Careers | Center for Health Research

The Center for Health Research (CHR) offers the intellectual caliber of an academic institution in a small-organization setting that fosters collegiality and support for scientific inquiry.

Funded primarily by federal grants, CHR maintains research independence that encourages our investigators to pursue research for the public good. At the same time, CHR enjoys an affiliation with Kaiser Permanente, home to the nation’s second largest electronic medical record system with 12 million members—representing a wealth of epidemiological data.

CHR always welcomes professional inquiries from highly qualified experienced and mid-career researchers.

To access a job posting go to kaiserpermanentejobs.org and search for the job number.

INVESTIGATOR OPENINGS

One of the oldest embedded research centers in the U.S., the Center for Health Research (CHR) at Kaiser Permanente Northwest is recruiting qualified candidates eager to produce impactful results using real-world data in a health system setting. Investigators at the entry, senior, and distinguished levels are encouraged to apply. For more information on current investigator openings, links to apply, and working at CHR, go to the Investigator Careers page.

View Current Investigator Openings And Career Information

There are currently no investigator openings.

POSITION OPENINGS

Director of Research Administration

Schedule: Full-Time
Job Number: 1391509

Apply for this position

Kaiser Permanente Northwest is seeking a new Director of Research Administration to oversee the Center for Health Research’s (CHR) Finance, Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA), and Facilities teams. The position serves on the Center’s Leadership Team and reports to the Vice President for Health Research.

View detailed description and qualification requirements

Located in Portland, Oregon, CHR is one of eight regional research centers within Kaiser Permanente and the only one in Oregon/Southwestern Washington. Our mission is to advance knowledge to improve health. We do this through a robust portfolio of extramurally-funded research and evaluation projects. 2025 annual revenues exceeded $48 M. Learn more about us at: https://research.kpchr.org/.

The ideal candidate will be an experienced leader and people manager with deep knowledge about research finance and accounting, pre- and post-award grant and contract administration (federal, industry, and non-profit funding), and the general administration of a not-for-profit research center. They will share our commitment to improving health and healthcare through public health and biomedical research. They will embrace a spirit of continuous process improvement and know how to effectively lead others to drive for results. This is a flexible position. Regular on-site work is required.

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelors degree plus 10 years of relevant experience in award management, research, academia or health care; 3 years of experience in a leadership role, and 2 years of experience managing operational or project budgets. Preference will be given to candidates with 5 years of experience: reviewing, negotiating, and/or determining the feasibility of clinical trials contracts and budgets; knowledge of organizational finance and accounting; and one or more of the following certifications: Certified Research Administrator (CRA), Certified Financial Research Administrator (CFRA), Certified Pre-Award Administrator (CPRA), or other certification from the Research Administrators Certification Council (RACC).

Essential responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Leadership and direction-setting for departmental goals and operational plans. Assisting in overall leadership of the Center. Leading development and oversight of operational budget.
Regulatory compliance: ensuring all financial oversight and grant/contract management is compliant and consistent with applicable regulations, policies, and procedures.
Administration and management: providing oversight of accounting and finance staff, pre- and post-award grant administration staff, and facilities staff.
Communication and relationship building with internal partners (e.g., regional and national finance and research colleagues within Kaiser Permanente) and external stakeholders (e.g., funders, contractors).

For more detailed information about this position or to apply, go to: https://www.kaiserpermanentejobs.org/job/portland/director-research-administration/641/90269392784 or contact Laura Cardoza (laura.cardoza@kp.org)

Kaiser Permanente is an equal opportunity employer committed to fair, respectful, and inclusive workplaces. Applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic or status. External hires must pass a background check/drug screen. Qualified applicants with arrest and/or conviction records will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with federal and state laws, as well as applicable local ordinances, including but not limited to the San Francisco and Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinances.