The National Library of Medicine (NLM) is one of 27 Institutes and Centers at the National Institutes of Health. NLM is a global leader in biomedical informatics and computational health data science and the world’s largest biomedical library. NLM’s legislative mandate is to support the essential work of acquiring, organizing, preserving, and disseminating biomedical information. NLM provides public access to this information 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

NLM Division: Lister Hill National Center for Biomedical Communications (LHNCBC)

NLM Program/Office: Applied Clinical Informatics Branch (ACIB)

Application Period: Applications will be accepted April 19, 2024 through May 20, 2024.

Overview: 

The NLM’s Lister Hill National Center for Biomedical Communications (LHNCBC) is looking for a Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) Team Lead to play a key technical leadership role in developing advanced computational tools and resources to support NIH-wide ambitions to facilitate, promote the use of, and help develop the Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) specification and its supporting coding systems in the United States Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI) standard for biomedical research purposes. FHIR is an application programing interface that specifies how to structure, manage, and access health care and associated data in a standardized way. The USCDI specifies the coding systems for identifying drugs, tests, clinical reports conditions and other elements within FHIR and other Health Level 7 (HL7) communication standards and Clinical Document Architecture.

The ACIB is a diverse branch within LHNCBC supporting production-like applications that are used throughout NLM, across NIH and by researchers around the world while also working on state-of-the-art research in Natural Language Processing (artificial intelligence that deals with the interaction between computers and humans using the natural language).  The ACIB identifies and develops innovative solutions for complex biomedical informatics challenges related to the use of diverse forms of clinical data, such as electronic health records, imaging, and sensor data, that scale across institutional boundaries and applications. Its members translate new research results into operational solutions that can be implemented in healthcare and research environments, and they explore and improve upon emerging solutions in the use of clinical data, including standards for terminology and data communications.
 

Position Description/Responsibilities:

The FHIR Team Lead will be a  Senior Biomedical Research and Biomedical Product Assessment Service (SBRBPAS) appointment. Candidates for this position must have outstanding expertise in health data standards, especially FHIR and its implementation in health software applications. Clinical/clinical research expertise, such as experience specialized in processing clinical/clinical research data, is a plus. Candidates should have experience in working in a biomedical research and development environment. Outstanding communication skills and a collaborative work style are critical.  This is a full-time leadership position defining technology strategy and priority by providing expert advice and consulting to assure coherence between evolving NIH FHIR projects and core FHIR specifications being developed in the broader biomedical informatics community (industry and academia).

The FHIR Team Lead reports to the ACIB Chief and will lead and supervise a highly technical multidisciplinary team of scientific and technical professionals in the development of cutting-edge FHIR tools and next-generational computational infrastructure to support research using health care data, sharing research data, and training clinical/research-oriented software developers. The FHIR Team Lead will:

• develop informatics systems, tools, or datasets with demonstrated use and reuse, particularly open-source tools or those shared with an open license
• advise and direct fellows (i.e., trainees) and mentor scientists in the use of FHIR, its benefits, and its application to associated coding systems;
• advance biomedical informatics and data science; and
• build a workforce for data-driven research.

This is a full-time position located at NIH facilities at the Bethesda, Maryland area campus and is telework eligible in accordance with HHS and NIH guidance.

Position Requirements:

To be eligible for this this position, candidates must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National. Foreign nationals or legal permanent residents are not eligible for consideration. Candidates must indicate their U.S. citizenship status on their CV or within their email application submission.

Candidates must be actively engaged in original biomedical research, including behavioral research, and whose work in this area is considered by recognized experts or peers in the field of biomedical research to be outstanding. One or more of the following achievements must be present to demonstrate the individual has received such recognition:

• Conducted original biomedical research published in peer-reviewed journals of high stature;
• Received major prizes and awards (such as visiting professorships and named lectureships) in recognition of original contributions to biomedical research;
• Received invitations to speak at or chair major national or international meetings or symposia;
• Elected to membership in professional societies of high stature; or
• Meets other criteria demonstrating sufficient rigor or accomplishment in a relevant or closely related field that is necessary to the accomplishment of the NIH mission

If you are a current Federal Title 5 employee, you must have one year of equivalent experience at the GS-14 level or above.  

Education Requirements:

To qualify for this position, candidates must all possess a master's level or higher degree in:

• Engineering;
• Computer science;
• Biomedical/clinical informatics; or

An emerging or related scientific field.  

Salary and Benefits:

Salary is competitive and will be commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the candidate.  Full Federal benefits will be provided, including retirement, health and life insurance, long-term care insurance, leave, and a Thrift Savings Plan (401K equivalent).   

How to Apply

Interested candidates should email a complete application package consisting of a:

1) cover letter

2) curriculum vitae, and

3) three letters of reference.

Applicant information should be sent to: NLM FHIR Search Committee, c/o Nikeia Miller at millernik@mail.nih.gov

FHIR Team Lead | Office of Human Resources (nih.gov)

Contact Information: Nikeia Miller, millernik@mail.nih.gov

HHS, NIH, and NLM are equal opportunity employers.

Last Reviewed: April 19, 2024