AHA is launching a new venture around brain health and healthy aging. Scientific evidence is growing around the connection between cardiovascular health and brain health and the shared risk factors that impact both. To back this commitment, AHA is investing significant research dollars into the mechanisms and modifiable risk factors that can change the trajectory of brain health and healthy aging leading to healthier and longer lives. We are looking for people who like fast paced, creative and challenging work at the intersection of emerging brain science and thrive on building innovative real-world solutions.
In this role you are responsible for identifying and leading the brain health and healthy aging ideation process through a network of expert contributors to support new areas of scientific inquiry and solution development to solve real world human health problems with measurable impact and improvement of lives around the world. We are looking for someone who is skilled in leading others through ambiguous and complex problems to develop actionable insights.
This position partners with AHA science teams, Mission Advancement to support funding of innovative scientific inquiry and solution development as well collaborates with product development teams to translate identified scientific insights into solutions. The selected candidate must be comfortable challenging the status quo and navigating the flow of ideas and concepts to create novel, equitable and sustainable human-centered solutions.
- Organize and lead collaboration meetings to drive scientific discussion, debate, learning and lead efforts to generate and support novel ideas; including strategically focused scientific networks, competitions, hackathons, other idea generation and management techniques. Develop and facilitate ideation and shared learning sessions to identify solutions to priority problems.
- Identify, foster, and support relationships with thought leaders, influencers, innovators, subject matter experts, and professional groups and organizations around brain health and healthy aging to support ideation and advancement in the field of cognitive health.
- Design research, analyze problems through the human lens, identify insights and opportunities and collaborate with others to drive innovative solutions. Dig into challenging, ambiguous, human-centered problems where brain science and emerging consumer health platforms converge.
- Build internal and external collaboration and communication processes and channels, formal and informal, to build awareness of the goals and work of AHA’s brain health & healthy aging enterprise. Engage key stakeholders in driving the mission forward.
- Bring ideas to life through a variety of design media, from hand-drawn storyboards to concept prototypes.
- Organize, prioritize, manage project timelines and meet competing deadlines using best practices in project and program development procedures.
- Champion design excellence within teams, illuminating the difference between “good” and “great” work, and inspiring teams to achieve vision and goals.
- Eight (8) years of experience leading scientific multi-disciplinary research networks or ideation and product development teams
- Four (4) years of experience building collaborative external ideation networks or networks of business leaders and subject matter experts to support novel ideation and solution development and advocating for simplicity, urgency and creative problem-solving
- Four (4) years of experience as lead investigator or entrepreneurial experience around new product ideation experience from concept to prototype, or both
- Four (4) years of clinical research design or product design experience
- Ability to translate data into analysis; insights into actions
- Ability to set priorities to meet all deadlines
- Ability to quickly bring ideas to life through a variety of means
- Strong understanding of design thinking and user-centered practices
- Strong collaborator, who can work across disciplines (internally and externally)
- Ability to interact with senior leaders and external stakeholder as a leader and peer
Preferred Qualifications
- MBA or Ph.D. preferred in relevant scientific area
- Eight (8) years of experience leading research networks or ideation process and supporting prototype, user testing and feedback
- Two (2) years of user experience design and development