Multidisciplinary Project Manager, Protein Dynamics

Astera Institute; California (MO); On-site; USD 170,000 - 225,000; Full time

Job summary

Astera Institute in Emeryville, California, is seeking a Project Manager to coordinate a multidisciplinary team spanning biology, chemistry, data science, and software engineering. You will oversee progress across The Diffuse Project, align strategy, and maintain clear, proactive communication with academic partners and national labs.

The role emphasizes ownership, ambiguity tolerance, and meticulous project planning, including timelines, budgets, onboarding, and events.

Qualifications

• 2-5 years of project management experience.
• PhD in biology, chemistry, or related field highly preferred.
• Working fluency in scientific program management.
• High agency and comfort in ambiguity.
• Excellent written and verbal communication for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong operational skills.
• Extreme organization.
• Clear communication and insight into tone, audience, and what to escalate.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the project manager for The Diffuse Project, ensuring the strategic alignment of teams, academic leaders, and members across the project.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for all project-related communications, proactively identifying and resolving risks and issues to minimize impact on project success, and keeping stakeholders informed of progress.
• Help manage project budgets, track expenditures, and allocate resources to ensure progress targets are met.
• Onboard/off-board new team members and collaborators
• Facilitate internal and external events
• Help identify patterns that generalize across DiffUSE workstreams and adjacent Astera projects
• Help execute and monitor comprehensive project plans, including detailed timelines, milestones, and resource allocation, ensuring adherence to project scope and objectives.
• Foster a collaborative and positive team environment, motivating team members to achieve their best work.
• Other

Skills

Project management

Communication

Organizational skills

Ambiguity tolerance

Education

PhD in biology, chemistry, or related field

Job description

Astera Institute in Emeryville, California, is seeking a Project Manager to coordinate a multidisciplinary team spanning biology, chemistry, data science, and software engineering. You will oversee progress across The Diffuse Project, align strategy, and maintain clear, proactive communication with academic partners and national labs.

The role emphasizes ownership, ambiguity tolerance, and meticulous project planning, including timelines, budgets, onboarding, and events.