Research Program Manager (LTE)

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 157,000 - 236,000; Full time

Job summary

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Institute for Disease Modeling in Seattle seeks a Research Program Manager to define, prioritize, and manage research projects across portfolios, building partnerships with stakeholders and guiding cross-functional teams toward IDM and Foundation goals.

You will work with leadership to align portfolio priorities, translate scientific insights into program plans, and ensure timely delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree at minimum; graduate degree preferred.
• Five+ years of program management experience in complex or multi-disciplinary settings.
• Experience understanding research processes and applying best practices to complex programs.
• Familiarity with software product or tool development workflows and collaborating with engineering teams.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to translate science into programmatic implications.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with data-driven decision making.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Willingness to travel up to 20% domestically and internationally.

Responsibilities

• Manage multiple research portfolios in partnership with research managers and deputy directors, driving outcomes through resource allocation, risk tracking, and progress oversight.
• Connect portfolio work to IDM’s priorities, ensuring alignment and flagging trade-offs as the landscape evolves.
• Engage with software teams and TPMs to maintain continuity between research portfolio needs and modeling tool development.
• Develop working depth in relevant research areas and current modeling technologies to guide planning and assess progress.
• Synthesize findings to inform portfolio-level decisions and surface options for leadership.
• Design and implement program processes and frameworks to keep work moving efficiently across teams.
• Maintain workplans with milestones and deliverables; communicate timeline changes and risks.
• Build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure effectiveness of complex programs.

Skills

Program management

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical thinking

Communication

Travel flexibility

Cross-functional collaboration

Requirements gathering

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

Graduate degree

Tools

Modeling tools

Software development workflows

Job description

The Foundation

We are the largest nonprofit fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world. Founded on a simple premise: people everywhere, regardless of identity or circumstances, should have the chance to live healthy, productive lives. We believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve. We provide an exceptional benefits package to employees and their families which include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with no premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, foundation-paid retirement contribution, regional holidays, and opportunities to engage in several employee communities. As a workplace, we’re committed to creating an environment for you to thrive both personally and professionally.

The Team

The Institute for Disease Modeling (IDM) at the Gates Foundation supports global efforts to eradicate infectious diseases and achieve permanent improvements in health. We develop, use, and share computational modeling tools, and promote quantitative decision-making. The IDM team is comprised of research scientists, software engineers, and strategic planning professionals.

Your Role

As a Research Program Manager, you will play a pivotal role in maximizing the impact of research teams at IDM. Your responsibilities will include working with leadership and research managers to define, prioritize, and manage research projects within one or more portfolios. You will understand and effectively communicate the direction of research portfolios and projects to diverse audiences to drive progress toward Foundation goals. You will build partnerships with stakeholders and partners, understand their goals and work, and synthesize across these engagements to support and inform the portfolios you manage. You will engage in cross-cutting projects, quickly learning about the research area, support defining the direction and scope, and ensuring successful execution. You have a passion for our mission and commitment to driving it forward. This is a 24-month Limited Term Employment position, relocation to Seattle will be provided.

What You’ll Do

• Manage multiple research portfolios in partnership with research managers and deputy directors, driving outcomes through resource allocation, risk tracking, and progress oversight.
• Connect portfolio work to IDM’s organizational priorities, ensuring alignment and flagging trade-offs as the landscape evolves.
• Engage with software teams and TPMs to maintain continuity between research portfolio needs and modeling tool development.
• Develop working depth in relevant research areas and current modeling technologies to guide planning, assess progress, and anticipate risks.
• Synthesize findings and emerging insights to inform portfolio-level decisions and surface options for leadership consideration.
• Design and implement right-sized program processes and frameworks that keep work moving efficiently across teams and organizational scales.
• Maintain workplans with clear milestones and deliverables; proactively communicate timeline changes and risks.
• Build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring effectiveness of complex programs & partnerships.
• Develop cross-functional communication patterns that create visibility and coordination across research teams, software, and leadership.
• Represent portfolio priorities clearly, tuning messaging for diverse forums spanning researchers, engineers, and partners.

Your Experience

• Ideal candidates will have: Bachelor’s degree at minimum, graduate degree preferred, with experience in complex or multi-disciplinary research management, ideally in the global health & development.
• Five or more years of program management experience, with a proven track record leading complex initiatives and driving results across multiple projects in parallel.
• Demonstrated understanding of research processes and best practices, with experience applying these to complex programs to achieve research objectives.
• Familiarity with software product or tool development workflows, with the ability to engage productively with engineering teams and contribute to requirements and roadmap discussions.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to translate scientific insights into programmatic implications and engage stakeholders at multiple levels.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with the capacity to synthesize complex information, make data-driven decisions, and navigate ambiguity.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment; skilled at assessing gaps and finding practical solutions.
• Commitment to the foundation’s mission, values, and ethical standards.
• Ability to travel up to 20% domestically and internationally.

*Must have unrestricted work authorization in the country where this position is located. The Foundation does not provide immigration-related sponsorship for this role. This includes direct company sponsorship and any work authorization requiring a written submission or other immigration support from the company (e.g.: H-1B, O-1, L-1, E, OPT, STEM-OPT, CPT, TN, J-1, etc.). The salary range for this role is $143,000 to $214,400 USD. We recognize high-wage market differences in Seattle and Washington D.C., where our offices are located. The range for this role in these locations is $157,300 to $235,900 USD. As a mission-driven organization, we strive to balance competitive pay with our mission. New hires salaries are typically between the range minimum and the salary range midpoint. Actual placement in the range will depend on a candidate’s job-related skills, experience, and expertise, as evaluated during the interview process.

Candidate Accommodations

We’re committed to providing an inclusive and accessible hiring experience for all candidates. If you have a disability or medical condition and need an accommodation at any stage of the application or interview process—such as an ASL interpreter, alternative interview format, or physical accessibility support,we’re happy to help. Please contact [e-mail] with the position number and a brief description of your accommodation needs. Requests will be handled confidentially.

Inclusion Statement

We are dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We strive for a global and cultural workplace that supports ever greater diversity, equity, and inclusion — of voices, ideas, and approaches — and we support this diversity through all our employment practices. All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve our mission will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and prior protected activity. Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, we work with partners to create impactful solutions so that people can take charge of their futures and achieve their full potential. In the United States, we aim to ensure that everyone—especially those with the fewest resources—has access to the opportunities needed to succeed in school and life.

Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of Bill Gates and our governing board.