Executive Director, AI-BIOME Programmable Cloud Laboratory

RFCUNY Research Foundation of the City University of New York; United States; On-site; USD 120,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

RFCUNY Research Foundation of the City University of New York seeks an Executive Director to provide strategic leadership for AI-BIOME, a national, NSF-funded programmable cloud laboratory hosted at CCNY and ASRC. You will drive growth, partnerships, and sustainability across interdisciplinary programs, aligning with CCNY/ASRC leadership and external partners.

You will build strategic partnerships, oversee program development, budgeting, and NSF reporting, and mentor senior staff while advancing

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in science, engineering, computer science, data science, public administration, business, or related discipline.
• Eight to ten years of progressively responsible leadership experience managing complex scientific or research organizations.
• Experience with large federally funded research programs, multi-institutional collaborations, and budget management.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for AI-BIOME and coordinate with co-directors and PIs.
• Develop partnerships with universities, national laboratories, industry, and government stakeholders.
• Oversee organizational performance, funding strategies, and NSF reporting.
• Lead organizational development, workforce development, education, and outreach.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic Planning

Partnership Building

Communication Skills

Interpersonal Skills

Education

Advanced degree in science/engineering/computer science/data science/public administration/business

Tools

Laboratory automation

AI

Research computing

Digital research infrastructure

Job description

Thank you for considering a career with the Research Foundation of the City University of New York (RFCUNY). The team at RFCUNY is made up of dedicated, talented professionals committed to providing the services that allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries. We are pleased that you are interested in exploring opportunities to join RFCUNY.

Primary Location: The CITY COLLEGE of NEW YORK

Bargaining Unit: No

Position Summary

The Executive Director will provide strategic leadership for AI-BIOME, an NSF-funded Programmable Cloud Laboratory (PCL) headquartered at the CUNY City College of New York (CCNY) and the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC). Working closely with the AI-BIOME Co-Directors, 5 PIs, Science; AI and Data Leads, CCNY and ASRC leadership, and partner institutions including Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), 30+ partners from industry, the Executive Director will establish AI-BIOME as a national research resource for state-of-the-art AI research enabling distributed scientific discovery in the area of bio-inspired materials and molecular materials engineering. The Executive Director will lead the strategic growth, external partnerships, organizational development, and long-term sustainability of AI-BIOME while fostering integration with CCNY and ASRC interdisciplinary research programs and core facilities. Working in partnership with the Director of Operations, the Executive Director will ensure successful execution of AI-BIOME's research, education, workforce development, innovation, and outreach missions.

Core Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Program Development Partner with the AI-BIOME Co-Directors and Executive Committee to develop and implement AI-BIOME's strategic vision. Coordinate with the AI-BIOME Science, AI and Data Leads to align with NSF TIP’s vision for PCL on these three focus areas. Translate scientific priorities into organizational strategy, operational priorities, and measurable milestones. Identify opportunities for program growth, strategic partnerships, new funding, and long-term sustainability. Lead strategic planning and organizational development across research, education, workforce development, innovation, and outreach. Institutional Partnerships & External Relations Represent AI-BIOME with NSF, federal agencies, City and State agencies, partner institutions, industry, philanthropic organizations, and government stakeholders. Develop strategic partnerships with universities, national laboratories, industry, and community organizations. Build AI-BIOME's national and international visibility and contribute to the development of the emerging Programmable Cloud Laboratory ecosystem. Support technology transfer, entrepreneurship, and commercialization activities in collaboration with institutional partners. Integration with CCNY & ASRC Research Infrastructure Work closely with CCNY and ASRC leadership to integrate AI-BIOME with interdisciplinary research initiatives and shared research infrastructure. Develop new opportunities that leverage the CCNY and ASRC core facilities in laboratory automation, high-throughput experimentation, materials characterization, photonics, imaging, computation, and data science. Foster collaborations that expand utilization of shared research infrastructure and strengthen AI-BIOME as a hub for interdisciplinary discovery. Organizational Leadership Provide leadership and mentorship to senior staff. Foster a collaborative, innovative, and inclusive organizational culture across AI-BIOME's multi-institutional community. Work closely with the Director of Operations to ensure efficient implementation of organizational priorities. Program Oversight Oversee organizational performance and progress toward scientific and operational milestones. Coordinate with the Director of Operations on NSF reporting, external reviews, advisory board activities, and strategic planning. Ensure AI-BIOME maintains excellence in research operations, workforce development, education, and external engagement. Other duties as assigned. Work Arrangement

Work Arrangement

Work Arrangement: On-Site at CCNY/ASRC campus in the West Harlem Innovation Triangle Appointment Type: Full-time, Grant-funded (Renewable based on performance and funding)

Minimum Qualifications

Advanced degree in science, engineering, computer science, data science, public administration, business, or a related discipline. Eight to ten years of progressively responsible leadership experience managing complex scientific, academic, or research organizations. Demonstrated experience managing large federally funded research programs, interdisciplinary centers, shared scientific facilities, or comparable research infrastructure. Experience managing complex budgets, grants, contracts, and multi-institutional collaborations. Experience working with federal funding agencies and knowledge of research administration and compliance requirements. Demonstrated ability to build partnerships across academia, industry, government, and nonprofit organizations. Exceptional leadership, organizational, interpersonal, and written and oral communication skills. Demonstrated ability to lead organizational growth, manage change, and balance strategic planning with operational execution. Experience working in laboratory automation, scientific software, AI, research computing, or digital research infrastructure is highly desirable. Commitment to fostering an inclusive, collaborative, and innovative research environment. Demonstrated experience leading complex interdisciplinary research organizations or shared scientific infrastructure. Experience developing strategic partnerships and growing multi-institutional research programs. Demonstrated ability to translate scientific vision into organizational strategy and sustainable research infrastructure.

Pay Range

Pay Range: $120,000 - $130,000

RFCUNY Benefits

RFCUNY Employee Benefits and Accruals

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Research Foundation of the City University of New York (RFCUNY) is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-Verify Employer. It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

The Research Foundation of the City University of New York (RFCUNY) is a nonprofit educational corporation founded in 1963 to provide post-award fiscal and administrative support for CUNY’s research and sponsored programs. RFCUNY’s services allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries, on projects and programs that serve our local and global communities, proposing concrete solutions to society’s most pressing challenges. RFCUNY serves as a fiscal agent and works closely with all the CUNY campus Grants Offices to perform the core functions of post-award financial management for CUNY research projects and sponsored programs. These functions include legal assessment and signing of agreements where RFCUNY is named as a fiscal agent; setting up award accounts; preparing sub-awards and assisting PIs in monitoring the work of the recipients of sub-awards; supporting project directors with hiring and managing research project and sponsored program staff; supporting the purchasing and paying for goods and services with grant and program funds; managing financial aspects of projects including accounts receivable, financial reporting, invoicing, budget monitoring, and cost compliance with uniform guidance; ensuring that sponsor financial requirements are met; monitoring compliance with applicable project and financial management rules and laws; supporting the management of independent and external audits and financial reviews; and providing data, information, management expertise, and other supports to CUNY’s research and sponsored programs.