Open Rank Faculty/Associate Director for Translational Research

Company: UNC-Chapel Hill
Location: Chapel Hill
Posted on: April 2, 2026

Job Description:

Position Summary We are seeking the Associate Director for Translational Research (AD TR) at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. This individual will hold a primary faculty appointment within the School of Medicine, with a secondary administrative appointment as the AD TR. Appointment and rank in an academic department will be determined by the applicant’s qualifications. This is a senior-level faculty rank, and the selected candidate will be a faculty member who conducts outstanding basic and translational cancer research. The AD TR shall be an established independent investigator with interdisciplinary translational research in innovative biology with immediate clinical relevance and application, significant publications, and extramural grant funding. Responsibilities include: mentorship of graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty members; serve as a member of the Lineberger Senior Leadership team; foster close working relationships with Program Leaders and Shared Resource Directors; participate in team science initiatives. Administrative duties include: upon request, perform reviews of grant applications and investigator-initiated clinical trials originating from the Center to ensure translational project opportunities are embedded into each, as appropriate; attend and actively participate in LCCC research program meetings to foster programmatic content that is inclusive of translational science concepts; at the direction of the Cancer Center Director, represent the program during NCI site visits and annual External Advisory Board meetings; work collaboratively with fellow Associate Directors to co-create a scientific community at Lineberger reflective of all components of an NCI -designated comprehensive cancer center. UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center ( LCCC ) is one of the largest research organizations in the UNC system. UNC Lineberger is the only public NCI -designated comprehensive cancer center within the State of North Carolina and supports 425 members, 605 staff, nine research programs, and 32 shared resources. UNC Lineberger has been rated an exceptional NCI center in the last three CCSG cycles (2010,2015,2020) making it eligible to extend the current cycle to 2027. LCCC is the center of cancer research at UNC -Chapel Hill and beyond. LCCC focuses on a mission to propel cancer research for the state of North Carolina, the nation, and the globe to improve patient outcomes. As a large matrix cancer center, they are physically located in the center of the medical campus in the UNC Lineberger building, a 79,000 square foot building dedicated exclusively to cancer research. It is flanked by Marsico Hall (completed in 2015) and the Mary Ellen Jones Building (completed in 2021), where LCCC has additional wet and dry research facilities. LCCC has more than 170,000 square feet of dedicated research across the campus. Patients are seen in Basnight Cancer Hospital completed in 2009. The faculty are representative of the broad scope and depth of LCCC’s cancer research enterprise. Forty-eight departments are represented across the campus, including those in the Schools of Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Public Health, Dentistry, Journalism, Social Work, and the College of Arts and Sciences. Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, And Experience Excellent communication, interpersonal and organizational skills. Relevant NCI cancer center program leadership experience.

Keywords: UNC-Chapel Hill, Rocky Mount , Open Rank Faculty/Associate Director for Translational Research, Science, Research & Development , Chapel Hill, North Carolina