Research Scientist Program Manager

RFCUNY Research Foundation of the City University of New York; United States; Hybrid; USD 45,000 - 50,000; Part time

Job summary

RFCUNY Research Foundation of The City University of New York invites applications for a Research Scientist Program Manager (Part-Time, Postdoctoral Level) in the Department of Psychology at The City College of New York (CCNY). This role supports research on disparities in cancer risk, access to care, and related behavioral health topics.

The position is 1-year, 19 hours per week, with potential renewal; remote or hybrid work arrangements will be considered.

Qualifications

• PhD (or equivalent) in Psychology, Public Health, Behavioral Science, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, or related field.
• Strong quantitative skills and proficiency in R, SAS, Stata, SPSS, or MPlus.
• Familiarity with Jupyter Notebooks or similar programming software.
• Demonstrated experience with data analysis, manuscript development, and grant preparation.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills; able to coordinate multiple ongoing projects; and help maintain team coordination and accountability.
• Ability to work independently and maintain project productivity with minimal supervision.
• Strong initiative, reliability, and motivation to help drive the research program forward.

Responsibilities

• Research Analytical Support (~55-60%): conduct statistical analyses for cross-sectional, longitudinal, and experimental data; generate figures and tables for manuscripts, grants, and progress reports; perform literature reviews; maintain reproducible data workflows.
• Research Program Coordination and Operations (~40-45%): manage PI's research calendar; coordinate meetings; track progress across studies; prepare progress reports; coordinate IRB submissions and other compliance; support manuscript submissions; communicate with collaborators and advisory board members.

Skills

Quantitative skills

R

SAS

Stata

SPSS

MPlus

Jupyter Notebooks

Organization

Communication

Independent work

Initiative

Education

PhD in Psychology/PH/Behavioral Science/Epidemiology/Biostatistics

Tools

Jupyter Notebooks

Job description

Thank you for considering a career with the Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY). The team at RFCUNY is made up of dedicated, talented professionals committed to providing the services that allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries. We are pleased that you are interested in exploring opportunities to join RFCUNY.

Primary Location: The CITY COLLEGE of NEW YORK

Bargaining Unit: No

We invite applications for a Research Scientist Program Manager (Part-Time, Postdoctoral Level) under the supervision of Dr. Adriana Espinosa, Department of Psychology at The City College of New York (CCNY). This position supports research on the behavioral and psychosocial factors driving disparities in cancer risk, access to care, and comorbid substance use and mental health conditions. The successful candidate will provide both scientific and programmatic support, ensuring the research program remains well-organized, productive, and strategically aligned with ongoing and emerging grant opportunities. We seek a candidate who is highly self-directed, organized, and motivated, capable of managing multiple projects with minimal supervision, and who thrives in a fast-paced but collegial environment.

The City College of New York, part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system, is located in Harlem, northern Manhattan, within proximity to major academic and medical centers including Columbia University Medical Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Mount Sinai, and the New York State Psychiatric Institute.

This is a 1-year, part-time (19 hours per week) position with the potential for renewal based on performance and funding availability.

Remote or hybrid work arrangements will be considered.

Research Analytical Support (~ 55 60% of time)

• Conduct or assist in statistical analyses for projects involving cross-sectional, longitudinal, and experimental (e.g., RCT) data.
• Generate figures, tables, and visual materials for manuscripts, grant proposals, presentations, and progress reports.
• Conduct literature reviews and contribute to manuscript, grant, and progress report writing.
• Maintain well-documented, reproducible data workflows (e.g., data cleaning, version control, codebooks, and analytic documentation).

Research Program Coordination and Operations (~ 40 45% of time)

• Manage the PI's research calendar, coordinate meetings, and assist in prioritizing research-related deadlines.
• Track progress across multiple studies, manuscripts, and grant applications; maintain organized project management systems.
• Assist with the preparation of progress reports and presentations.
• Coordinate IRB submissions/renewals, reliance agreements, and other research compliance documentation.
• Support submission of manuscripts to academic journals.
• Assist with the coordination and documentation of select research meetings, including agenda preparation and follow-up on action items.
• Communicate with collaborators, advisory board members, or consultants for research-related purposes, as directed by the PI (e.g., scheduling meetings, following up on prior discussions).
• Provide support to the PI in coordinating research activities ensuring alignment with project goals and timelines.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• PhD (or equivalent) in Psychology, Public Health, Behavioral Science, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, or related field.
• Strong quantitative skills and proficiency in R, SAS, Stata, SPSS, or MPlus.
• Familiarity with Jupiter Notebooks or similar programming software.
• Demonstrated experience with data analysis, manuscript development, and grant preparation.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills; able to coordinate multiple ongoing projects; and help maintain team coordination and accountability.
• Ability to work independently and maintain project productivity with minimal supervision.
• Strong initiative, reliability, and motivation to help drive the research program forward.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with survey and epidemiologic methods, missing data techniques, or machine learning approaches.
• Familiarity with randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or other experimental and quasi-experimental designs.
• Experience with mixed methods research.
• Background in behavioral health, substance use, mental health, or cancer disparities.
• Prior experience managing multi-investigator teams or coordinating grant submissions.

Pay Range: $45,000 - $50,000

RFCUNY Benefits

RFCUNY Employee Benefits and Accruals

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Research Foundation of the City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-Verify Employer. It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) is a nonprofit educational corporation founded in 1963 to provide post-award fiscal and administrative support for CUNY’s research and sponsored programs. RFCUNY’s services allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries, on projects and programs that serve our local and global communities, proposing concrete solutions to society’s most pressing challenges. RFCUNY serves as a fiscal agent and works closely with all the CUNY campus Grants Offices to perform the core functions of post-award financial management for CUNY research projects and sponsored programs. These functions include legal assessment and signing of agreements where RFCUNY is named as a fiscal agent; setting up award accounts; preparing sub-awards and assisting PIs in monitoring the work of the recipients of sub-awards; supporting project directors with hiring and managing research project and sponsored program staff; supporting the purchasing and paying for goods and services with grant and program funds; managing financial aspects of projects including accounts receivable, financial reporting, invoicing, budget monitoring, and cost compliance with uniform guidance; ensuring that sponsor financial requirements are met; monitoring compliance with applicable project and financial management rules and laws; supporting the management of independent and external audits and financial reviews; and providing data, information, management expertise, and other supports to CUNY’s research and sponsored programs.