Director of Clinical Research and Real World Evidence

Virta Health

13d • $156,367 - $183,961 • Remote

About The Position

Virta Health is on a mission to reverse metabolic disease in one billion people. Current treatment approaches aren’t working—over half of US adults have either type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, and obesity rates are at an all-time high. Virta is changing this by helping people reverse their metabolic condition through innovations in technology, personalized nutrition, and virtual care delivery reinvented from the ground up. We have raised over $350 million from top-tier investors, and partner with the largest health plans, employers, and government organizations to help their employees and members restore their health and take back their lives. Join us on our mission to reverse metabolic disease in one billion people.
We are recruiting an experienced leader who can provide strategic vision for the research team but also loves to write SQL queries and run regression analyses. This leader has done it all in the research domain, and can bring their team along with them.
The clinical research team’s mission is to generate rigorous evidence to inform Virta’s care, to build credibility among clinical, commercial and scientific audiences, and to accelerate expansion of Virta’s care model. We put evidence ahead of convention to improve patient outcomes and impact metabolic disease at scale. See the team’s work here.
Transitioning to an era where long-term health outcomes and economic impact move to the center of the metabolic health space, we’re adding real world evidence to the focus of the clinical research team, and hence are searching for a leader who has built a portfolio of work leveraging claims and clinical datasets to demonstrate the impact of a clinical health program.
This leader will have three primary areas of responsibility:
Leading the research team, composed of doctoral level clinical investigators, who conduct virtual clinical trials and collaborate with academic investigators on sponsored and collaborative research, all leading to peer-reviewed publication.
Developing real world evidence supporting Virta’s impact on clinical and economic outcomes, in collaboration with the Virta data science team and external data resources, from data warehouses to health plans and employers.
Developing a long-term strategy for Virta’s scientific program that includes conference and association meetings and strategy, and working closely with the marketing team to disseminate Virta’s evidence base to the world.
Leading and implementing a coordinated KOL strategy in collaboration with the commercial team.

Requirements

• A doctoral degree (PhD, DrPH, MD, PharmD, or equivalent research doctorate) in HEOR, clinical outcomes research, health economics, health services research, pharmacoepidemiology, epidemiology, biostatistics, public health, quantitative social sciences, clinical research methodology, or a related quantitative health research discipline is required.
• At least two years of experience working with patients directly in a clinical or research setting. Virta succeeds through behavior change, and thus experience working with patients to make healthy choices in their lives is essential. Experience in metabolic health is highly desirable.
• At least two years in a leadership role analyzing and publishing claims sets and presenting vigorously economic outcomes of a clinical program
• Demonstrated people leadership with at least five years of experience building, mentoring, and developing high-performing teams. Proven ability to support team members’ technical growth and career advancement, and cultivate a collaborative, inclusive, and engaging team culture
• At least five years of business experience working in a start-up or related high-growth organization in order to translate Virta science for the marketplace. (Clinical researchers who have not worked for an early- or growth-stage company will not have the requisite business skills to translate Virta science for the marketplace.)
• Outstanding scientific writing skills. The successful candidate will have drafted, edited, and published multiple peer-reviewed publications both as first and as senior author.
• A firm, innate, understanding of trial design.
• Direct experience working with IRBs and the compliance side of research.
• Familiarity with the process of generating real-world evidence leveraging multiple data sources. Experience with health economics (HEOR) is highly desirable.
• Poise. We are looking for a leader who is comfortable in front of an audience, presents naturally and with authority, and will help build the Virta brand.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a strategy for our clinical research team to devote resources efficiently to clinical trials that will advance science in support of Virta’s business.
• Lead and nurture Virta’s team of experienced clinical researchers who have decades of combined experience developing, implementing, and publishing data from pivotal clinical trials in metabolic health, as well as presenting and publishing on analyses from our own registry data.
• Build a network of key investigators who are interested in collaborating with Virta researchers on trials that extend the impact of the Virta program.
• Strategically align Virta’s scientific work with key national and international conferences, meetings, and symposia.
• Represent Virta’s science on the podium at scientific meetings, in calls and presentations with Virta’s clients and sales prospects, and at internal meetings.
• Participate as an active member of the Virta Medical Group leadership team, representing the scientific point of view and leading/collaborating on evidence-based clinical initiatives that advance the quality and efficiency of the care Virta provides to thousands of patients suffering from metabolic health adversity.
• Develop and advance a real world evidence program, leveraging source of data both within and outside of Virta.
• Work cross functionally to inject evidence into Virta processes - from clinical care to coaching to product development.
• Collaborate closely with the marketing team and the sales team on communication strategies that leverage Virta’s evidence.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree