underserved vulnerable populations (e.g., rural, under-insured, minority) are encouraged to apply. Individuals from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. All positions are anticipated to be hired in the 2023-2024 academic year.

Contact

The University of Nebraska Medical Center has retained Park Square Executive Search to assist in this search. Nominations, inquiries, and applications may be sent in confidence to:

Jonathan Fortescue, Ph.D., Managing Partner or

Kyle Meingast, Partner

+1 617 401 2991

UNMCDataScience@parksquare.com 

At UNMC we are better together. Excellence and innovation happen when we create the conditions for it. Those conditions require that diverse backgrounds and perspectives are not only represented, but that we actively invite all to participate. This shift in our culture calls for accountability and it requires courage. We work together to maintain inclusive excellence. In the spirit of our UNMC Values, we commit to allowing each other the generous amounts of grace needed to be vulnerable with each other to learn and heal together. We all do better every day in the hopes that someday in our future: Everybody has a voice at the table.

UNMC is an Affirmative Action Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, including an equal opportunity employer of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.