Strategic Research Programs Manager

University of Pennsylvania; United States; On-site; USD 81,000 - 112,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Tuition benefits

Retirement plans

Flexible work hours

Job summary

University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA seeks a Research Project Manager C to provide strategic leadership and management of complex, multidisciplinary research programs. You will collaborate with principal investigators, oversee grant development, and ensure compliance with sponsor and institutional requirements.

The role involves driving research planning, coordinating resources, managing operations, and mentoring staff while advancing initiatives from development through execution and

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in science, engineering, biomedical sciences, management, or a related field and 5-7 years of progressively responsible research project management experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience managing complex research programs with multidisciplinary teams and collaborators.
• Experience contributing to grant applications, research proposals, scientific reports, publications, or other scholarly outputs.
• Strong understanding of biomedical research methodologies, experimental design, data analysis, and research operations.
• Ability to independently manage priorities, coordinate multiple projects, solve complex problems, and drive initiatives to completion.
• Experience developing operational procedures, managing resources, and ensuring compliance with institutional and regulatory requirements.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; multilingual ability a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain productive relationships with investigators and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for complex research programs involving multidisciplinary teams and multiple concurrent initiatives.
• Partner with the principal investigator to define research objectives, develop project strategies, establish timelines, allocate resources, and implement workflows to achieve research goals.
• Manage day-to-day research activities, including project prioritization, workflow coordination, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement of research operations.
• Develop and oversee research management systems, standard operating procedures, documentation practices, and data management processes to support efficiency, reproducibility, and compliance.
• Coordinate collaborations with internal and external investigators, clinical partners, research laboratories, service providers, and other stakeholders.
• Contribute scientific expertise to grant proposals, including research strategies, experimental approaches, preliminary data summaries, milestones, budgets, and supporting documentation.
• Support post-award grant management, including progress reporting, compliance documentation, resource tracking, and sponsor requirements.
• Analyze and interpret research data and prepare scientific reports, presentations, manuscripts, and research summaries for diverse audiences.
• Oversee laboratory operations, including personnel coordination, equipment management, procurement, vendor relationships, and infrastructure improvements.
• Ensure compliance with institution, sponsor, and regulatory requirements, including IACUC, IRB, biosafety, and other applicable policies.
• Train, mentor, and provide guidance to research staff, students, and trainees.
• Evaluate emerging technologies, methodologies, funding opportunities, and collaborations to support research innovation and program growth.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Grant writing

Project management

Collaboration

Budgeting

Education

Master’s degree in science/engineering/biomedical fields

Tools

Grant management systems

Job description

University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA seeks a Research Project Manager C to provide strategic leadership and management of complex, multidisciplinary research programs. You will collaborate with principal investigators, oversee grant development, and ensure compliance with sponsor and institutional requirements.

The role involves driving research planning, coordinating resources, managing operations, and mentoring staff while advancing initiatives from development through execution and