Hybrid Program Director, Transportation Infrastructure Research

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Town of Johnstown (NY); Hybrid; USD 127,000 - 198,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Retirement plan

Paid holidays

Personal leave

Transportation subsidies

Education assistance

Job summary

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine seeks a Program Director – Transportation Infrastructure within the Cooperative Research Program (CRP) to provide senior-level leadership for a diverse team delivering complex transportation research projects. You will oversee portfolios, engage with sponsors, and ensure research quality and timely delivery across multiple topics.

Reporting to the Deputy Director, you will manage staff, coordinate with volunteers and sponsors, and

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in a discipline relevant to transportation, public policy, research management, or a closely related field.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and oversight for a diverse portfolio of applied transportation research projects spanning multiple subject areas.
• Manage selected complex or high-profile research projects personally, including contractor oversight and delivery of final products.
• Ensure research activities meet TRB and National Academies standards for rigor, relevance, objectivity, and usefulness.
• Identify cross-project risks, dependencies, and opportunities; implement corrective actions as needed.
• Advise the Deputy Director on portfolio performance, emerging issues, and resource needs.
• Provide direct supervision to approximately 5–6 professional staff, including senior-level project managers.
• Assign work, set priorities, and balance workloads across the team’s portfolio.
• Establish clear performance expectations and hold staff accountable for results.

Skills

Research portfolio leadership

Staff supervision

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic planning

Written and verbal communication

Education

Ph.D. in a transportation/public policy related field

Master’s degree in a relevant discipline

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline

Tools

Microsoft Teams

Asana

Job description

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine seeks a Program Director – Transportation Infrastructure within the Cooperative Research Program (CRP) to provide senior-level leadership for a diverse team delivering complex transportation research projects. You will oversee portfolios, engage with sponsors, and ensure research quality and timely delivery across multiple topics.

Reporting to the Deputy Director, you will manage staff, coordinate with volunteers and sponsors, and