Research Director, External Contracts & Select Agent

Illinois Institute of Technology; Bedford Park (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Tuition assistance

Retirement plan

Job summary

Illinois Institute of Technology seeks a Research Director, External Contracts & Select Agent Program to provide scientific and operational leadership for funded projects. Responsibilities include overseeing project execution, grant development, supervising staff, and ensuring high-quality research outputs with compliance and security clearances.

The role emphasizes strategic program leadership, budget oversight, and collaboration with sponsors and university partners in a fully on-site setting

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics with 15+ years of relevant experience or equivalent
• Experience as Principal Investigator (PI) on major grants or managing multiple contract research projects
• Proven success securing external funding and publishing scholarly work
• Experience supervising and developing research personnel; strong problem-solving, communication, organizational and project management skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and scientific documentation
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy in research records and reporting

Responsibilities

• Identify and manage a portfolio of funded research projects through design, implementation and evaluation
• Supervise research scientists, coordinators, postdocs and students with performance management
• Support pilot plant operations and AR0 role for Select Agent Program and regulatory requirements
• Disseminate findings through journals and conferences and prepare reports for stakeholders
• Guide budgets and resources while meeting timelines and deliverables

Skills

Grant management

Project leadership

Team supervision

MS Office

Communication

Organizational skills

Problem solving

Education

Ph.D. in STEM

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Illinois Institute of Technology seeks a Research Director, External Contracts & Select Agent Program to provide scientific and operational leadership for funded projects. Responsibilities include overseeing project execution, grant development, supervising staff, and ensuring high-quality research outputs with compliance and security clearances.

The role emphasizes strategic program leadership, budget oversight, and collaboration with sponsors and university partners in a fully on-site setting