Scientific Affairs Specialist

American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy; Waukesha, Northern (WI, KY); Hybrid; USD 52,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy is seeking a Scientific Affairs Specialist in Waukesha, WI. Hybrid work arrangement requires on-site presence Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

You will support the Abstracts and Awards programs, coordinate projects, and help advance scientific initiatives with a focus on detail and collaboration. You will work across departments to ensure smooth execution of abstracts, scheduling, reviewer communications, and post-award activities, while maintaining program

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree is required; master’s degree preferred.
• 1–2 years of experience in program coordination, project management, or related field.
• Experience collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data for reports and decision-making preferred.
• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication for diverse audiences.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and adapt to change.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a cross-functional team.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 apps and learning new platforms quickly.
• Experience with project management or workflow software preferred.
• Experience with databases/CRM/AMS systems preferred.
• Commitment to exceptional customer service and professionalism.
• Willingness to travel up to 3 weeks per year.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends.

Responsibilities

• Support Abstracts Program lifecycle with submission and peer review coordination.
• Manage communications with submitters, reviewers, presenters, and session chairs.
• Assist with abstract scheduling, session planning, and publication materials.
• Maintain program documentation, SOPs, records, and quality control processes.
• Support Awards Program activities including applications, reviews, and post-award follow-up.
• Coordinate payments, recipient documentation, and collaboration with partner organizations.
• Assist with departmental projects, meetings, minutes, and action follow-ups.
• Identify opportunities to improve workflows and implement changes.

Skills

Project coordination

Organizational skills

Communication

Time management

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree or advanced degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft 365

Excel

Word

Outlook

Teams

SharePoint

Asana

Monday.com

Smartsheet

Trello

CRM systems

AMS databases

Job description

About the Role

Reports to: Senior Director, Scientific Affairs
Direct reports: None
Location: Hybrid in Waukesha, WI (Tuesdays and Wednesdays on-site)

The Scientific Affairs Specialist provides operational and project support across the Scientific Affairs department. This position works closely with department staff to support the Society’s scientific programs, including the Annual meeting abstracts program, Career Development Awards, and other scientific initiatives.

As part of the newly established Scientific Affairs department, this role will help coordinate projects, improve workflows, and provide flexible support across departmental priorities as needs evolve.

The ideal candidate is a highly organized, proactive professional with strong project coordination skills and exceptional attention to detail. This individual demonstrates initiative, adapts to changing priorities, and effectively manages multiple projects in a collaborative environment. The successful candidate is committed to continuous learning and contributes to the continuous growth of the Scientific Affairs department.

Primary Responsibilities

Abstracts Program

• Work closely with the Abstract Program Lead to support the Annual Meeting abstracts program and other Society abstract programs throughout the abstract lifecycle, providing additional operational support during peak submission and review periods.
• Coordinate abstract submission and peer review activities, including submission monitoring, reviewer recruitment and communications, reviewer assignments and deadline management.
• Manage communications with abstract submitters, reviewers, presenters, and session chairs, responding inquiries and supporting timely completion of program milestones.
• Support scientific program development by assisting with abstract scheduling, session planning, presenter management, and preparation of abstract-related materials for publication and meeting planning.
• Maintain abstract program documentation, standard operating procedures, program records, reports, and quality control processes to support efficient program administration.

Awards Program

• Work closely with the Awards Program Lead to support the administration of Career Development Awards and other scientific awards.
• Coordinate award application and review activities, including application tracking, reviewer coordination, review materials, and timeline management.
• Manage award communications, including applicant inquiries, reviewer correspondence, award notifications, and post-award follow-up.
• Maintain award records, documentation, and standard operating procedures to ensure accurate program administration and audit readiness.
• Support award fulfillment activities, including payment processing, recipient documentation, coordination with partner organizations, and post-award reporting activities.

Operations

• Support department-wide scientific initiatives, special projects, and strategic partnerships as assigned.
• Coordinate departmental projects by tracking timelines, organizing meetings, , documenting meeting minutes, and following up on action items.
• Maintain and organize departmental records, templates, standard operating procedures to support efficient department operations.
• Identify opportunities to improve departmental processes and workflows and assist with implementing process improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; master's degree or other advanced degree preferred.
• One to two years of experience in program coordination, project management, operations, or a related field required.
• Demonstrated experience collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data to produce reports and support decision-making preferred.
• Strong organizational and time management skills with exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously, meet deadlines, and adapt to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while also collaborating effectively as part of a cross-functional team.
• Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills with the ability to identify issues and recommend practical solutions.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications, including Excel, Word, Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint; ability to learn new technology platforms quickly.
• Experience using project management, collaboration, or workflow management software (e.g., Asana, Monday.com, Smartsheet, Trello, or similar) preferred.
• Experience working with databases, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, or association management systems (AMS) is preferred.
• Demonstrated commitment to providing exceptional customer service and maintaining professionalism when interacting with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion and sound judgment.
• Willingness and ability to work occasional evenings and weekends to support meetings, events, or peak program periods.
• Ability to travel up to 3 weeks per year.