Health care is evolving beyond classical disease- or organ-focused concepts and traditional interventions. These have always had limitations to address diverse patient populations, leaving swathes of patients with few, poor or no treatment options. New, stratified approaches for diagnostics and therapy are needed to address these shortcomings, and these will come from research that will define disease states through pathophysiological concepts informed by extensive multi-modal and multi-source data (deep phenotyping). This will enable precision diagnostics, individualized therapies, and real-time, continuous monitoring, enhanced by novel digital healthcare options. Such approaches would offer significant benefits in the management of chronic diseases like metabolic diseases and inflammatory disorders. The new Digital Health for Metabolic Disorders and Inflammation research cluster at the University of Bern and the Bern University Hospital/Inselspital Bern will establish a collaborative cross-disciplinary consortium that integrates experts from various fields such as metabolic disorders, inflammatory/infectious disorders, machine learning/data science, and imaging. By providing networking opportunities that bring together researchers with pre-clinical, translational, patient-oriented, and entrepreneurial expertise, novel project, funding and teaching opportunities will arise that will be supported actively through the research cluster infrastructure. By bringing together diverse disciplines and focus areas, the cluster seeks to advance research and education into the underlying causes of chronic metabolic disorders with associated or underlying inflammation in chronic diseases and develop new models for system-based medicine in digital healthcare.

What you can expect

The DHMDI cluster is a research network that will support several key areas of research and education. This requires a coordinator who will manage and supervise the diverse activities assigned by the Executive Committee and the Strategic Board of the DHMDI. These activities will include:

Research:

• Establishment of novel research collaborations
• Identification of common/matching research interests across partners
• Identification of funding opportunities
• Design of funding proposals

Teaching & Education:

• Development of elective content on digital health in metabolic and inflammatory disorders
• Seminar and workshop series with leading experts
• Career development for young researchers

Networking:

• Identification of and coordination across existing resources and partners
• New network development with national and international partners

Communication and Outreach:

• Dissemination of research and teaching activities
• Expert researcher directory
• Engagement with stakeholders: Patients, insurers, clinical experts, health economists
• Translational partnerships with industry

Responsibilities: Administration:

• Design, implement, monitor and enforce processes for the development and management of cluster core activities including development of data management plans and quality control measures
• Coordination and operational support of cluster management
• Coordinate and align research group activities within the cluster
• Budget, personnel, and resource management
• Liaise and coordinate with stakeholder partners UniBE e.g. Other, existing Research Clusters, Inselspital Bern, City and Canton of Bern, Bundesamrt für Gesundheit, professional bodies

Network Management:

• Serve as "Point-of-Contact" for resource leads for all core activities e.g. Data management
• Provide administrative support for high-quality data documentation
• Support activities of the cluster's expert groups

Teaching & Outreach:

• Define core processes for cluster outreach activities, including meetings, conferences, symposia, public relations, and external documentation/enquiries
• Act as "Point-of-Contact" for internal and external cooperation partners/stakeholders
• Develop and execute publicity activities with stakeholders (patients, health care providers, researchers, organizations, Industry, payors, and health economists)
• Plan, implement, and monitor external communication (website, print materials, social media)
• Independently plan internal meetings, exchange meetings, and symposia
• Communicate and disseminate teaching, course, and event activities (students, patients, symposia, regular seminars, annual meeting)

Fundraising:

• Monitor and disseminate internal/external fundraising opportunities
• Establish and manage a "matchmaking" database, correspondence, and events
• Coordinate third-party funding acquisition

Your Profile

Professional

• PhD or Master's in Life and/or Medical Sciences (mandatory)
• Additional desirable, qualifications in:
  • Business administration
  • Marketing
  • Science communication
  • Academic course development

Years of experience may be considered in lieu of educational qualifications.

Experience

• Support of translational research projects and initiatives
• Interdisciplinary research network management (in academic environments)
• Curriculum and course coordination experience
• Support of clinical research collaborations

Skills

• Proficiency in project management software e.g. Jira/Confluence or similar.
• Familiarity with tools like MS Teams or Slack to establish timely stakeholder communication.
• Outstanding presentation skills.
• Seasoned in document management in cloud environments
• Fully proficient in written and spoken German and English. Proficiency in French is an asset.
• Highly effective organizational and communication skills.
• Ability to plan, identify risks, anticipate issues and outcomes, and respond strategically, tactically, and operationally while balancing short-term and long-term objectives.

What we offer

• We provide a dynamic environment and support a career focusing on translational research, where the work has a direct impact on patient care and clinical practice.
• A competitive salary (based on experience).

Equal employment opportunity: The University of Bern is an equal opportunity employer for women and individuals with disabilities and/or diverse backgrounds (race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc.), who are particularly encouraged to apply.

Questions about the job?