Research Biorepository/Biobank Director

At Houston Methodist, the Research Biorepository/Biobank Director position is responsible for the management of a system-wide biobank within one of the nation's largest and most complex academic health systems. This position will help support Houston Methodist's extraordinary surgical volume that spans cancer, transplantation, urology, obstetrics/gynecology, and multiple other surgical subspecialties. This position creates a unique opportunity to build a biorepository facility that goes well beyond traditional curation and storage. The Research Biorepository/Biobank Director position is central to ensuring that human biospecimens are strategically collected, rigorously curated, responsibly governed, and most importantly, actively utilized to advance transformative science and improve patient care. Reporting to the Director of Clinical Laboratory Medicine and Houston Methodist Academic (HMAI) CEO, this position is considered a subject matter expert resource to Houston Methodist Academic Institute (HMAI) scientists, management, and executives.

FLSA STATUS

Exempt

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• Master's Degree in life sciences or molecular sciences or a related laboratory-based subject
• Terminal Degree preferred

EXPERIENCE

• Ten year's experience in leading a biobanking facility

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through ongoing skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations
• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles
• Excellent verbal and written communication, presentation and public speaking skills to work with others in a collegial atmosphere
• Experience developing and maintaining collaborative working relationships among stakeholders and partners on campus, in university, industry, government and/or the non-profit sector
• Expertise in a Core Facility/Laboratory specific scientific area
• Success in grant writing/proposal development and the acquisition of extramural funding
• Extensive understanding of scientific principles
• Aptitude to learn computer-based Core management/invoicing systems
• Expert level knowledge and skills in field of science related to research project

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Builds strong, trust-based relationships with clinicians, investigators, administrators, and regulatory partners.
• Serves as an institutional thought leader on biospecimen science, ethics, and governance. Chairs the Biobank Resource Allocation Committee, providing stewardship over all stored biospecimens.
• Mentors staff and contributes to a culture of accountability, transparency, and scientific excellence.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Provides end-to-end oversight of biospecimen lifecycle management, including collection, processing, annotation, quality control, storage strategy, and utilization.
• Continuously evaluates specimen quality, data integrity, storage methodologies, and operational efficiency to meet best-in-class standards. Ensure that biospecimen collection aligns with current and emerging research priorities, technologies, and analytic approaches.
• Collaborates with clinical and scientific leadership to define which biospecimens are collected, at what time points, and under what conditions to maximize scientific value and translational relevance.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Serves as an active partner in the scientific strategy of flagship research programs, including cancer, transplantation, and other high-impact clinical domains.
• Collaborates with clinical and scientific leadership to define which biospecimens are collected, at what time points, and under what conditions to maximize scientific value and translational relevance. Partners closely with Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) and other regulatory bodies to ensure compliance while driving efficiency, harmonization, and clarity in consent and governance processes.
• Ensures that biospecimen collection aligns with current and emerging research priorities, technologies, and analytic approaches. Proactively identifies regulatory risks and opportunities and develop strategies that support ethical use of biospecimens while accelerating research.
• Establishes and enforces fair, transparent, and scientifically driven processes for access to samples, recognizing these materials as precious, non-renewable resources. Ensure prioritization of proposals that demonstrate strong scientific merit, feasibility, and potential for meaningful impact.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Assumes responsibility and oversight for goals and objectives related to area of expertise, to include preparing cost projections for department/office activities and maintains accurate records of expenditures.
• Utilizes resources with cost effectiveness and value creation in mind. Is a good steward of Methodist's resources and considers this for such orders. Self-motivated to independently manage time effectively and prioritize daily tasks, assisting coworkers as needed.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Leads modernization efforts that enable scalability, interoperability with clinical and research data systems, and future-ready infrastructure.
• Owns and oversees the "front door" consent strategy for patient participation in biospecimen donation across the health system.
• Seeks opportunities to identify self-development needs and takes appropriate action. Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates the Individual Development Plan on an ongoing basis.

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform: No
• Scrubs: Yes
• Business professional: Yes
• Other (department approved): Yes

ON-CALLNote that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. Disaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* No

TRAVELTravel specifications may vary by department

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area Yes

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• Master's Degree in life sciences or molecular sciences or a related laboratory-based subject
• Terminal Degree preferred

EXPERIENCE

• Ten year's experience in leading a biobanking facility

Company Profile:

Houston Methodist Academic Institute oversees the Education Institute and Research Institute. The Academic Institute aligns our research and education initiatives in service to the clinical mission, providing solutions that answer the call for new technologies and skills our clinicians need for patient care. Houston Methodist Education Institute coordinates our primary academic affiliation with Weill Cornell Medicine and other joint programs, including the Engineering Medicine Program at Texas A&M University Intercollegiate School of Engineering Medicine. The Education Institute also oversees continuing medical education and graduate medical education, and supports trainees in residence for medical, nursing, allied health and research education programs. Houston Methodist Research Institute supports research programs and infrastructure that enable faculty across the system to bring new scientific discoveries to patients as rapidly as possible through the full cycle of a cure from conceptual bench research, to prototyping and development, to clinical trials and FDA approval. The Research Institute supports clinical research protocols and extramurally funded translational research programs.

Houston Methodist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.