Description
The dbGaP Curator will play a critical role in ensuring that high‑value genomic, phenotypic, and clinical research data are accurately curated, well‑documented, and responsibly prepared for secure and compliant sharing through dbGaP.
Responsibilities:
- Ensure NCI-supported studies are accurately curated, complete, and ready for compliant submission to dbGaP.
- Strengthen data quality by reviewing and validating phenotype, sample, and metadata files for clarity and consistency, carefully documenting curation decisions throughout the process.
- Standardize phenotype and variable metadata using controlled vocabularies to improve usability across studies.
- Identify missing, unclear, or inconsistent documentation and work with study teams to resolve gaps.
- Implement quality control checks that enhance the accuracy, completeness, and reliability of study submissions.
- Support updates to existing dbGaP records, maintaining accurate, current, and well‑documented study metadata.
- Collaborate with investigators, researchers, and NCI staff to support timely, transparent, and policy‑aligned data sharing.
Requirements:
- Master’s degree in a relevant scientific or data‑focused discipline (e.g., genomics, biomedical science, bioinformatics) with 1–3 years of submitting dbGaP data, and 4 years curating biomedical data.
- Proven experience reviewing, curating, and organizing scientific data, including genomic, phenotypic, and clinical metadata, in fast‑paced or complex research environments.
- Strong ability to quickly learn new workflows, study processes, and submission requirements, adapting effectively within an established team structure.
- Demonstrated expertise in metadata standards, data dictionaries, variable harmonization, and controlled vocabularies to ensure accuracy and consistency across studies.
- Demonstrated technical proficiency with large datasets, including advanced Excel, SQL, Linux/Unix, Python, and R.
- Experience performing rigorous quality control checks and identifying documentation gaps or inconsistencies in study materials.
- Strong communication skills to coordinate with investigators, NCI staff, study teams, and other stakeholders to resolve questions and obtain missing information.
Preferred Skills:
- Background creating large genomic, phenotypic, or epidemiologic datasets in a research environment.
- Proficiency coordinating with diverse study teams, investigators, and federal staff in complex or multi‑stakeholder environments.
- Direct curation experience working in the receipt of genomic, phenotypic, and clinical metadata.
- Teaching others how to collate, format, and curate data for data submission into government datasets.
Benefits:
- Medical plan options, some with Health Savings Accounts.
- Dental plan options.
- Vision plan.
- 401(k) plan with company match.
- Full flex work weeks.
- Paid time off plans, including vacation, sick and personal time, holidays, paid parental, military, bereavement and jury duty leave.
- Short and long-term disability benefits.
- Life, accidental death and dismemberment, personal accident, critical illness and business travel and accident insurance.