Description
The Department of Emergency Medicine and the Department of Artificial Intelligence & Health at the Medical College of Georgia (MCG), Augusta University, invite applications for a Vice Chair of Research. This is a unique leadership opportunity for a physician-scientist or PhD researcher with expertise in clinical informatics, applied artificial intelligence (AI), and data-driven research to advance an integrated research enterprise at the intersection of emergency care and health technology.
MCG is the state of Georgia’s only public medical school, with a nearly 200-year legacy of leadership in medical education, discovery, and service. Augusta University is a rapidly growing academic health center with a strong institutional commitment to data science, artificial intelligence, and health system innovation.
Position Overview
The Vice Chair of Research will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for the Department of Emergency Medicine’s research mission, with a strong emphasis on informatics-enabled, data-intensive, and translational research programs. This role includes a joint appointment between Emergency Medicine and Artificial Intelligence & Health, fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration in clinical informatics, machine learning, and learning health systems.
Key responsibilities include:
Developing and implementing a forward-looking research strategy integrating emergency care, health data science, and AI.
Building and sustaining externally funded research programs, including federal, foundation, and industry partnerships.
Advancing the use of large-scale clinical datasets, real-world data, and machine learning approaches to improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency.
Mentoring faculty, fellows, and trainees in informatics, implementation science, and data-driven research methods.
Strengthening research infrastructure, including data pipelines, analytics platforms, and interdisciplinary team science.
Collaborating across departments and institutional initiatives in AI, digital health, and clinical decision support systems.
The Vice Chair will maintain an independent, nationally recognized research portfolio while cultivating a collaborative and inclusive research ecosystem.
Clinical Role
For physician candidates, the position includes protected time for research leadership and scholarship alongside a clinical practice in Emergency Medicine at Wellstar MCG Health.
The clinical environment includes:
State-of-the-art academic medical center with a Level I trauma center, comprehensive stroke center, and ACC-accredited chest pain center.
Academic pediatric emergency care at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia.
High-acuity emergency department with approximately 80,000 annual visits, providing a rich setting for clinical and translational research.
Requirements
Qualifications
MD, DO, or PhD in a relevant field (e.g., clinical disciplines, biomedical informatics, data science, health services research, computer science, or related field).
For physician applicants: board certification (or eligibility) in Emergency Medicine.
For PhD applicants: demonstrated engagement in clinically oriented research environments.
Demonstrated expertise and/or commitment to clinical informatics, AI in healthcare, or data science applications in clinical research.
Experience working with large clinical datasets, including electronic health records, registries, or digital health data.
Established track record of research productivity and program development.
Demonstrated experience in collaborating with clinical investigators and multidisciplinary teams, including applied or translational research settings.
Experience mentoring trainees or junior investigators in a collaborative, team-based research environment.
Preferred:
Experience with machine learning, natural language processing, large language models (LLMs), or clinical decision support systems.
Prior success in securing extramural funding (e.g., NIH, AHRQ, DoD, industry).
Formal training or certification in clinical informatics or related disciplines.
For PhD applicants: a strong record of collaboration within clinical departments or health systems, particularly in emergency or acute care settings.
Opportunity Highlights
Joint appointment bridging clinical medicine and AI innovation.
Access to expanding institutional investments in AI, data infrastructure, and interdisciplinary research.
Opportunity to shape a modern academic research program, including learning health systems, data interoperability, and responsible AI.
Support for faculty development, collaboration, and growth in a rapidly evolving academic environment.
