The hospital provides care to an extensive range of patients who are research participants with long-standing relationships with their research teams.
The NIH CC is the nation’s leading clinical research hospital. It has a special role in the federal government because it combines patient care with medical research. Here, care teams and scientists develop and test new treatments to help improve people’s health. Within the NIH CC, the OPSCQ is an essential part of the executive organizational structure with a wide range of traditional and specialized functions designed to ensure patient safety and maintain the highest standards of clinical care in a high-reliability clinical setting within the context of the clinical research mission of the NIH.
What the Chief, OPSCQ will lead
As Chief, you will be responsible for the management and staff supervision of the Office, reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, and serving as a senior advisor to the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Executive Officer in the areas of patient safety, clinical quality improvement, and performance measurement programs, and patient safety event reporting and feedback. This position coordinates the CC’s patient perception and experience activities, oversees the Joint Commission accreditation activities, and also serves as the Executive Secretary for the CC’s Medical Executive Committee.
The ideal candidate
The successful candidate will bring demonstrated executive leadership, strong communication skills, and the ability to lead collaboratively across a complex clinical research environment. Competitive candidates will have:
- Demonstrated ability to apply knowledge of process improvement methodologies and techniques in a complex healthcare/clinical research setting
- Experience setting the strategic direction for an organization’s patient safety and clinical quality agenda
- Experience leading interdisciplinary teams in organizational improvement initiatives to ensure the safe and effective delivery of patient care, efficient hospital operations, and productivity
- Excellent management and interpersonal skills
- Strong analytical and creative problem-solving abilities
Benefits, location, and application
Salary is commensurate with experience and accomplishments. A full Civil Service package of benefits is available, including retirement, health, life, and long-term care insurance, and the Thrift Savings Plan. The position is located at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. All applicants will be subject to a background investigation.
Applications must be submitted through USAJOBS: https://www.usajobs.gov/ to job announcement number NIH-GR-DH-27-13067973
Applications will be accepted from Wednesday, October 14, 2026, to Friday, October 23, 2026. Please include a cover letter outlining your interest in the position and your vision for patient safety and clinical quality. In your two-page CV, include a brief description of your duties, prior appointments, and mentoring experience. For questions, please contact globaljobs@mail.nih.gov.
HHS and NIH are Equal Opportunity Employers
NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health
