Head of Epidemiology

Job Description:

• Provide scientific governance for the most complex or high-risk epidemiology programs
• Support selected strategic client relationships and pursuits
• Develop senior epidemiology leaders
• Guide methods, quality, talent, and service offering priorities within epidemiology
• Partner with leaders across Fortrea Consulting and the enterprise on epidemiology, RWE, and Consulting initiatives
• Contribute to epidemiology growth strategy and lead selected priorities
• Sponsor or provide senior scientific approval for selected high-value epidemiology pursuits and client relationships
• Provide epidemiology input to commercial priorities, opportunity-pipeline reviews, and key-account opportunities
• Build external scientific relationships and alliances
• Shape scientific direction and the capability roadmap for epidemiology
• Lead priorities for methods, technology, data partnerships, talent, quality, and scalable delivery
• Establish governance for scientific standards, review, risk escalation, reproducibility, transparency, and regulatory readiness
• Shape Fortrea’s external scientific voice through thought leadership and professional engagement
• Contribute epidemiology expertise to integrated evidence strategies and delivery models
• Serve as senior scientific sponsor for selected complex or high-risk epidemiology programs
• Ensure epidemiology strategies and deliverables meet standards for credibility, relevance, transparency, and defensibility
• Advise senior client stakeholders on epidemiology and RWE strategy, evidence gaps, and regulatory, payer, or HTA implications
• Provide senior epidemiology escalation and decision support for scientific, quality, delivery, financial, and relationship risks
• Ensure appropriate application of epidemiologic and causal-inference methods, natural history, external control arms, time-to-event methods, and regulatory frameworks
• Lead senior epidemiology leaders and oversee leadership development, succession, and organizational effectiveness
• Lead workforce planning, senior hiring, promotion, performance, and deployment decisions
• Build an inclusive and accountable epidemiology culture
• Model Fortrea culture, business ethics, scientific integrity, and responsible decision-making
• Perform other duties as needed or assigned

Requirements:

• Doctoral-level degree in a discipline-relevant area, such as epidemiology, pharmacoepidemiology, public health, or related quantitative health science; Fortrea may consider a graduate-level degree (e.g., MS/MPH) with relevant and equivalent experience and successful project outcomes in lieu of educational requirements
• Recognized scientific and strategic leadership in epidemiology and RWE, including advanced methodology, regulatory-grade evidence, program governance, and capability development
• Demonstrated success strengthening an epidemiology capability, complex program portfolio, or strategic client relationship while sustaining scientific quality and client trust
• Demonstrated success developing senior scientific leaders and leading multidisciplinary teams through growth and change
• Exceptional senior-level communication, judgment, influence, and relationship-building skills across scientific, commercial, and client stakeholders
• Strong understanding of epidemiological guidelines, including STROBE/RECORD and ISPE/ENCePP
• Strong understanding of major regulatory RWE principles, including FDA RWE Framework, ICH E6(R3), and ICH M14
• 15 years of relevant experience, or doctoral-level degree with at least 12 years
• Extensive leadership of complex portfolios, major client relationships, business growth, scientific strategy, and senior leaders
• 10 years of experience leading cross-functional teams and developing staff
• Applied use of secondary real-world data sources, such as claims, EHR, and registries
• Experience representing an epidemiology or RWE capability with senior client, regulatory, payer, HTA, industry, and scientific stakeholders
• Successful experience with external control arms/synthetic controls, natural history studies, and HEOR deliverables
• Demonstrated success originating or expanding strategic client relationships and multidisciplinary programs
• Track record of building new offerings, markets, partnerships, or delivery models with measurable organizational impact
• Experience shaping strategy for an epidemiology or RWE capability and integrating scientific, commercial, people, technology, quality, and delivery priorities
• Recognized external influence through scientific leadership, professional organizations, guidance development, publications, or senior advisory roles
• Ability to challenge conventional thinking to solve client issues and develop solutions
• Regular and consistent attendance
• Ability to access and use a variety of computer software developed both in-house and off-the-shelf
• Ability to travel internationally to support the business as needed

Benefits:

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• STD/LTD
• 401(K)
• ESPP
• Paid time off (PTO) or Flexible time off (FTO)
• Company bonus where applicable
• Occasional domestic and international travel
• Remote home-base work environment