Strategic Research Initiatives Manager – GIE

UW-Madison College of Engineering; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 81,000 - 99,000; Full time

Job summary

UW-Madison College of Engineering's Grainger Institute for Engineering seeks a strategic Project Program Manager (B) to plan and direct day-to-day operational activities of GIE-supported research programs. You will serve as a technical liaison among faculty, university partners, and external stakeholders, developing plans, milestones, budgets, and reporting to advance program objectives.

This role involves identifying opportunities, coordinating resources, and supporting the development of

Qualifications

• Experience managing complex research or technical programs with multiple investigators.
• Ability to translate engineering/scientific information for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience building structured program plans with milestones, metrics, budgets.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, written, and interpersonal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Monitor federal research trends and funding priorities to identify opportunities and support interdisciplinary proposals.
• Set priorities, allocate tasks, manage change control, and coordinate with staff to meet milestones.
• Plan and direct day-to-day operational activities of research programs and promote capabilities to stakeholders.
• Manage outside contractors and vendors to ensure satisfactory service and integration into programs.
• Prepare regular program status reports and develop dashboards and reporting tools.

Skills

Program management

Stakeholder liaison

Budgeting & reporting

Strategic planning

Education

Master’s degree in engineering, technology, or related field

PhD in engineering, technology, or related discipline

Job description

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Job Category

Academic Staff

Employment Type

Regular

Job Profile

Project Program Manager (B)

Job Summary

The Grainger Institute for Engineering (GIE), a non-academic unit in the office of the Associate Dean for Corporate Engagement & Entrepreneurship (ADCEE), is excited to offer a new project program manager role. GIE specializes in driving transformational, cross-disciplinary projects that further the strategic goals of the College of Engineering. We are seeking a strategic, collaborative program manager to plan and direct the day-to-day operational, outreach, and promotional activities of GIE-supported research programs.

In this role, you will serve as a technical subject matter expert and primary liaison among faculty, College and university partners, and external stakeholders, actively promoting research accomplishments, core capabilities, and new initiatives. You will develop and implement program plans, milestones, budgets, and reporting to advance overall program objectives. Additionally, you will support strategic program development by identifying connections, gaps, emerging opportunities, and pathways to larger interdisciplinary initiatives and external funding. Beyond high-level program management, you will also work directly with project teams to help them operationalize their specific initiatives.

If you are excited to lay the foundation for new, connected engineering initiatives, we encourage you to apply, particularly individuals with experience working for funding agencies, policy organizations, or legislative staff!

Additional information

• It is anticipated this position requires work be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location

Visa Sponsorship

• Please be aware that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their continuous eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.
• This position is an ongoing position that will require continuous work eligibility. If you are selected for this position you would have to provide proof of work authorization and eligibility to work.
• The College of Engineering is not an E-Verify employer and therefore we cannot accept F-1 OPT STEM Extensions for employment eligibility.

Key Job Responsibilities

• Monitors federal research trends and funding priorities to identify connections, gaps, and emerging opportunities, while supporting the development of research concepts, white papers, and competitive interdisciplinary grant proposals.
• Sets priorities, allocates tasks, and collaborates with project staff to meet program targets and milestones. Manages the change control process and acts as the mid-level decision making authority.
• Plans and directs the day-to-day operational activities of research programs in alignment with strategic objectives, while serving as a liaison and subject matter expert across internal and external stakeholders to promote accomplishments, research initiatives, and technical capabilities.
• Manages the activities of outside contractors and vendors to ensure they are integrated into the program and that the organization receives satisfactory standards of service.
• Prepares regular reports to communicate the status of the program within and beyond the program team, communicates program goals, risks, and status with program executive level, program sponsors, and stakeholders, and develops and uses appropriate dashboards, measures, and reporting tools.
• Leads and manages efforts to determine and coordinate the sharing of resources among component projects to the overall benefit of the program.
• Facilitates the estimation of program costs, resources, and time required to complete the overall program, monitors activities and budgets, directs and leads component project manager activities for consistency and alignment, and works with program leadership to ensure these targets are met. Follows established change control processes if targets can no longer be met.
• Creates a program plan and structure, monitors progress and performance against the program plan, and identifies, resolves, or escalates program risks and issues.

Department

College of Engineering, Grainger Institute for Engineering

Compensation

The starting salary for the position is $90,000, but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications.

Required Qualifications

• Considerable experience managing complex research or technical programs involving multiple investigators or stakeholders.
• Proven ability to understand, synthesize, and translate complex engineering and scientific information for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Extensive experience building and managing structured program plans, including defining milestones, tracking deliverables, establishing metrics, and managing program budgets.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, written, and interpersonal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands on experience with federal funding agencies or funding mechanisms
• Demonstrated success in developing, writing, or coordinating large-scale, multi-investigator, or multi-institutional research proposals or white papers.
• Experience navigating university research administration, national labs, federal agencies, or industry R&D partnerships.
• Proven ability to monitor federal research priorities, identify emerging funding trends, and map core research capabilities to strategic interdisciplinary opportunities.

Education

Required

• Master’s degree in engineering, technology, or related field.

Preferred

• PhD in engineering, technology, or related technical discipline.

Contact Information

Peggy Sullivan

[e-mail]

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

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