Director - Office for the Protection of Research Subjects

Director

Office for the Protection of Research Subjects

Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Since its founding in 1867, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has earned a reputation as a world-class leader in research, teaching, and public engagement.

The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation invites applications for the position of Director of the Office for the Protection of Research Subjects (OPRS). The Director will ensure the rights and welfare of participants in human research activities conducted by the University, provide administrative leadership and strategic direction for operation of the Institutional Review Boards (IRBs), and assist researchers in adhering to IRB requirements, laws regulations, policies, and ethical principles.

The University of Illinois is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer that recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, or veteran status. For more information, visit http://go.illinois.edu/EEO.

Among the responsibilities of the Director are the following:

Regulatory Responsibilities:

• Ensure that human subjects' research is reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) and that research is subsequently conducted in accordance with international, federal, or state regulations and guidance, with funding agency specific guidelines, and with institutional policies.
• Serve as campus Human Protections Administrator for Federal Wide Assurance (FWA) and as the primary contact for the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) in the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
• Supervise the response to institutionally initiated and externally initiated audits and site visits pertaining to OPRS and IRB related matters.
• Manage the annual status report and re-accreditation process by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protections Programs (AAHRPP).
• Provide leadership and support to IRB chairs, board members, and OPRS staff on ethical principles, laws, regulations, policies and business process regarding the review and conduct of human subjects’ research.
• Collaborate with administrators and staff under the OVCRI’s oversight and with other University administrative units to ensure compliance with regulations and support of the University’s mission and objectives.
• Establish and maintain effective communication and cooperative working relationships with university administrators, faculty, staff, government and private agencies, and other stakeholders.

OPRS | IRB Review and Processes:

• Supervise OPRS and IRB business processes and operations for review, approval, and post-approval monitoring of human subjects’ research.
• Provide oversight and supervision of personnel and daily operations of the OPRS office. Oversee hiring, training, supervision, and performance review of OPRS personnel.
• Establish and maintain a positive working environment that encourages productivity, retention, and professional development of OPRS staff.
• Lead OPRS in setting goals, developing strategic plans, and implementing programs to support and improve human subjects’ protection and support the University’s mission and objectives.
• Supervise ongoing evaluation and development of standard operating procedures for human research subject protection to ensure investigator compliance and optimize OPRS and IRB operations.
• Work with OPRS staff, IRB members, and the OVCRI to evaluate and develop institutional policies as necessary.
• Collaborate in the development of procedures and systems to support clinical research and cross- discipline human subject research. Supervise response to adverse events or allegations of noncompliance and prescribe corrective action plans to ensure the protection of human subjects and compliance with regulation and policies.
• Supervise the implementation of electronic research administration software for the Urbana-Champaign campus.
• Coordinate the preparation of statistical reports and other data for reports to the University administration as requested, including monthly and annual reports, and other reports as requested.
• Assist in identifying and recruiting prospective IRB Chairs and members and makes recommendations to the VCR for appointments.

Training:

• Develop required campus training programs for faculty, students and staff conducting human subjects’ research.
• Provide training in protocol preparation and procedures related to human subjects’ research for new faculty, students, and staff members.
• Oversee and administer training of IRB members and OPRS staff for professional development and for efficient regulation-based review and approval of human subjects’ research.
• Monitor informational resources available on the OPRS website.

Representation of Campus:

• Represent the Urbana-Champaign campus as liaison with agencies funding and regulating human subjects’ research.
• Establish and maintain close working relationships with the HRPP administration at collaborating institutions, including administration of Institutional Authorization Agreements, Collaborating Investigator Agreements, and Memorandum of Understanding
• Participate in relevant professional conferences or meetings, including those of the Big Ten Alliance, AAHRPP, PRIM&R and others as appropriate.
• Serve on University and campus committees as required.

Other Responsibilities:

• Engage in continuing professional development activities to improve knowledge of technical and ethical aspects of research with human subjects.

A Master’s degree in a relevant discipline (e.g., social, behavioral, educational, or biological science) and/or equivalent professional certification (e.g., nurse practitioner) and at least 10 years’ applicable experience, including demonstrated strong leadership, organizational and administrative skills related to research administration in a complex academic research institution are required. Experience should include a record of commitment to and delivery of responsive service to the research community. In addition, candidates must demonstrate experience in producing creative and innovative solutions and approaches to common problems and experience in managing an accreditation process.

A Doctorate degree and/or equivalent professional certification (e.g., M.D.). Certification for Institutional Review Board Professionals (CIP) are preferred.  

The successful candidate will possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities: Ability to work effectively, collaboratively, and diplomatically with investigators and offices of senior level administration, sponsored programs administration and other university administrators. Effective management skills, including demonstrated ability to hire and train new staff and an ability to motivate and retain professional staff. Ability to manage a sensitive and/or confidential data environment. Demonstrated understanding of federal regulations and agency guidelines for human subjects, including HHS, FDA, HIPAA, FERPA, and other agency specific regulations (such as DOD, NIJ, US DoED, EPA, NSF, US DOE, NIH, NEA, NEH, DoEd., etc.). Understanding of University contracts and agreements relating to the IRB, for example, sponsored research agreements, material transfer agreements, and data use agreements. Demonstrated ability to perform effectively with a professional demeanor in a diverse and fast-paced work environment consisting of multiple and changing priorities, with minimal direction. Demonstrated effective communication, organization, interpersonal, and leadership skills.

SALARY AND APPOINTMENT INFORMATION: This is a full time, benefits-eligible academic professional position. Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the closing date. Applicants may be interviewed before the closing date; however, no hiring decision will be made until after that date. This position may be considered eligible for a hybrid or remote work arrangement depending on unit needs and guidelines.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES AND DEADLINE INFORMATION: Complete applications received by Monday, June 13, 2022, will receive full consideration, but applications will be accepted until a candidate is identified. Applicants may be interviewed before the closing date; however, no hiring decision will be made until after that date. Please create your candidate profile at http://jobs.illinois.edu/ and upload your cover letter, resume, and names and contact information for three professional references as a single PDF document.

For questions regarding the application process, please call Illinois Human Resources at 217-333-2137. For further information on this specific position, please contact Leslie Lewin Reinhart at lewin@illinois.edu. 

The university is located in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana situated in Champaign County in east-central Illinois, and is situated about 140 miles south of Chicago, 125 miles west of Indianapolis, and 180 northeast of St. Louis. The University and its surrounding communities offer a cultural and recreational environment ideally suited to the work of a major research institution. For more information about the community, visit: 

https://yourewelcomecu.com/ or https://www.champaigncounty.org/.

University of Illinois conducts criminal background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer. Convictions are not a bar to employment. The University of Illinois System requires candidates selected for hire to disclose any documented finding of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment and to authorize inquiries to current and former employers regarding findings of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment. For more information, visit Policy on Consideration of Sexual Misconduct in Prior Employment. As a qualifying federal contractor, the University of Illinois System uses E-Verify to verify employment eligibility.

The University of Illinois must also comply with applicable federal export control laws and regulations and, as such, reserves the right to employ restricted party screening procedures for applicants.

We have an active and successful dual-career partner placement program and a strong commitment to work-life balance and family-friendly programs for faculty and staff (https://provost.illinois.edu/faculty-affairs/work-life-balance/).

University of Illinois faculty, staff and students are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If you are not able to receive the vaccine for medical or religious reasons, you may seek approval for an exemption in accordance with applicable University processes.