Associate Director, Implementation Scientist

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in North Carolina.

📋 Description

• Lead intricate implementation science and applied health research initiatives from the initial planning phase and study design to final execution.

• Transform client goals and evidence requirements into scientifically sound, practical, and decision-relevant research methodologies.

• Provide strategic guidance on the application of implementation science in pharmaceutical development, evidence generation, healthcare delivery, and product uptake.

• Act as the scientific and project leader for multidisciplinary teams.

• Evaluate study plans, research instruments, analyses, interpretations, reports, presentations, and deliverables for clients.

• Identify and mitigate scientific, operational, and client-related risks.

• Design implementation science studies utilizing qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches.

• Select and implement implementation science theories, models, and frameworks such as CFIR, RE-AIM, and EPIS.

• Develop or supervise the creation of logic models, theories of change, implementation strategies, evaluation plans, protocols, analysis strategies, and outcome measures.

• Design and manage interviews, focus groups, surveys, observations, stakeholder engagement, site-based research, and other data collection methods.

• Guide qualitative coding and analysis, quantitative analyses, descriptive analyses, mixed-methods integration, and interpretation.

• Conduct or oversee literature reviews, landscape assessments, environmental scans, and evidence synthesis.

• Ensure that research activities and deliverables adhere to scientific, ethical, regulatory, privacy, documentation, and quality standards.

• Leverage knowledge of pharmaceutical development and evidence generation across clinical development, regulatory planning, market access, launch preparation, and post-launch evidence generation.

• Identify obstacles and enablers related to adoption, implementation, scaling, and sustainability.

• Manage project scope, work plans, staffing, timelines, budgets, quality, risks, and client expectations.

• Coordinate contributions from internal stakeholders, research sites, vendors, subcontractors, and partners.

• Facilitate project team and client meetings while maintaining documentation of progress and risks.

• Mentor junior and mid-level researchers through delegation, review, feedback, coaching, and increased responsibilities.

• Cultivate trusted relationships with clients in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and healthcare sectors.

• Contribute to business development efforts, proposals, capability presentations, workshops, pipeline development, account planning, and strategic growth.

• Collaborate within RTI Health Solutions and RTI International, linking implementation science with other practice areas.

• Create implementation science tools, templates, methods, quality processes, best practices, training resources, and innovative solutions.

• Lead or contribute to the preparation of manuscripts, conference abstracts, posters, presentations, webinars, and thought leadership initiatives.

⛳️ Requirements

• PhD in implementation science, translational health science, public health, health services research, behavioral or social science, epidemiology, or a related discipline, along with a minimum of 2 years of directly relevant experience; or a pertinent master’s degree with at least 4 years of directly relevant experience.

• Proven experience in applying implementation science theories, models, frameworks, strategies, and outcomes to practical healthcare or life sciences issues.

• Strong comprehension of the pharmaceutical development lifecycle and the importance of evidence generation in clinical development, regulatory planning, market access, launch, and post-launch decision-making.

• Demonstrated capability in designing scientifically robust and operationally viable health research studies.

• Experience in designing, conducting, analyzing, and interpreting qualitative and quantitative research, with significant involvement in integrating methods within mixed-methods studies.

• Proven track record of leading research or consulting projects, managing scope, timelines, budgets, quality, risks, team coordination, and client communication.

• Strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities, including the skill to convert ambiguous client inquiries into structured research and evidence-generation frameworks.

• Experience engaging directly with clients or external research partners, effectively communicating scientific concepts, study alternatives, trade-offs, and recommendations.

• Ability to collaborate effectively across scientific disciplines and organizational functions, influencing outcomes without relying solely on formal authority.

• Experience contributing to proposals, scopes of work, budgets, capability presentations, or other business development efforts.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including proficiency in preparing and reviewing client deliverables, research reports, proposals, and scientific presentations.

• Capability to manage competing priorities, make timely decisions, and uphold high standards of scientific integrity, research ethics, and quality.

🏝️ Benefits

• Competitive base salary.

• Generous paid time off policy.

• Merit-based annual increases.

• Bonus opportunities.

• Robust recognition program.

• Health, dental, life, and short-term and long-term disability insurance plans.

• Retirement savings program, such as a 401(k) plan.

• Paid parental leave for all parents.

• Financial assistance for adoption expenses or infertility treatments.

• Financial reimbursement for educational and developmental opportunities.

• Employee assistance program.

• Additional offerings to support a healthy work-life balance.