Research Program Manager

About The Opportunity

JOB SUMMARY: The Research Program Manager – Level 1 is responsible for the end-to-end management of federally funded research programs at the Kostas Research Institute (KRI) at Northeastern University, with a focus on delivering customer value through applied research and product development. This position reports to the Director of Program Management and provides program, product, and project management across multiple federal research contracts, balancing traditional government program management requirements with a product-oriented approach that emphasizes user needs, feasibility, and mission viability.

Responsibilities

• Engage directly with federal sponsors and end users to gather requirements and feedback
• Coincide with technical teams to define and deliver solutions that meet customer needs
• Manage program execution to ensure contractual compliance
• Support business development activities including proposal development and customer relationship management

Requirements

• Minimum Qualifications: Willingness to obtain and maintain a security clearance, Bachelor’s degree required, 3-5 years of experience managing or supporting federally funded research programs, with demonstrated understanding of compliance, reporting, and contractual requirements associated with federal funding
• Technical aptitude with ability to understand technical concepts, work effectively with engineers and researchers, and translate between technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple programs simultaneously, prioritize competing demands, and work independently to meet milestones and quality expectations
• Customer-focused mindset with ability to engage with sponsors and end users to understand needs, gather feedback, and ensure deliverables provide value
• Communication skills (written and verbal) with ability to interact effectively with government sponsors, technical teams, senior leadership, and external partners
• Highly organized and detailed-oriented with demonstrated ability to track deliverables, manage schedules, and ensure contractual compliance
• Problem-solving skills with ability to identify risks and develop appropriate solutions
• Proficiency with MS Office suite and ability to learn new programs and systems with ease
• Demonstrated product thinking (experience balancing customer value, technical feasibility, business viability, and user needs) preferred by not required

Qualifications

• Willingness to obtain and maintain a security clearance
• Bachelor’s degree required
• 3-5 years of experience managing or supporting federally funded research programs
• Technical aptitude with ability to understand technical concepts, work effectively with engineers and researchers, and translate between technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple programs simultaneously, prioritize competing demands, and work independently to meet milestones and quality expectations
• Customer-focused mindset with ability to engage with sponsors and end users to understand needs, gather feedback, and ensure deliverables provide value
• Communication skills (written and verbal) with ability to interact effectively with government sponsors, technical teams, senior leadership, and external partners
• Highly organized and detailed-oriented with demonstrated ability to track deliverables, manage schedules, and ensure contractual compliance
• Problem-solving skills with ability to identify risks and develop appropriate solutions
• Proficiency with MS Office suite and ability to learn new programs and systems with ease
• Demonstrated product thinking (experience balancing customer value, technical feasibility, business viability, and user needs) preferred by not required