Data Linkage Operations Lead

Overview

Type of Requisition: Regular

Clearance Level Must Currently Possess: None

Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain: None

Public Trust/Other

Required:

BI Full 6C (T4)

Job Family: Data Science and Data Engineering

Job Qualifications:

Skills: Communication, Data Policies, Deliverables Management, Prioritization, Record Linkage

Certifications: None

Experience: 7 + years of related experience

US Citizenship

Required:

No

Job Description:

GDIT is seeking an experienced Data Linkage Operations Lead to oversee intake, governance, stakeholder engagement, training, and reporting for a large federal data access and linkage initiative. This role serves as the operational lead for program processes surrounding DUAs, study onboarding, researcher support, and program metrics, ensuring that linkage and enclave services are delivered consistently and in alignment with policy and governance requirements.

The Data Linkage Operations Lead reports to the Program Director and works closely with the program, technical teams, partners, researchers, and federal customers.

How a Data Linkage Operations Lead Will Make an Impact

• Lead end‑to‑end management of program operations work streams, including study and researcher intake, DUA and governance workflows, stakeholder communications, training, and technical assistance for linkage and enclave services.
• Coordinate with federal customers and technical leads to translate policies, privacy requirements, and program goals into clear operational processes, SOPs, templates, and services.
• Oversee day‑to‑day execution of operations activities, tracking requests, timelines, risks, and issues, and ensuring timely completion of requirements and deliverables.
• Manage development and use of dashboards and metrics to monitor program participation, DUA processing, linkage demand, turnaround times, user experience, and continuous improvement actions.
• Lead planning and delivery of communications, documentation, and training for researchers and stakeholders, including guidance on DUAs, masking, linkage options, enclave use, and disclosure review processes.
• Plan and execute data linkage operations related transition activities, including orderly transfer of environments, configurations, documentation, and tools.

What You’ll Need to Succeed

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline.
• Demonstrated experience leading operations or program management for federal research, health, or data access programs.
• Strong understanding of project and program management practices, including scope, schedule, risk, stakeholder management, documentation, and reporting.
• Experience working with or around federal data access, privacy, or governance requirements and DUAs in close coordination with technical and policy leads.
• Proven ability to manage multiple concurrent work streams, deadlines, and stakeholder groups, including researchers, federal staff, and technical teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including concise status reports, stakeholder communications, training materials, and program documentation for government and technical audiences.
• 7+ years of experience supporting federal agencies, research organizations, or healthcare systems in program operations, data access, or research support roles.
• Current relevant professional certifications.
• Ability to obtain/maintain a Public Trust or higher and authorization to work in the US.
• Willingness to travel 10–25% to support on‑site collaboration in the DC Metro area.

Preferred

• Master’s degree in a relevant field.
• 11+ years of experience leading operations for federal data access or sharing programs, health services research programs, or large‑scale research support initiatives.
• Familiarity with the lifecycle of data access requests, DUAs, governance reviews, and disclosure control in enclave or similar secure research environments.
• Experience with metrics, dashboards, and KPIs for tracking program performance, researcher demand, and operational throughput for data linkage.
• Prior work with federal health or research agencies on data access, linkage, or real‑world data initiatives.

GDIT is Your Place
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