Biobank Director

Department

BSD SRF - Human Tissue Resource Center

About the Department

The Human Tissue Resource Center (HTRC) Biobank unit is a pathology-based, CAP-accredited core facility. It provides effective procurement, storage, distribution, and analysis of human biospecimens that are of critical importance to biomedical research. The HTRC Biobank provides investigators with a centralized infrastructure to optimize the efficiency and costs related to research involving human biospecimens. The core provides a coordinated, centralized, and dedicated program for the procurement, processing, dispersing, and assessment of all types of biospecimens. It is a BSD core part of the Office of Shared Research Facilities.

Job Summary

The Biobank Director provides strategic, operational, and regulatory leadership for the institution's biobanking program, overseeing the collection, processing, storage, management, and distribution of human biospecimens to support research. This role directs biobank operations, including laboratory activities, quality systems, personnel, biospecimen lifecycle management, infrastructure, and fee-for-service programs, while ensuring compliance with institutional policies, IRB requirements, CAP standards, and applicable regulations. Working collaboratively with investigators, clinical teams, research administration, and external partners, the Biobank Director advances operational excellence, develops standardized processes, and supports institutional research priorities through high-quality, sustainable biobanking services.

This at-will position is wholly or partially funded by contractual grant funding which is renewed under provisions set by the grantor of the contract. Employment will be contingent upon the continued receipt of these grant funds and satisfactory job performance.

Responsibilities

• In partnership with the Faculty Director, develops and executes the strategic vision for the biobank, ensuring alignment with institutional research priorities.

• Identifies opportunities for program growth, new services, technology implementation, and operational efficiencies. Represents the biobank on institutional committees, external collaborations, and professional organizations.

• Supports research initiatives and business development activities related to biospecimen services.

• Directs laboratory facility operations, including equipment procurement, vendor management, service contracts, and infrastructure planning.

• Collaborates with HTRC Histology and Faculty Director to troubleshoot technical and administrative challenges and implementing effective resolutions.

• Leads daily biospecimen operations, including tissue collection, as well as processing, storage, and shipment of tissue and biofluids.

• Aligns biobanking operations, resources, and strategic priorities with institutional research objectives and evolving clinical research needs.

• Partners with researchers to develop, implement, and update biospecimen banking protocols and Institutional Review Board (IRB) submissions.

• Provides operational and regulatory guidance to investigators on long-term research initiatives, biospecimen utilization, and departmental strategy.

• Serves as a key institutional contact for inspections, safety audits, and compliance reviews. Oversees data compliance reporting and monitoring activities.

• Oversees the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), LabVantage, ensuring system integrity, data quality, regulatory compliance, and optimization of biobanking workflows.

• Oversees the functionality, maintenance, validation, and repair of laboratory equipment; evaluates operational needs and recommends equipment acquisitions and capital funding requests.

• Directs laboratory facility operations, including equipment procurement, vendor management, service contracts, and infrastructure planning.

• Ensures biobanking operations and procedures comply with College of American Pathologists (CAP) and institutional requirements, and all applicable policies and procedures.

• Leads the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of standard operating procedures, workflows, and technical processes to improve efficiency and research quality. Directs all CAP accreditation activities, including inspection readiness, execution of inspections, and oversight of corrective actions and remediation of findings.

• Partners with Human Resources to support recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and professional development; manages employee relations mattering including performance management, compensation, and staff engagement.

• Develops organizational structure, staffing models, succession planning, and workforce development strategies to support current and future biobanking needs.

• Manages research professionals and support staff involved with planning, monitoring, and compliance aspects of research projects. Advises other researchers on long-range plans for research projects.

• Develops goals and operating procedures, practices, and guidelines for research activity based on department strategy.

• Manages the laboratory facilities, including the purchase of new equipment and the maintenance and repair of laboratory equipment.

• Reviews research of others, and may conduct own research, in area of expertise. Edits and approves articles, reports and manuscripts. Presents research findings at meetings and/or conferences. Manages the research of processes in clinical or non-clinical settings. Program and use computers to store, process, and analyze data.

• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Experience:

• 10+ years of experience with biobanking and anatomic pathology laboratory.

• 7+ years of experience operating and managing core facilities/research or clinical laboratories.

• Experience with LabVantage LIM system.

Licenses and Certifications:

• American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) certification.

• ASCP Qualification in Biorepository Science (QBRS).

Preferred Competencies

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Strong analytical skills and exceptional attention to detail.

• Demonstrated responsibility, maturity, reliability and professionalism.

• Experience handling confidential and sensitive data with discretion.

• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within a team.

• Ability to interact effectively with a variety of healthcare professionals, including faculty investigators, research managers, nursing and technical staff.

• Familiarity with Windows-based operating systems and common software programs such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Web-based applications.

Working Conditions

• Laboratory and office settings.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)

• Cover Letter (preferred)

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Research

Role Impact

People Manager

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Drug Test Required

Yes

Health Screen Required

Yes

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

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FLSA Status

Exempt

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Pay Range

$110,000.00 - $150,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

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