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Review Vacancy

Date Posted 12/01/21

Applications Due02/28/22

Vacancy ID95058

AgencyHealth, Department of

TitleWadsworth Center Director -11001

Occupational CategoryI.T. Engineering, Sciences

Salary Grade668

Bargaining UnitM/C - Management / Confidential (Unrepresented)

Salary RangeFrom $149004 to $184540 Annually

Employment Type Full-Time

Appointment Type Permanent

Jurisdictional Class Competitive Class

Travel Percentage 5%

Workweek Mon-Fri

Hours Per Week 40

Workday

From 9 AM

To 5 PM

Flextime allowed? No

Mandatory overtime? No

Compressed workweek allowed? No

Telecommuting allowed? No

County Albany

Street Address Biggs Lab

Empire State Plaza, Corning Tower

City Albany

StateNY

Zip Code12237

Minimum Qualifications Non-Competitive: License to practice medicine or veterinary medicine in New York State and five years of responsible full-time experience in an administration capacity in laboratory management or research in an appropriate field; OR a doctorate in the natural, clinical, or appropriate applied sciences and six years of responsible full-time experience in a leadership capacity in laboratory management or research in an appropriate field.
Definitions: Natural sciences includes biology, chemistry, geology, and environmental sciences. Applied sciences includes biostatistics and bioinformatics. Applied abstract and theoretical sciences such as math and philosophy will not be considered qualifying.

Preferred Qualifications: Demonstrated work history of progressively responsible scientific management positions in a multi-disciplinary complex clinical or academic institution, of which at least 10 years must have been in a senior leadership capacity.

Demonstrated history of developing productive state, national and international partnerships across disciplines and types of institutions. Demonstrated record of scientific publications in the peer-review literature.

Duties Description The Wadsworth Center public health laboratory stands at the forefront of public health, biomedical and environmental sciences and their interplay. The Center serves a vital role nationally and in the Department of Health's efforts to protect and promote the health of New Yorkers. Building on more than a century of excellence as the state's public health laboratory, the Center continues as a premier biomedical institute that merges clinical and environmental testing with fundamental and applied health-related research. The Wadsworth Center works collaboratively with federal and international partner organizations including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health, and the World Health Organization.

Today, Wadsworth Center scientists use both classical and contemporary approaches to study environmental and biological questions related to human health and disease. They develop advanced methods to identify microbial or chemical threats; study drug resistance, emerging infections, and environmental exposures; manage the country's most comprehensive diagnostic and environmental testing laboratory permit program; oversee extramural research programs on breast cancer and spinal cord injury; and train the next generation of scientists through graduate, postdoctoral and visiting scientist programs. Wadsworth’s educational mission is further strengthened through a partnership with the University at Albany, which the Wadsworth director spearheads.

The Center has played a pivotal role in the nation’s and New York state’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic, beginning testing for the virus on February 29, 2020, after authorization of their method by the FDA through their EUA process. Increasing testing capacity throughout the state was critical in early March 2020. Because of Wadsworth’s unique experience providing regulatory oversight of clinical laboratories as a CLIA-exempt state and experience performing the scientific evaluation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs), the FDA issued enforcement discretion on March 12, 2020 allowing the Wadsworth Center to authorize the use of LDTs by certain laboratories under Wadsworth’s regulatory authority to increase testing capacity.

More information about the Wadsworth Center can be obtained at https://www.wadsworth.org/

Duties and Expectations:

The Director of Labs and Research will:

• Under the leadership of the Commissioner of Health, provide vision and leadership to help guide the Department of Health’s mission to protect the health of New York State residents.
• Establish public health, scientific and research priorities for the Center.
• Lead an institution of over 800 scientific staff including 100 at the doctoral level.
• Oversee funding and management of public health laboratory activities and related extramural research sponsored by New York State.
• Recruit the next wave of public health scientists to rebuild and develop scientific testing and research programs for current and future public health priorities.
• Given the new realities presented by COVID on New York’s public health system, collaborate and help lead efforts to expand testing access and capacity, elevate and utilize new testing platforms and technologies, and strengthen the state’s private and public laboratory infrastructure.
• Work with Empire State Development Corporation to build public-private partnerships as part of a $750 Million life sciences initiative, including construction of a new state-of the-art laboratory and research complex.
• Strengthen the current academic research program to educate young scientists and improve the international recognition of the Center’s public health and research laboratories, their ability to acquire external funding and recruit postdoctoral level scientists. Lead the partnership with the University at Albany to enhance the Center’s educational mission.
• Work with federal and international partner organizations including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration, and the World Health Organization.
• Develop a deep working knowledge of the organization of the Wadsworth Center and the Department of Health to effectively lead the Center through public health emergencies.
• Maintain close communication with Executive Staff within the Office of Public Health, in the Department of Health. Facilitate open channels of communication to external organizations and partners.

Additional Comments In consideration of priorities and workload, the Director of Wadsworth will be expected to:

• travel occasionally, including overnights, to areas not served by public transportation.

• stay late or come in early as needed, sometimes with limited notice to meet operational needs; this may include evenings and/or weekends.

Salary Range From $149004 to $184540 Annually OR commensurate with experience.

Benefits of Working for NYS
Generous benefits package, worth 65% of salary, including:
Holiday & Paid Time Off
• Twelve (12) paid holidays yearly
• Thirteen (13) days of paid vacation leave yearly
• Five (5) days of paid personal leave yearly
• Eight (8) days of paid sick leave yearly
• Up to three (3) days of professional leave yearly to participate in professional development


Health Care Benefits
• Employees and eligible dependents can pick from a variety of affordable health insurance programs
• Family dental and vision benefits at no additional cost

Additional Benefits
• New York State Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) Membership
• NYS Deferred Compensation
• Access to NY 529 and NY ABLE College Savings Programs, as well as U.S. Savings Bonds
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)


Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.

Name Human Resources Management Group, LK/DIRLABS/11001

Telephone (518) 486-1812

Fax (518) 473-3395

Email Address resume@health.ny.gov

Address

Street NYS Department of Health, HRMG

ESP Corning Tower Room 2217

City Albany

State NY

Zip Code 12237

 

Notes on ApplyingSubmit resume and cover letter to resume@health.ny.gov , or by fax to (518) 473-3395 with Reference Code LK/DIRLABS/11001 included in the subject line of your email or fax, or by regular mail to Human Resources Management Group, LK/DIRLABS/11001, Room 2217, Corning Tower Building, Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12237-0012. Failure to include the required Reference Code may result in the delay of processing your application. Resumes accepted until position is filled.

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