Job Posting: Chief, Office of Patient Safety and Clinical Quality

Summary

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, invites strategically minded, action-oriented, and experienced physicians to apply for the position of Chief, Office of Patient Safety and Clinical Quality (OPSCQ). The NIH Clinical Center (CC) is the largest hospital in the world entirely dedicated to clinical and translational research. The hospital maintains a 200-bed capacity, supporting the intramural research programs of Institutes and Centers across the NIH. 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.

Duties

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.

Who Can Apply

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

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

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.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) for federal employees & job applicants.

Standards of Conduct/Financial Disclosure

If selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE Form 450 to determine if a conflict or an appearance of a conflict exists between your financial interest and your prospective position with the agency.

Foreign Education

This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts (or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed and grades). Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Learn more about Foreign Education.

Reasonable Accommodation

You can request a reasonable accommodation at any time during the application or hiring process or while on the job. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.

How to Apply

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 [email protected].