AI/Bio Research Project Manager, Operations(Term)

RAND Corporation; Santa Monica (CA); Hybrid; USD 103,000 - 174,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Sabbatical pay

Paid time off

Retirement plan

Job summary

RAND Corporation's CAST is seeking an Operations Manager to support the CAST Operations team and center-wide people operations in a fast-moving environment. This full-time role blends hands-on process execution with leadership and project management, coordinating hires, fellowships, and cross-center initiatives to enable our research teams to work at their best.

The position offers hybrid work across multiple U.S.

Qualifications

• Experience managing teams of 2–3 people.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Experience navigating complex institutional structures and cross-functional partnerships.
• Clear and diplomatic communicator who maintains professionalism.
• Ability to maintain composure under competing deadlines.
• Background in AI security, national security, or biosecurity is preferred.
• Self-directed and proactive in identifying process improvements.

Responsibilities

• Manage Center people support processes ensuring all new hires and exiting team members have a seamless, high-quality experience.
• Manage team members on fellowships, IPAs, and other deployments.
• Lead project management for internal team and RAND performance review cycles.
• Provide exceptional high-level project management on cross-center initiatives.
• Oversee the management of at least one satellite office.
• Serve as team lead for junior operations staff, providing mentorship and day-to-day guidance.
• Identify and implement improvements to operational processes and systems.
• Partner with the Senior Operations Leads on sensitive matters with discretion and judgment.
• Provide operations support across finance, procurement, events, communications, and cross-functional coordination.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships across research teams and RAND functions.
• Take on additional responsibilities as the Center's needs evolve.

Skills

Team management

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Strong communication

Discretion & judgment

Education

Bachelor's degree

PMP Certification

Job description

Job Type:

Term (Fixed Term)

RAND Center on AI, Security, and Technology (CAST)

About RAND

RAND is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research institution founded in 1948 toadvisethe U.S. government on matters of national security. For over 75 years, RAND has been a trusted source of objective, rigorous analysis for policymakers across administrations and agencies.

About CAST

CAST is an80+ person center at the forefront of transformative AI and biotechnology policy and their implications for global competition and security. Our teams work on verification frameworks for international agreements on AI, creating AI data centers that are secure, unlocking energy for AI production, developing models for public-private partnerships between frontier labs and government, and conducting AIxBio evaluations and mitigations, among other initiatives.

Position Description

RAND Center on AI, Security, and Technology (CAST) is seeking anOperationsManager to support the Center's people operations and management of the CAST Operations team. This is a high-ownership role on a fast-moving team supporting one of RAND's highest-priority research centers.

In this position, you will play a vital connective role across the organization.You'llbe an integral part of our operations team, enable our research teams to do their best work, and shape the experience of working at RAND CAST.This role blends hands-on operational execution with people-leadership and project-management responsibilities.

If you are someone who takes pride in making complex systems feel effortless, loves building environments where people thrive, and finds deep satisfaction in high impact work, this role is designed for you.

Responsibilities

People&ResearchOperations

• ManageCenter people support processesensuring all new hires and exiting team members havea seamless, high-quality experience

• Manage team members on fellowships, IPAs, and other deployments

• Lead project management for internal team and RAND performance review cycles

• Provide exceptional high-level project management on cross-center initiatives

• Oversee the management of at least one satellite office

Operations Management

• Serve as team lead for junior operations staff, providing mentorship, prioritizationsupport, and day-to-day guidance

• Identifyand implement improvements to operational processes and systems

• Partner withthe Senior Operations Leadsonsensitive and confidential matters, exercising strong discretion and judgment

• Provideoperations support acrossfinance,procurement, events,communications,and cross-functional coordination

• Build andmaintainstrong working relationships across research teams, central RAND functions, and external partners

• Take onadditionalresponsibilities as the Center's needs evolve

Qualifications

Required:

• Experience managing teams of at least 2-3 people.

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail; able to manage multiple time-sensitive processes simultaneously.

• Experience navigating complex institutional structures and cross-functional partnerships.

• Exceptionally clear and diplomatic communicator whomaintainsprofessionalism in all workplace interactions.

• Ability to maintaincomposure and sound judgment under competing deadlines.

Preferred:

• Background in AI security, national security, or biosecurity.

• Self-directed and proactive inidentifyingprocess improvements.

Education Requirements

Minimum: Bachelor's degree;Master'sdegree preferred. A Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification can substitute for aBachelor'sdegree.

Experience

8years minimum experience;10years preferred.

Security Clearance

Ability to obtain andmaintainaU.S. governmentclearance is preferred but notrequired.

Term

This position is a 3-year term appointment with a possibility of renewal, alongside options for longer term employment. We are seeking full-time candidates.

Location

Washington, DC (preferred); Santa Monica, CA;Pittsburgh, PA;orBoston, MA. Hybrid work arrangement, combining work from home and on-site options in these locations.

Salary Range:

$102,800 - $174,400

ResearchProject ManagerIII

$102,800 - $174,400

RAND considers a variety of factors when formulating an offer, including but not limited to, the specific role and associated responsibilities; a candidate's work experience, education/training, skills, expertise; and internal equity.Successful candidates will be offered employment in a specific title, as determined by the candidate's education and experience. The salary range includes base pay plus RAND's sabbatic pay (which provides additional compensation above base pay when vacation is taken). In addition, RAND provides strong benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, paid time-off and more.

Equal Opportunity Employer