Job Description​

Saint Luke's Mid-America Heart Institute (MAHI) in Kansas City, MO and the Office of Research Services are seeking a Director of Cardiovascular Research. This physician leader will partner closely with MAHI leadership, the Vice President of Research, and the Office of Research Services to provide scientific and strategic leadership for the cardiovascular research enterprise. Responsibilities include developing and executing the cardiovascular research strategy, growing extramural funding, recruiting and mentoring investigators, overseeing the Clinical Scholar Program, and advancing the national prominence of Saint Luke's cardiovascular research programs.

Saint Luke's MAHI is home to a nationally recognized cardiovascular research enterprise. The program supports an NHLBI-funded T32 research fellowship and includes more than 20 cardiologists with dedicated research time, producing ~250 scientific publications annually and multiple Late Breaking Clinical Trials presented at major scientific meetings. The Office of Research Services includes eight dedicated cardiovascular statisticians and serves as a primary site for NCDR data analytics alongside Duke, Yale, and Harvard. Supported by strong NIH and industry funding, the program also includes dedicated clinical trial coordinators across all cardiovascular subspecialties.

The cardiovascular research enterprise spans interventional cardiology, cardiac surgery, heart failure and transplantation, electrophysiology, cardiac imaging, structural heart and valve disease, vascular medicine, preventive cardiology, women’s cardiovascular health, cardiometabolic disease, and outcomes research. Building on Saint Luke’s longstanding tradition of clinical, translational, and outcomes research, the Heart Institute has participated in numerous landmark investigations that have contributed to FDA-approved therapies, devices, procedures, and evidence-based cardiovascular care. In addition to clinical trials, the program includes internationally recognized centers and core laboratories in areas such as cardiovascular outcomes research, intravascular imaging, and noninvasive imaging. These programs collaborate with leading cardiovascular investigators worldwide to advance prevention, diagnosis, treatment, quality of life, and cardiovascular data science.

Interested candidates will hold a faculty appointment at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) School of Medicine. Qualified candidates may also be considered for appointment as the inaugural Chair of the newly established Department of Cardiology, subject to the university's selection process.

Job Functions:

• Provide scientific and strategic leadership for the cardiovascular research enterprise, fostering research excellence, innovation, collaboration, and program growth.
• Partner closely with the Vice President of Research, MAHI Co-Directors, and research operations leadership to align priorities, allocate resources, and ensure accountability for research performance and outcomes.
• Develop and execute the cardiovascular research strategy, expand extramural funding, and advance the program's national prominence in clinical trials, outcomes research, and scholarly activity.
• Provide leadership and strategic oversight for the full cardiovascular research portfolio, including clinical trials, investigator-initiated studies, translational research, outcomes research, health services research, registries, and core laboratory activities.
• Responsible for the recruitment and orientation of clinical investigators/clinical scholars in cardiovascular disease and evaluation of their research-related performance and productivity.
• Provide mentorship and support to cardiovascular clinician investigators, staff, and trainees, fostering the development of successful independent investigators through oversight of research milestones, scholarly productivity, and the effective use of protected research time. Responsibilities also include guidance in the design, review, and implementation of research study protocols, data analysis and interpretation, and the preparation of scientific presentations and publications.
• Maintain an active clinician-investigator role, leading a robust portfolio of funded clinical research, including extramurally sponsored studies, and demonstrating strong academic productivity.
• Expected time commitment for individual research interests and cardiovascular research program administrative duties is 60-70% of the position, including approximately 20% dedicated to administrative duties.
• Clinical cardiovascular work will be performed as a member of the Cardiovascular Division of Saint Luke's Physician Group, with clinical reporting to the Cardiovascular Division Chair.
• Develop collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including clinical and academic departments, research institutions, sponsors, funding agencies, and the broader scientific community, while partnering with the Office of Research Services and Research Compliance Business Partner to ensure research activities comply with applicable regulations, policies, and standards.
• Actively participate in Research Investigator Advisory and Leadership meetings to remain informed of research initiatives across Saint Luke's Health System and foster collaboration among research leaders and investigators.
• Collaborate with MAHI Co-Directors, the Manager of Research Coordination for cardiology studies, and cardiovascular research leadership to prioritize and assess the feasibility of research studies, optimize study start-up activities, and maintain a balanced research portfolio.
• In partnership with the Office of Research Services, regularly evaluate cardiovascular research portfolio performance, including patient recruitment, financial outcomes, and academic productivity demonstrated through presentations at regional, national, and international meetings and peer-reviewed publications.
• Partner with MAHI and Research leadership to identify emerging scientific priorities and develop innovative cardiovascular research programs.
• Serve as a visible ambassador for Saint Luke’s cardiovascular research programs through leadership in national professional societies, multicenter clinical trials, scientific advisory committees, registry initiatives, and collaborative research networks.
• Champion a culture of scientific rigor, innovation, integrity, responsible conduct of research, operational excellence, and regulatory compliance across all cardiovascular research activities.

Qualifications:

• MD or DO with board certification in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease and eligibility for licensure in Kansas and Missouri.
• Seven or more years of experience leading large and/or complex cardiovascular research programs.
• Established national or international reputation in a cardiovascular research-related field.
• Demonstrated research productivity and scientific leadership, including a track record of securing extramural research funding, leading multicenter research initiatives, publishing in peer-reviewed journals, and presentations at major national and international scientific meetings
• Demonstrated success in recruiting, mentoring, developing, and retaining high-performing investigators and research teams, with a track record of advancing independent research careers and scholarly productivity.
• Associate Professor or higher academic rank, or equivalent experience in industry or regulatory settings.
• Demonstrated leadership experience building, directing, and advancing multidisciplinary cardiovascular research programs and collaborative teams within an academic medical center, cardiovascular institute, health system, or comparable research environment.
• Proven leadership skills with the ability to build and lead collaborative teams.
• Experience leading cardiovascular research across study design, data collection, analysis, and dissemination.
• Ability to interpret, synthesize, and communicate research findings to diverse audiences.
• Familiarity with relevant academic and clinical research literature.
• Advanced knowledge of quantitative research methods.
• Knowledge of federal research regulations, human subjects protections, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), and research compliance requirements.
• Track record of leadership in national cardiovascular professional societies, multicenter clinical trials, scientific advisory groups, registries, or other nationally recognized scientific organizations.

About Saint Luke’s

Saint Luke’s serves the West Region of BJC Health, one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States. Through its 10 hospitals and campuses, multiple health service organizations, and more than 100 primary and specialty care offices, Saint Luke’s provides the highest levels of quality and compassionate health care and health-related services for patients in urban, suburban, and rural communities in 65 specialty services across 67 counties in Missouri and Kansas. Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City is nationally recognized by U.S. News & World Report and is one of the elite hospitals in the region. Saint Luke’s is committed to the highest levels of excellence in health care and the advancement of medical research and education.

About Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute

Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute is part of Saint Luke’s, the West Region of BJC Health, one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States. The Heart Institute, a teaching affiliate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, is one of the most distinguished cardiovascular programs in the country. Its legacy of innovation began more than 40 years ago when it opened as the nation’s first freestanding heart hospital. Since then, the nearly 200 board-certified specialists and cardiovascular experts have earned a global reputation for excellence in the treatment of heart disease, including interventional cardiology, cardiovascular surgery, imaging, heart failure, transplant, heart disease prevention, cardio-oncology, cardiometabolic disease, women’s heart disease, electrophysiology, outcomes research, and health economics by being the third hospital in the U.S. to achieve Comprehensive Cardiac Center certification from The Joint Commission. In 2023, the Heart Institute completed its 1,000th heart transplant, making it one of only 23 advanced programs to have reached this milestone.

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