Senior AI Program Manager

Harvard Medical School; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Parental leave

Health insurance from day one

Retirement plans

Wellbeing resources

Tuition assistance

Commuter benefits

Job summary

Harvard University is seeking a Senior AI Program Manager to oversee the lab's national and international research initiatives. You will support translation of AI research into biomedical discovery, coordinating with the PI and lab staff.

The role emphasizes strong writing, cross‑disciplinary communication, and adept project management in an academic setting, with opportunities to lead collaborative projects with sponsors and partners.

Qualifications

• Minimum of five years’ post-secondary education or relevant work experience.
• Strong writing and communications skills for technical content.
• Experience representing academic research projects to sponsors and partners.

Responsibilities

• Create sponsor reports, progress updates, and public-facing project documentation.
• Lead collaborations with industry partners and foundation sponsors, tracking commitments.
• Oversee multi-site research projects, milestones, dependencies, and data onboarding.
• Manage data-use agreements, MTAs, and IRB submissions where applicable.
• Onboard new students, plan workshops, and coordinate recruitment logistics.
• Oversee lab meeting operations, agendas, and notes across time zones.
• Maintain records of software releases, datasets, and project websites with up-to-date licenses.

Skills

Academic collaboration

Technical AI background

Strong writing

Verbal communication

Proposal writing

Project management

Education

M.S./Ph.D. or equivalent

Job description

Company Description

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Company Description

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Why join Harvard Medical School?

Harvard Medical School's mission is to nurture a diverse, inclusive community dedicated to alleviating suffering and improving health and well-being for all through excellence in teaching and learning, discovery and scholarship, and service and leadership.

You’ll be at the heart of biomedical discovery, education, and innovation, working alongside world-renowned faculty and a community dedicated to improving human health. This is more than a job - it’s an opportunity to shape the future of medicine.

Job Description

Prof. Marinka Zitnik invites applications for the position of Senior AI Program Manager at Harvard University. This role provides a unique opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research at the intersection of AI, medicine, and biology while fostering collaboration within a world-class academic environment.

We are seeking a creative, ambitious, highly motivated, experienced individual to join our lab of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. The Senior AI Program Manager is responsible for the operational side of the lab's national and international research initiatives, working closely with Prof. Zitnik to support the translation of cutting-edge AI research into biomedical discovery. This position requires a combination of technical background, strong organizational skills, and the ability to communicate effectively across academic and scientific domains.

Key responsibilities include:

• Create sponsor reports, progress updates, technical documentation, tutorials, and outreach material, and maintain public-facing project documentation.
• Lead operational contact for lab collaborations, industry and frontier AI lab partners, and foundation sponsors, contributing to partner meetings and tracking commitments and follow-up actions on behalf of the PI.
• Overseeing and tracking multi-site research projects, including project milestones, deliverables, and dependencies across collaborating sites, data onboarding, and resolving scheduling and resource conflicts.
• Managing activities related to reporting deadlines, data use agreements, material transfer agreements, and institutional review submissions.
• Overseeing onboarding of new students onto lab resources, planning and executing workshops, seminars, and site visits, handling recruitment logistics, and managing computing accounts supporting the research program.
• Responsible for lab meeting operations including confirming schedules and rotation of presenters, overseeing recurring project and collaborator calls across time zones, and creating and circulating agendas and notes.
• Maintaining records of software releases, datasets, and project websites, verifying that documentation, licenses, and links remain current, and partnering with project leads on release timing and public announcements.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications

• Minimum of five years’ post-secondary education or relevant work experience.

Additional Qualifications and Skills

• M.S, Ph.D. or equivalent degree in computer science, engineering, computational biomedicine, technology and operations, or a related field is strongly preferred.
• A strong technical background in AI or computational sciences, with familiarity in biology or medicine.
• Exceptional writing skills, with experience producing high-quality technical content such as research papers.
• Strong verbal communication skills, capable of presenting complex ideas clearly to academics and non-specialists.
• A proven ability to represent academic research projects in meetings with collaborators, institutions, and foundations.
• Experience with academic partnerships, including writing research proposals.
• Excellent organizational abilities, with experience in managing projects, timelines, and resources.
• Previous experience in an academic research setting is strongly preferred.

Additional Information

• Term: This is a one-year term position from the date of hire, with the possibility of extension, contingent upon work performance and continued funding to support the position.
• Standard Hours/Schedule: 35 hours per week
• Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position.
• Pre-Employment Screening: Identity
• Staying Informed About Your Application: Due to the high volume of applications, we may not always be able to reach out right away, but you can track your status anytime through the Careers@Harvard portal.

Work Format Details

This position has been determined by school or unit leaders that all duties and responsibilities must be performed at a Harvard or Harvard-designated location. Certain visa types may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.

Salary Grade and Ranges

This position is salary grade level 057. Please visit Harvard's Salary Ranges to view the corresponding salary range and related information.

Benefits

Harvard offers a comprehensive benefits package that is designed to support a healthy work-life balance and your physical, mental and financial wellbeing. Because here, you are what matters. Our benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Generous paid time off including parental leave
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one
• Retirement plans with university contributions
• Wellbeing and mental health resources
• Support for families and caregivers
• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement
• Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks

Learn more about these and additional benefits on our Benefits & Wellbeing Page.

EEO/Non-Discrimination Commitment Statement

Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard's academic purposes.

Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university's non-discrimination policy. Harvard's equal employment opportunity policy and non-discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.