Vice Chair of Research

Role Title: Vice Chair of Research
Department: MGB Ophthalmology
Reports To: Chair of Ophthalmology

GENERAL SUMMARY/OVERVIEW STATEMENT:
As a not-for-profit organization, Mass General Brigham (MGB) is committed to advancing patient care, research, education, and community service through innovation across its integrated system. Founded by Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, MGB supports a comprehensive continuum of care, including academic medical centers, community and specialty hospitals, a physician network, and a broad range of health-related services.

The Vice Chair of Research reports directly to the Chair of Ophthalmology and provides strategic leadership, coordination, and oversight of the Department's research enterprise across Mass Eye and Ear and Mass General Brigham. This role is responsible for advancing a globally leading research program spanning basic, translational, and clinical investigation while ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and long-term financial sustainability.

Consistent with the Department's leadership structure, the Vice Chair of Research functions as an integrator and facilitator across a defined portfolio of research leaders, including clinical research, basic and translational science, innovation, and data/analytics.

In partnership with the Chair, Executive Vice Chair, Vice Chairs, and Division Chiefs, the Vice Chair ensures that research efforts are coordinated, scalable, and aligned with the department's clinical and academic priorities. This role emphasizes enabling performance, removing barriers, and driving accountability across the research ecosystem rather than operating as a siloed research authority.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Vice Chair of Research provides strategic and operational oversight of the Department's research mission by coordinating a distributed leadership model. This role ensures that the Department's research activities are aligned, efficient, and positioned for growth across all domains of discovery and translation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Research Strategy and Enterprise Alignment
- Develop and execute a comprehensive research strategy across:
- Clinical research
- Basic and translational science
- Innovation and partnerships
- Data science and analytics
- Align research priorities with departmental, Mass General Brigham, and Harvard Medical School strategy.
- Identify areas of differentiation and growth across divisions.
- Partner with Division Chiefs to embed research priorities within each clinical division.

Leadership and Oversight of Research Portfolio

Provide strategic oversight and coordination of the Department's core research leadership structure, including:
- Director of Clinical Research
- Director of Basic & Translational Research
- Director of Innovation & Translational Partnerships

Key responsibilities include:
- Establishing clear goals, roles, and accountability for each director
- Ensuring coordination across domains (e.g., trials ↔ translational ↔ innovation)
- Facilitating regular communication and alignment across research leaders
- Removing operational barriers to execution

Clinical Research and Trials Infrastructure
- Oversee performance of the clinical research enterprise in partnership with the Director of Clinical Research
- Improve operational efficiency across:
- Study start-up timelines
- Contracting and budgeting
- IRB processes
- Expand clinical trial portfolio and industry engagement
- Align clinical research with clinical operations and subspecialty priorities

Basic and Translational Research Integration
- Partner with the Director of Basic & Translational Research to:
- Strengthen laboratory-based discovery
- Accelerate translation into clinical applications
- Promote cross-divisional and interdisciplinary collaboration
- Align translational efforts with clinical priorities and disease focus areas

Innovation, Partnerships, and Technology Transfer

Work with the Director of Innovation & Translational Partnerships to:
- Expand intellectual property development and commercialization
- Support startup formation and industry collaboration
- Identify strategic external partnerships (industry, venture, academic)
- Promote a culture of innovation across faculty and trainees

Data, Informatics, and Research Enablement

Partner with the Director of Clinical Informatics & Analytics to:
- Develop data infrastructure supporting research and clinical trials
- Enable AI, imaging, and bioinformatics capabilities
- Align data strategy with departmental digital and research priorities

Faculty Research Development (in Partnership with Academic Affairs)

Collaborate closely with the Vice Chair of Academic Affairs to:
- Develop the physician–scientist pipeline
- Support K- and R-level grant progression
- Align mentorship and faculty development programs with research priorities
- Support recruitment of research-oriented faculty
- Promote research participation across clinical faculty

Research Funding and Financial Sustainability
- Drive growth in extramural funding across all domains
- Partner with institutional leadership and philanthropy to expand funding sources
- Improve financial performance of:
     - Clinical trials
     - Core facilities
     - Innovation programs
     - Ensure alignment between research growth and financial sustainability

Performance Management and Metrics

Establish and monitor enterprise-wide research metrics, including:
- Publications (total and high-impact)
- Grant submissions and awards
- Clinical trial volume and efficiency
- Innovation outputs (patents, licenses, startups)
- Total research revenue and indirects
- Conduct regular performance reviews with research directors and division leadership
- Implement data-driven improvements across the research enterprise

Departmental and Institutional Engagement
- Represent the department in research leadership forums across MEE, MGB, and HMS
- Foster collaboration across departments and institutions
- Enhance national and international visibility of the research enterprise
- Serve as a key advisor to the Chair on research strategy and investment

Research Activities/Clinical Practice
- Experienced ophthalmology trained professional.
- Amount of time spent doing his/her own research and/or clinical practice will be determined as the Vice Chair of Research role evolves.
- Will have an academic appointment with Harvard Medical School at the Instructor, Assistant Professor or Associate Professor level dependent on experience and current academic standing.

REPORTING STRUCTURE:
Reports to:
- Chair, Department of Ophthalmology

Direct Oversight of:
- Director of Clinical Research
- Director of Basic & Translational Research
- Director of Innovation & Translational Partnerships

Key Partnerships:
- Executive Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs
- Vice Chair of Academic Affairs
- Vice Chair of Education
- Vice Chair of Quality & Safety
- Vice Chair(s) of Clinical Operations
- Division Chiefs

SUCCESS METRICS:
- Growth in total research funding (federal, foundation, industry)
- Increase in NIH (K, R) and equivalent funding
- Expansion of high-impact publications
- Increased clinical trial volume and reduced start-up time
- Growth in innovation outputs (IP, licenses, startups)
- Increased faculty participation in research
- Strengthened national and international research reputation

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:
The Vice Chair of Research must be a nationally recognized investigator with a strong track record of funding, publication, and leadership. The individual must possess a deep understanding of the full research ecosystem, including clinical trials, translational science, and innovation.

This role requires the ability to lead within a distributed organizational structure, influencing multiple leaders and programs without direct operational control of all functions. Success depends on strong collaboration, strategic vision, and the ability to align stakeholders across a complex academic health system.

The candidate must demonstrate the ability to translate strategy into execution, build high-performing teams, and drive measurable outcomes across research, funding, and innovation while fostering a culture of collaboration and excellence.

The above is intended to describe the general contents and requirements of work being performed by people assigned to this classification.  It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive statement of all duties, responsibilities, or skills of personnel so classified.

EEO Statement:
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Associates, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, and/or other status protected under law. We will ensure that all individuals with a disability are provided a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. To ensure reasonable accommodation for individuals protected by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Veteran’s Readjustment Act of 1974, and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, applicants who require accommodation in the job application process may contact Human Resources at (857)-282-7642.