Interdisciplinary Research Program Manager

Harvard University; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Harvard University’s Harvard Graduate School of Design seeks an Interdisciplinary Research Program Manager to coordinate multi-stakeholder projects across advanced thermal materials, intelligent building-scale systems, and urban-scale energy management.

The role reports to the Director of the Center for Green Buildings and Cities and focuses on meetings, reporting, and proposals to advance HouseZero-inspired innovations and real-world climate solutions.

Qualifications

• Doctorate degree in engineering, architecture, urban planning, environmental science, energy systems, or a closely related interdisciplinary field.
• Experience leading or coordinating complex, multi-stakeholder research initiatives, particularly those involving sustainability, climate resilience, or urban systems.
• Proven ability to synthesize interdisciplinary research and produce accessible technical and non-technical reports.
• Strong leadership, facilitation, and organizational skills; experience managing collaborative teams and meetings.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including grant writing and report preparation.
• Familiarity with extramural funding processes and experience coordinating successful proposals.
• Demonstrated ability to work across disciplinary boundaries and with external industry partners.

Responsibilities

• Cross-Team Coordination across the project's three research thrusts and liaising with the PI and co-PIs.
• Stakeholder and Industry Engagement to maintain relationships with industry partners and external stakeholders.
• Metrics and Progress Tracking to monitor milestones and manage sponsor reporting deadlines.
• Annual Report and White Paper responsibilities, coordinating input across teams.
• Proposal Development including preparing and submitting extramural funding proposals.

Skills

Leadership

Facilitation

Organizational skills

Grant writing

Report writing

Communication skills

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Education

Doctorate degree in engineering or related field

Job description

Company Description

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Why join the Harvard Graduate School of Design?

The Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) educates design, research, and scholarship leaders to make a resilient, just, and beautiful world. The GSD offers degree programs across a range of design disciplines—architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, urban design, design engineering, and real estate as well as advanced research programs that cut across these disciplines and a robust public program of lectures, exhibitions, and publications. The immense variety of people, programs, and ideas at the School sustains a vibrant and rich environment for learning, inquiry and collaboration, unlike any other design school. For more information about Harvard GSD see: https://www.gsd.harvard.edu/

Job Description

NOTE: This position is a Term appointment for up to two years depending on funding.

Reporting to the Director of the Center for Green Buildings and Cities, who serves as the project's Principal Investigator, the Interdisciplinary Research Program Manager supports the coordination and success of this interdisciplinary research initiative, working closely with the project's co-PIs. The Program Manager organizes weekly meetings to ensure regular progress updates, cross-team alignment and timely course corrections, and serves as a central point of communication across the project's three integrated research thrusts: advanced thermal materials, intelligent building-scale systems, and cooperative urban-scale energy management.

The Program Manager tracks project metrics and sponsor reporting deadlines, and is responsible for the project's major written outputs, including the annual report to sponsors. In addition to supporting integration across disciplines, the Program Manager supports the PI and co-PIs in developing and maintaining relationships with industry partners, ensuring that practical insights from the field inform the design and scalable deployment of project innovations. The role also coordinates the preparation and submission of proposals for extramural funding, helping to sustain and expand the project's research and implementation efforts.

This role is essential to advancing the project's mission of scaling HouseZero®-inspired innovations into interconnected, energy-efficient communities and delivering impactful, real-world solutions to climate challenges.

TYPICAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Cross-Team Coordination (35%):Organize and lead weekly meetings across the project's three research thrusts, and coordinate meetings with the PI and co-PIs three to four times per year; collect progress updates from team members, track deliverables against project timelines, and elevate issues requiring PI and co-PI decisions.
• Stakeholder and Industry Engagement (20%):Support the PI and co-PIs in developing and maintaining relationships with industry partners and external stakeholders; manage ongoing communications and follow-up, coordinate partner meetings and site visits, and channel practical field insights into research and deployment planning.
• Metrics and Progress Tracking (20%):Develop and maintain metrics for project success; monitor performance against milestones and communicate progress to the PI, co-PIs, and other stakeholders; manage sponsor reporting deadlines and compliance requirements.
• Annual Report and White Paper (15%):Write the annual report to project sponsors, collecting contributions from across the research teams and integrating them into a unified document with an overall synthesis of the year's findings; coordinate the project's overall white paper by collecting input from research teams and managing contributors through drafting and review.
• Proposal Development (10%):Coordinate preparation and timely submission of proposals for extramural funding, including managing internal deadlines, assembling contributor materials, and liaising with the Office for Sponsored Programs.

Perform other related duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• There are no supervisory responsibilities associated with this position

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Applicants must be able to perform typical office tasks, including sitting for extended periods, using standard office equipment, and occasionally lifting up to 20 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• This is an in-person role based in Cambridge, MA. The work is mainly performed in an office setting.
• Candidates must have employment authorization to work in the US, and we regret that we cannot sponsor a VISA.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The health of our workforce is a priority for Harvard University. With that in mind, we strongly encourage all employees to be up-to-date on CDC-recommended vaccines.

Qualifications

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• Doctorate degree in engineering, architecture, urban planning, environmental science, energy systems, or a closely related interdisciplinary field.
• Experience leading or coordinating complex, multi-stakeholder research initiatives, particularly those involving sustainability, climate resilience, or urban systems.
• Proven ability to synthesize interdisciplinary research and produce accessible technical and non-technical reports.
• Strong leadership, facilitation, and organizational skills; experience managing collaborative teams and meetings.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including grant writing and report preparation.
• Familiarity with extramural funding processes and experience coordinating successful proposals.
• Demonstrated ability to work across disciplinary boundaries and with external industry partners.

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

• Subject matter knowledge in one or more of the initiative’s core focus areas: advanced thermal materials, intelligent building-scale systems, or urban-scale energy management.
• Experience in interdisciplinary or systems-level research at the nexus of building design, sustainable technologies, and urban development.
• Familiarity with real-world implementation of research-based innovations in the built environment.

Additional Information

• Standard Hours/Schedule: 17.5 hours per week
• The expectedannual salary range for this position is: $45,000-55,000
• Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position
• Pre-Employment Screening: Identity.

Work Format Details

This position has been determined by school or unit leaders that all duties and responsibilities must be performed at a Harvard or Harvard-designated location. Certain visa types may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.

Salary Grade and Ranges

This position is salary grade level 056. Please visit Harvard's Salary Ranges to view the corresponding salary range and related information.

Benefits

Harvard offers a comprehensive benefits package that is designed to support a healthy work-life balance and your physical, mental and financial wellbeing. Because here, you are what matters. Our benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Generous paid time off including parental leave
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one
• Retirement plans with university contributions
• Wellbeing and mental health resources
• Support for families and caregivers
• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement
• Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks

Learn more about these and additional benefits on our Benefits & Wellbeing Page.

EEO/Non-Discrimination Commitment Statement

Harvard University is committed equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard's academic purposes.

Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university's non-discrimination policy. Harvard's equal employment opportunity policy and non-discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.