Job Description

The Lead Genetic Counselor provides advanced clinical genetic counseling services to adult patients and families within the Center for Genetics & Prevention and serves as a senior resource across a broad spectrum of hereditary cancer conditions. The Lead Genetic Counselor works closely with the Clinical Director, Disease Center leadership, Managers, and the Associate Director of Genetic Counseling to advance clinical practice, education, and operational effectiveness. This role provides leadership of a defined specialty area, including program development, relationship management, and coordination of specialty-focused initiatives that support high-quality, consistent genetics services across the Institute. The role also contributes to research, staff development, and institutional efforts related to hereditary cancer risk assessment, testing, interpretation, and genomic medicine.

Located in Boston and the surrounding communities, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a leader in life changing breakthroughs in cancer research and patient care. We are united in our mission of conquering cancer, HIV/AIDS, and related diseases. We strive to create an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment where we provide compassionate and comprehensive care to patients of all backgrounds, and design programs to promote public health particularly among high-risk and underserved populations. We conduct groundbreaking research that advances treatment, we educate tomorrow's physician/researchers, and we work with amazing partners, including other Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provides expert genetic counseling services for adult patients and families, including collection and interpretation of personal and family history, risk assessment, test selection, informed consent, result disclosure, psychosocial support, and development of management recommendations across hereditary cancer syndromes.
• Serves as a lead clinician for complex and high-acuity cases involving common and rare hereditary cancer conditions, including hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, gastrointestinal cancer syndromes, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, SDHx-associated syndromes, VHL, and other inherited cancer predisposition conditions.
• Leads the development and ongoing management of a defined specialty area within the Genetics & Prevention program, including identifying opportunities for growth, improving workflows and services, strengthening internal and external relationships, and responding to evolving clinical and operational needs with effective solutions.
• Collaborates with disease centers, affiliated clinics, satellite locations, laboratories, physicians, advanced practice providers, and other multidisciplinary partners to expand access to genetic counseling and testing services, support coordinated care, and enhance specialty program effectiveness.
• Provides leadership in education and training by mentoring genetic counselors and affiliated staff, supporting clinical supervision of trainees, contributing to internal staff education, and developing or refining educational resources for patients, providers, and the broader Institute community.
• Participates in and may lead research, quality improvement, and genomics-related initiatives, including tumor/germline and variant interpretation activities, clinical research studies, abstract or manuscript development, implementation of new approaches in hereditary cancer care, and other projects that advance program goals.
• Represents the specialty area in leadership discussions, communicates regularly with Genetics & Prevention leadership, helps recruit and coordinate team members for specialty-related work, and supports strategic planning and execution for program priorities.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Expert knowledge of hereditary cancer genetics, including both common and rare cancer predisposition syndromes, cancer risk assessment methodologies, and current testing strategies.
• Advanced skill in delivering genetic counseling through comprehensive family history assessment, clinical evaluation, selection of appropriate testing, interpretation of results, and provision of psychosocial support.
• Strong expertise in tumor/germline and variant analysis and interpretation, use of clinical genetics resources, and application of current literature and evidence-based practice to complex patient care decisions.
• Working knowledge of broader genomic analysis and personalized genomic medicine as applied to hereditary cancer evaluation and management.
• Ability to communicate highly complex scientific, medical, and risk information clearly and effectively to patients, families, clinicians, trainees, and other audiences in both verbal and written formats.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to guide specialty program development, manage competing priorities, support change, and identify innovative approaches to improve services and program growth.
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships with multidisciplinary faculty, staff, external partners, and referring providers across a complex academic healthcare environment.
• Strong teaching, mentorship, and presentation skills, including the ability to support professional development of genetic counselors, interns, students, fellows, and other healthcare professionals.
• Proficiency with pedigree standards, pedigree-drawing software, clinical documentation, and relevant genetic testing and electronic medical record workflows.
• Strong research and analytical skills, including the ability to review, synthesize, and apply medical literature and contribute to research, publication, or presentation efforts.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple large initiatives, prioritize effectively, and maintain attention to detail.
• High level of emotional awareness, professionalism, sound judgment, and sensitivity in navigating complex patient, family, and team interactions.

Minimum Job Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Genetic Counseling required.
• Minimum of 9 years of progressively advanced clinical experience in genetic counseling required.
• Demonstrated leadership experience in program development, staff mentorship, education, and/or research initiatives also required.
• Significant experience in clinical cancer genetic counseling preferred.
• Experience in an academic medical center, cancer center, or similarly complex healthcare environment preferred.

License/Certification/Registration Required:

• Board-Certified by the American Board of Genetic Counseling.
• Current licensure as a Genetic Counselor in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts required.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Participate in hiring, clinical training and mentoring for Genetic Counselor I, II, III.
• Participate in annual performance reviews for Genetic Counselor I, II, III.

Patient Contact:

Mainly adult oncology or high-risk genetics patients, with the potential to see some pediatric oncology patients.

Special Working Conditions:

Availability by pager and expected on-call coverage during normal business hours at the main campus as scheduled.

At Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, we work every day to create an innovative, caring, and inclusive environment where every patient, family, and staff member feels they belong. As relentless as we are in our mission to reduce the burden of cancer for all, we are committed to having faculty and staff who offer multifaceted experiences. Cancer knows no boundaries and when it comes to hiring the most dedicated and compassionate professionals, neither do we. If working in this kind of organization inspires you, we encourage you to apply.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is an equal opportunity employer and affirms the right of every qualified applicant to receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability, age, ancestry, military service, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.

EEO Poster

Pay Transparency Statement

The hiring range is based on market pay structures, with individual salaries determined by factors such as business needs, market conditions, internal equity, and based on the candidate’s relevant experience, skills and qualifications.

For union positions, the pay range is determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

$139,391.00 - $152,541.00