(01/10/26) Director - Portland, OR

VA Portland Health Care System (VAPORHCS) is searching for a Director of the HSR-funded Portland Center of Innovation (COIN), Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care (CIVIC).

The overall mission of CIVIC is to support high quality research on patient-centered approaches that promote Veteran engagement and active participation in VA and non-VA healthcare and other resources to improve Veteran health and well-being. CIVIC‘s first impact goal is to develop and implement interventions and other approaches that improve the healthcare, health, and safety of Veterans who have elevated suicide risk and mental health conditions including pain. CIVIC’s second impact goal is to develop innovative strategies that increase access and improve care coordination within VHA and across VHA and community settings. CIVIC Investigators have broad content and methodological experience across numerous fields within health services research including suicide prevention, chronic pain and opioids, substance abuse, traumatic brain injury, Veteran engagement, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, sleep apnea, health disparities, clinician-patient communication, access and care coordination, social media, and working with large datasets and health informatics. More information about the center can be found at: https://www.portlandcoin.research.va.gov/.

The CIVIC Director will work closely with the CIVIC Associate Director, Administrative Officer, Executive Committee, Principal Investigators, Fellows and other trainees, and staff in the Research & Development Office, and be responsible for administration of a health systems research program that has an extensive portfolio of more than 28 active VA HSR/QUERI research projects, 37 non-HSR projects, and a total FY2026 budget (from all funding sources) of approximately $17 million. CIVIC includes a multidisciplinary group of investigators who represent different academic departments within medicine and the social sciences at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU, our primary affiliate), including Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology, Epidemiology, Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Public Health, Cultural Anthropology, Health Policy and Administration, Mathematics, and Sociology. CIVIC Investigators produce numerous papers, chapters, reviews, and reports for clinician decision makers, and contribute to a large, post-doctoral training program for both MD and PhD researchers. In FY25, CIVIC Investigators generated more than 130 peer-reviewed publications.

Working in close collaboration with the CIVIC Leadership team, the Director will have primary responsibility for scientific leadership and strategic plan progress, including alignment of center goals and objectives with those of VHA partners, supporting and championing CIVIC investigators, serving as PI of CIVIC and leading center grant renewal applications, developing and monitoring research activity, recruiting new analysts and investigators, facilitating cross-medical center collaborations, mentoring early career investigators, working closely with the VAPORHCS R&D Office, and facilitating communications with other partners. Success will require an understanding of VA policies, procedures, and funding mechanisms.

Required Qualifications:

1. Either an MD or PhD
2. A record of successful, independent, and sustained VA or NIH-funded health services research
3. Eligible to hold an academic appointment as Associate Professor or higher at OHSU
4. Background in administration and management of health services research
5. Servant-Leader orientation
6. US citizen

Desired Qualifications:

1. Has current health services research national-level funding that is aligned with CIVIC impact goals
2. Strong background promoting the careers of early and mid-career investigators
3. Knowledge of VA Office of Research and Development regulatory and fiscal policies
4. Experience working on VA clinical operations-funded projects

Interested candidates should send a letter of inquiry and CV to Avery Laliberte at avery.laliberte@va.gov, preferably by Monday, March 2, 2026.