Scientific Director Vision Center of Excellence

Position Summary:

The Rebecca D. Considine Research Institute (RDCRI) and the Department of

Ophthalmology and The Vision Center of Excellence at Akron Children’s Hospital are seeking applicants for a Vision Scientist (VS) with a specific interest in administrative, clinical and experimental genetics. The position is equivalent in rank to an academic an Full Professor. The

VS serves as an administrator, educator and researcher within research, clinical and educational programs supported by the Considine Research Institute (CRI) and The Akron Children’s

Hospital (ACH) and the ACH Destination Center of Excellence (DCOE). Our Destination

Centers of Excellence (DCOE) program is designed to help us further invest in our areas of greatest strength by assembling an exceptionally high concentration of expertise in a particular area of medicine. The DCOE’s will deliver outstanding quality, outcomes, and experiences for patients and their families. The DCOE program in The Vision Center has chosen to assemble an exceptionally high concentration of expertise, as an addition to the its current success. Akron

Children’s Hospital’s objectives in developing DCOEs include:

• Advancing ACH’s growth strategy in our current service area, the State of Ohio, the Midwestern United States and beyond, including international markets.
• Providing demonstrably superior quality, outcomes and patient and family experience to attract more children and families from our region and beyond, including the most severe, specialized patients, who often have nowhere else to turn.
• Advancing research, innovation, and education in the Center of Excellence field of focus, which will grow ACH’s research institute and also develop new methods that can change medicine and quality of care.
• Attracting preeminent physicians, other providers, scientists and staff to enhance the work and reach of the Centers of Excellence.
• Building upon ACH’s well-established brand and reputation regionally, nationally, and internationally, to attract patients to the destination medical centers that they are in need of to receive highly specialized, compassionate care.
• Promoting value and efficiency in care delivery to further enhance contracting opportunities for ACH with payers and employers, which will drive the financial sustainability of the Centers of Excellence.

The heart of the DCOE concept is that Akron Children’s Hospital’s staff and patients know and understand how unique the culture and care of our organization is and we know and believe that the combination of providing exemplary care concurrently with the compassion and holistic care that Akron Children’s staff provides to each patient and their entire family.

The VS recruit as part of the Vision Center DCOE is responsible for; developing, maintaining and supporting an independent, additional clinical and research program in Gene and Cellular Therapy. This includes building this subspecialty service and overseeing its administration. This task will be accomplished with assistance and resources (equipment, personnel and space) that overlap with administrative, clinical and research activities already part of the Vision Center DCOE. The VS will ensure that high quality clinical, research and, when appropriate, teaching services are provided through providers and clinical and administrative staff within the Vision Center DCOE. The DVS is recognized among the scientific staff for commitment to excellence in all areas and actively supports and advocates for the professional and career development of providers, staff, other scientists and students. The VS proposes, develops, sponsors and actively pursues organization and implementation of a Gene and Cellular

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Scientific Director Vision Center of Excellence clinical program within the Vision Center DCOE. In addition, the VS will organize and participate in research programs under the auspices of the Vision Center DCOE, ACH, the CRI and a collaborative clinical division, and will facilitate collaboration with partnered institutions when strategically appropriate. This position is responsible for; 1) planning, conducting, directing and receiving support for the new Gene and Cellular therapy service in the Vision

Center DCOE, 2) independent clinical and/or basic scientific work, 3) assist with development and implementation of collaborative staff research and clinical services provided in the ACH

Vision Center DCOE. This includes projects and supplies, technical, education, clinical and laboratory testing and reporting, leadership and consultation to professional co-workers, pharmaceutical industry, governmental agencies and partner institutions. The VS may represent the organization in outside discussions and technical forums. The VS generally works with latitude with regularly but not constant reviewed actions. The VS may mentor other scientists, research assistants, research coordinators and students and helps assign projects. The primary role of the VS is working with providers and fellows in developing and implementing the Gene and Cell Therapy service and will answer questions and guide them through the process from dissemination to completion. The VS will help with necessary IRB protocol preparation and submission. The DVS meets and communicates with finance and project coordinators for budget updates, changes, and plans and monitor expenditures. The VS organizes and runs regular meetings with Division Director and ACH and CRI administrative representative to discuss ongoing projects, new project assignments, IRB status for ongoing projects and technical and safety issues. The VS assists with research quarterly meetings within the DCOE Vision Center.

The VS will be expected to have an adjunct faculty appointment at one of our collaborating regional academic institutions. The position offers a very competitive salary and start up/relocation package, with a start date as early as September 2021.

Key Responsibilities:

• Ability to function as development officer in the new DCOE Vision Center Gene and

Cellular Therapy program.

• Ability to function as a primary investigator who manages a clinical/basic science research program.
• Accountable for advancing research in a specified area.
• Lead inter-disciplinary teams of biomedical scientists, physicians and trainees engaged in collaborative studies.
• Administrate, support and oversight of additional clinical activities as necessary in the Vision Center.

Qualifications:

• Doctorate (PhD, MD/PhD, OD/PhD) in vision science or related field.
• At least10 years of independent/collaborative research experience in vision science.
• Experience with visual system genetic research and administration.
• Excellent written & oral communications skills.
• Ability to write successful administrative initiatives, protocols, grant, gift and endowment proposals.
• History of prior administrative, managerial and research funding success.
• Senior (first/last) Author Publications in High Impact Journals.

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Scientific Director Vision Center of Excellence

• History of Previous Collaboration with Industry, Pharmaceutical Companies and

University Partners.

• Provides training and development opportunities for both indirect and/or direct reports as necessary

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Scientific Director Vision Center of Excellence

Scope of Work

• 60% Administration – Responsibilities include – research focus o Plan, coordinate, organize and assist as primary office in the implementation of

Gene and Cell Therapy in the DOCE Vision Center.

• Organize collaboration between ACH Administrative and Vision Center

Personnel, Industry, Government and University Partners to successfully implement Gene and Cell Therapy at DCOE Vision Center o Assist with Vision Center Coordination of:

• Student, Resident, Fellow Research Activities

• Quarterly Vision Science Meetings

• Resource Management Related to Research Activities o Attend Committee Meetings When Necessary o Business Hours Completion of Documentation, Phone Conversations, etc.
• 20% clinical - plan and assist with development and continued implementation of the

Ophthalmic Genetics Service provided at the DCOE Vision Center. Responsibilities include: o Development and maintenance of Genetic Testing Protocols o Collaboration with Genetics Department Provider and Technical Staff o Oversight of Genetic Test Reporting To Vision Center Providers

• 15% research – responsibilities include: o Lead multi-disciplinary project teams o Serve as PI or co-PI for coordinating centers of multisite projects. o Provide senior leadership for projects, including study design, protocol development, data collection and management, project coordination, fiscal oversight, quality assurance, and research administration. o Develop and nurture a funded research/programmatic portfolio. o Participate in the implementation of strategic plans for Akron Children’s Research

Institute, its centers and programs. o Participate in and oversee funding applications and dissemination of research findings (e.g. manuscript preparation and submission and presentations) by Vision

Science Group. o Help Identify research opportunities, establish and maintain collaborative relationships with key investigators and institutions to support strategic plans for the RDCRI and Vision Science Group. o Provide research opportunities and a mentorship for junior scientists and trainees

(e.g., students, residents and fellows) at Akron Children’s Hospital. o Participate as a member of leadership committees within the Research Institute as requested by the Vision Sciences Center Director and the CRO.

• 5% Education – Responsibilities include: (research focus)

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Scientific Director Vision Center of Excellence o Work with the RDCRI to develop and supervise an educational program in developmental vision science for allied health professionals, trainees and students.

Performance Metrics:

Clinical – 85%

• Successful DCOE Gene and Cell Therapy Service
• Assistance with smooth function of Ophthalmic Genetics service
• Oversight and success of therapeutic gene and cell therapy clinical protocols
• Development of administrative and collaborative resource management and distribution protocols
• Assure valid data collection and storage
• Development of relevant data reporting formats with timely distribution

Research and Education– 15%

• 15% of salary funded by external sources (grants, endowment, gifts and contracts) in the fourth year of employment
• Submission of at least 1 grants/contract year.
• Submit 1 manuscripts in high impact journals per year (at least 1 published/ 3 years)
• Develop and manage additional research programs
• Develop and maintain opportunities for trainees and student participation in vision sciences research
• Develop partnerships with regional and national institutions that result in new lines of research, multi-center clinical research collaborations and/or grant applications
• Work with CRO and Medical Director of the Vision Sciences Research Center to develop a mentoring program for trainees and junior faculty in Vision Sciences.

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Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $80,000.00 - $110,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Referral program
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• No nights
• No weekends

COVID-19 considerations:
All employees are required to be fully vaccinated. Masks are required.

Work Location: One location

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