Manager-Scientific Research: Biomedical Systems Core

St. Jude; Memphis (TN); On-site; USD 95,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Imaging Sciences at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital invites applications for a Manager of Scientific Research to establish and lead the Biomedical Systems Core.

You will provide strategic leadership, oversee staffing, budgets, and cross‑disciplinary collaboration to advance in vivo, tissue‑ and cell‑based imaging research. Ideal candidates have a strong record in research operations, protocol management, and regulatory compliance, with experience leading teams and

Qualifications

• Experience leading research operations related to in vivo, tissue, or cell-based studies.
• Proven ability to manage projects, resources, and cross-functional teams.
• Strong emphasis on protocol management, quality oversight, and regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead the Biomedical Systems Core, defining scope and workflows.
• Oversee in vivo imaging support, protocol development, and sample preparation.
• Manage space, staffing (2–3 staff), training, and shared laboratory operations.
• Collaborate with institutional cores and external partners to advance sample prep approaches.
• Monitor technologies and liaise with vendors to improve services.
• Guide project execution, optimization, troubleshooting, and data interpretation.
• Ensure training, recordkeeping, protocol documentation, and safety standards.
• Recruit, supervise, and develop direct reports while ensuring high-quality services.
• Contribute to budget planning and resource allocation for core sustainability.
• Support regular attendance and alignment with departmental and institutional goals.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Regulatory compliance

Cross‑functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a scientific discipline

Job description

The Department of Imaging Sciences (DoIS) at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is recruiting a Manager of Scientific Research to establish and lead a new Biomedical Systems Core. This new core will provide expertise, infrastructure, and operational support for biomedical sample preparation specific to in vivo, tissue-based, and cellular imaging research. The core will work closely with researchers developing novel biomedical imaging technologies, providing training and assistance with specialized procedures and sample preparation methods that may require rigorous reproducibility, or fall outside the core expertise of individual research groups.

This position is well suited for a scientific professional with experience leading research operations relating to comparative medicine, or supporting in vivo, tissue- or cell-based research within an academic or research-intensive environment. The successful candidate will bring experience in in-vivo research support, protocol management, regulatory compliance, shared resource operations, and collaborative service delivery, while partnering closely with faculty, laboratory personnel, institutional resources, external collaborators, and vendors.

The Manager of Scientific Research will provide strategic and operational leadership by overseeing projects, processes, resources and staffing, and build the technical capabilities that enable the development and deployment of innovative imaging-based biomedical research. This role combines hands-on scientific collaboration with people leadership, resource planning, quality oversight, training, and the development of consistent and repeatable research practices.

What You Will Do

Build and lead the new Biomedical Systems Core, including defining its initial scope, developing technical and operational workflows, and adapting services as departmental needs evolve.

• Support departmental in vivo and imaging-related research needs, including study planning, feasibility assessment, model coordination, protocol development and maintenance, sample collection, documentation, and troubleshooting.
• Work closely with Comparative Medicine to manage and oversee a dedicated in vivo satellite space and procedure suite. Supervise and maintain an adjacent shared wet laboratory and tissue culture space, including scheduling, supplies, equipment readiness, maintenance, shared use, safety, and compliance.
• Build and lead a team of 2-3 specialized staff that can collectively support development, optimization, and standardization of novel research procedures, including surgical techniques, preparations for in vivo imaging, behavioral testing, tissue and specimen preparation, and basic cell culture methods.
• Facilitate collaborations with institutional cores and shared resources to develop and support needs relating to histology and immunohistochemistry, tissue clearing, tissue expansion, and other advanced sample preparation approaches.
• Monitor emerging technologies and collaborate with external partners, consultants, and vendors to improve research projects, recommend and evaluate technologies, and support effective delivery and maintenance of services and resources.
• Actively guide and monitor project execution to ensure timely and reliable delivery, including assisting with optimization, troubleshooting and interpretation of results.
• Establish and maintain strong practices for training, recordkeeping, protocol documentation, quality, safety, and regulatory compliance within a shared research environment.
• Build the technical capabilities of the core through direct participation, collaboration with institutional partners, and recruitment, supervision, coaching, and development of direct reports.
• Set goals, provide feedback, support career development, and manage team performance to ensure consistent, high-quality scientific services and collaboration.
• Assist with operational planning, resource allocation, and budget needs to support sustainable and responsive core services.
• Perform other duties as assigned to meet departmental and institutional goals, while maintaining regular and predictable attendance.

What You Bring

You are an experienced scientific professional who can connect the operational rigor of an in vivo organism, tissue- or cell-based research environment with the broader leadership expectations of a scientific research manager. You enjoy working across disciplines, developing people, improving shared research services, and creating the structure and technical consistency investigators need to advance their work.

Minimum Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant scientific discipline is required.

Minimum Experience:

• 7+ years of experience in relevant technical field (industry or academia) is required.
• 5+ years of experience in relevant technical field is required with a Master’s degree.
• 2+ years of experience in relevant technical field is required with a PHD.
• Experience managing at least 1-2 people preferred
• Extensive experience leading projects/processes end to end including resource planning and management, and communication and collaboration with internal cross-functional teams and external partners preferred.
• Experience leading and mentoring teams preferred.
• Proven performance in earlier role/comparable role

Compensation

In recognition of certain U.S. state and municipal pay transparency laws, St. Jude is including a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This is an estimate offered in good faith and a specific salary offer takes into account factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the salary range and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current salary range is $94,640 - $169,520 per year for the role of Manager-Scientific Research: Biomedical Systems Core.

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