Associate Implementation Scientist

We are recruiting for a mission-driven Associate Implementation Scientist to join our team!

We're with you for life's journey. At Denver Health, purpose isn't just something we believe in-it's something we live every day, for life's journey.

Our Values

Respect | Belonging | Accountability | Transparency

Department

Center for Health Systems Research (CHSR)

Job Summary

The Learning Health Systems team in the Office of Academic Affairs at Denver Health seeks an Implementation Scientist to serve as a system-wide leader in learning health system (LHS) research, implementation science, and quality improvement. This role will design, lead, and advance pragmatic implementation and improvement initiatives that are tightly integrated with clinical care and operational priorities. Working in close partnership with clinicians and operational leaders, the Implementation Scientist will translate evidence into practice, build institutional capacity in implementation science and QI, and advance impactful, publishable work aligned with organizational priorities. A core component of this role is developing and leading applied training and mentorship for clinical fellows and interdisciplinary care teams, pairing hands-on project work with skill-building in implementation science and QI methods.

The ideal candidate will hold a doctoral degree in implementation science, health services research, or a related health field, with demonstrated experience leading implementation efforts in healthcare settings. Candidates should have a strong record of scholarly dissemination, including peer-reviewed publications, and experience applying implementation science theories, frameworks, and pragmatic study designs in real-world clinical and operational contexts. Experience mentoring clinicians, fellows, or project teams and supporting capacity-building in applied research and improvement is strongly preferred.

The Associate Implementation Scientist will play a key role in advancing high-quality care by leading and supporting pragmatic implementation science, quality improvement (QI), and applied health services research across the healthcare system. This individual will design, evaluate, and disseminate implementation strategies that support rapid uptake of evidence-based practices, strengthen learning health system capabilities, and advance organizational quality and safety priorities.

Working collaboratively with partners across the Denver Health healthcare system and with university, academic, and community partners, the Implementation Scientist will collaborate with system leaders, clinicians, informaticists, patients, families, and community members to produce novel insights and evidence that can be rapidly implemented to improve health and service system outcomes. This individual will contribute to research focused on the systematic implementation of innovations and outcome monitoring of these interventions, consistent with Denver Health's strategic plan. They will also work closely with key partners to identify, prioritize, and conduct rapid-cycle improvement efforts in priority areas related to improving healthcare quality and safety.

Essential Functions:

• Use participatory research approaches and meaningfully engage with diverse, multi-level partners to identify and prioritize questions that address the needs of clinicians, patients, families, and community members. (10%)
• Use theory, conceptual models, and frameworks from the field of implementation science (or related fields) to plan, design, execute, evaluate, and refine learning health system research (5%)
• Provide expertise in using observational, quasi-experimental, and experimental study designs to conduct research in a manner that is minimally disruptive to the functioning of a complex health system. (5%)
• Provide subject-matter expertise and lead or direct implementation science initiatives across the healthcare system aligned with organizational quality and strategic priorities. (5%)
• Partner with clinician scientists, clinical teams, and operational leaders to co-design, mentor, and share knowledge in implementation science, pragmatic research, and quality improvement. Implement capacity building efforts and mentor colleagues to train the next cadre of learning health system/implementation scientists focusing on systems science, dissemination and implementation, and rapid cycle improvement. (5%)
• Design implementation and improvement efforts grounded in evidence-based practices, clinical workflows, and operational realities, working closely with clinical and operational teams to ensure feasibility and relevance. (5%)
• Apply established implementation science theories, frameworks, and conceptual models to guide the planning, execution, evaluation, and refinement of initiatives. (5%)
• Apply pragmatic and methodologically rigorous approaches to support the implementation and evaluation of interventions in partnership with clinical teams, balancing scient