The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) is looking for a Director, Mental Health for Translational Sciences to evaluate, establish, and manage large-scale, multi-sector public–private partnerships focused on transforming the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders and mental health.
The Director will operate at the intersection of clinical research, translational science, and regulatory engagement—working with academic investigators, biopharmaceutical partners, technology collaborators, patient organizations, and regulatory agencies to generate high-quality, actionable evidence that advances precision psychiatry.
This role will oversee the protocol development and execution of an ambitious program integrating clinical data, multi-omics, digital phenotyping, imaging, and patient-reported outcomes to identify biologically and clinically meaningful subtypes of major depressive disorder (MDD) and predictive biomarkers of treatment response.
This position will report to the Senior Vice President of Translational Science within the Science Partnerships department (or their designated report) and is based at the FNIH offices located in North Bethesda, MD.
Key Responsibilities
Scientific Leadership & Strategy
Convene and facilitate partners and cross‑sector experts to drive the collaborative scientific strategy for a longitudinal MDD program focused on deep phenotyping and biomarker discovery, overseeing partner governance, joint protocol development, coordinated site selection, and integrated operational execution.
Ensure integration of multimodal data (clinical, biological, imaging, behavioral, and digital) into a coherent scientific approach
Partnership Leadership & Governance
Establish governance structures, scientific steering committees, and working groups to drive alignment and accountability
Serve as a trusted scientific leader and convener across diverse stakeholders with differing incentives
Regulatory Engagement
Work with partners to develop and lead regulatory strategies in collaboration with agencies (e.g., FDA, EMA)
Ensure study designs and biomarker approaches align with regulatory expectations for qualification and clinical use and contribute to regulatory submissions, qualification packages, and scientific advice interactions
Program Oversight & Delivery
Manage complex program timelines, budgets, deliverables, and ensure dissemination of results through publications, data platforms, and stakeholder communications
Oversee data governance, data sharing frameworks, and compliance with ethical and privacy standards
Field Building & External Representation
Represent the program in scientific, clinical, and policy forums and engage funders and strategic partners to sustain and expand initiatives
Contribute to shaping the emerging field of precision psychiatry and biomarker-driven mental health research
Required
MD, PhD, or equivalent in psychiatry, neuroscience, clinical research, or related discipline
10+ years of experience in translational clinical research, including leadership of complex, multi-site studies or clinical trials
Strong track record in preclinical translational research, biomarker development, or longitudinal cohort studies
Proven ability to lead large, multidisciplinary, cross-sector collaborations
Demonstrated experience interacting with regulatory agencies and contributing to regulatory strategy or submissions
Preferred
Training in neuropsychiatric research and/or practice experience in psychiatry or related mental health field
Experience in major depressive disorder or other neuropsychiatric disorders
Expertise in one or more relevant domains (e.g., neuroimaging, genomics, digital health, computational psychiatry)
Experience with public–private partnerships or precompetitive consortia
Track record of high-impact publications and scientific leadership
This is a hybrid position and requires regular visits to FNIH headquarters in Bethesda, MD. This position may also require occasional travel for meetings, conferences and any other relevant engagements.
At FNIH we are committed to living our core values every day. If you are excited about this role and the work of the Foundation, but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with all the qualifications in the job description, we encourage you to apply nonetheless. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles at FNIH.
Compensation details: 185000-225000 Yearly Salary
PIf9708f82183e-25401-40192604
| Location | North Bethesda, MD |
| Salary | $185,000–$225,000 Per Year |
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