The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Heersink School of Medicine (HSOM) is seeking a collaborative and visionary leader to serve as the next Chair, Department of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science (Chair of DBIDS). Reporting to and working closely with the Dean of the Heersink School of Medicine and the Senior Vice Dean, Heersink School of Medicine, the Chair will work to fulfill both UAB’s and the department’s commitment to advancing human health by transforming data, tools and techniques into actionable knowledge. Serving as the strategic, academic, and operational leader of an evolving department at the intersection of clinical care, research innovation and digital transformation, this role offers the opportunity to shape a vision for how data, computation, and technology accelerate discovery, improve patient outcomes, and strengthen the academic mission of a leading US academic health system.
UAB is an internationally renowned public doctoral research university—ranked 28th in NIH funding and 12th among public universities in the United States–and a leading academic health center—the 5th largest public hospital in the United States. With a reach stretching across classes, cultures, and continents into inner-city classrooms, rural clinics, and far corners of the globe, UAB is experiencing major and sustained investment and growth due to its exceptional research faculty and its culture of collaboration embodied in a matrixed organization. Through concerted and strategic investments in its clinical and research enterprise, UAB has undergone an amazing transformation in the past five years and has strengthened its status and reputation as a leader in medical training, biomedical discovery, innovation, and patient care.
Reporting to the Senior Vice President for Medicine and Dean, Anupam Agarwal, M.D., the Chair of DBIDS will support the school’s vision for advancing health through the creation of novel strategies to sustain and grow the Department and continue to enhance the mission areas of research and education in biomedical informatics and data science. Providing strategic leadership for all aspects of the Department, including the positive representation of DBIDS within the Heersink School of Medicine and the UAB system, the next Chair will create new opportunities for broad collaboration in support of institutional goals. With a high degree of visibility across the organization, including through informal partnerships, research initiatives, governance groups, and other means, this role has the potential to create a great deal of impact enterprise wide.
The ideal candidate will be an accomplished leader in the field of biomedical informatics and data science, with a robust record in grant funding, scholarly achievements, institutional partnership development, recruitment and retention, and mentorship of junior faculty. The Chair of DBIDS will demonstrate a strong ability to collaborate effectively with leaders representing a wide range of backgrounds, perspectives, and priorities. The successful candidate will also be adept at navigating the complex dynamics of an academic medical center, with a clear understanding of how to engage across its interconnected educational, research, and clinical service missions.
The role requires a high level of competency in financial stewardship, including disciplined budget management and thoughtful resource allocation. In addition, the successful candidate must articulate a compelling vision for the future, centered on building a nationally recognized, research-driven department of biomedical informatics and data sciences that is highly competitive and attractive to both undergraduate and graduate students. The Chair of DBIDS will hold a faculty appointment and participate in the scholarly, service, and educational missions of the Heersink School of Medicine.
Inquiries, nominations and applications are invited. Inquiries, nominations and applications are invited. Please direct all application materials to Zachary Durst, Valerie Weber or Scott Dethloff via the buttons below or via email at [email protected].