Description

ThedaCare is seeking an academically driven physician leader to serve as Research Medical Director for the ThedaCare Cancer Center and the Froedtert ThedaCare enterprise North Region. This executive medical leadership role combines strategic vision, clinical research oversight, physician mentorship, operational partnership, and formal academic alignment with the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) Cancer Center.

The Medical Director will help build a balanced, high-impact clinical trial portfolio; integrate research more deeply into everyday cancer care; strengthen regulatory and operational performance; and create durable pathways for collaboration across ThedaCare, Froedtert, and MCW. The role offers the opportunity to advance a regionally and nationally recognized platform for community-based oncology research while maintaining meaningful clinical and academic engagement.

The role allows for customization of clinical, research, and administrative efforts based on a candidate’s professional strengths and interests.

Requirements

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a collaborative, credible physician executive who combines scientific curiosity with operational discipline. This leader will be energized by the opportunity to build, align, and mentor—working across organizational boundaries to translate strategy into better access, stronger research performance, and improved outcomes for patients.

Required Qualifications

• MD or DO with board certification in Hematology, Oncology, and/or Radiation Oncology.
• Current or eligible Wisconsin medical licensure.
• Administrative or leadership experience with demonstrated success in program development, strategic implementation, and physician mentorship.
• Strong knowledge of clinical research processes and procedures, including active involvement with cooperative clinical trial groups.
• Prior service as a Principal Investigator or Site Principal Investigator, with sustained participation in cooperative group and/or industry-sponsored trials.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize a research portfolio, optimize accrual, and uphold rigorous regulatory and operational standards.
• Excellent communication, consensus-building, analytical, and relationship-development skills.
• Recognized clinical expertise and a documented record of clinical and/or academic contribution.

Preferred Attributes

• A systems perspective that connects scientific goals, clinical operations, financial stewardship, and patient access.
• A visible, inclusive leadership style that develops investigators and teams, invites collaboration, and creates accountability.
• The judgment and executive presence to represent the North Region in enterprise and national research forums.
• Experience or strong interest in academic collaboration, translational research, and clinical trial leadership within an academic-community partnership.

The Unique Opportunity

Few physician leadership roles offer this combination of strategic influence, academic connection, community reach, and opportunity to build. The Research Medical Director will inherit meaningful partnerships and an ambitious vision—and will have the mandate to shape the structures, portfolio, talent, and culture required for the next stage of growth.

• Lead within a growing regional cancer program committed to integrating research with exceptional clinical care.
• Help define a unified research enterprise across ThedaCare, Froedtert, and MCW while preserving responsiveness to local communities.
• Use academic infrastructure to expand innovation and use community reach to broaden who benefits from research.
• Create a lasting platform for investigator development, scholarly productivity, and sustainable growth in clinical trials.
• Improve access to advanced therapies for patients throughout Northeast Wisconsin—closer to where they live.