Senior Program Manager

About the role

The Department of Biostatistics is a very busy and diverse department focused on research and teaching. Our 70+ faculty are leaders in the development of statistical methods for clinical trials and observational studies, studies on the environment, computational biology, and genomics/genetics. We offer degree programs in biostatistics, computational biology and data science; currently, more than 180 students are enrolled in these programs.

Responsibilities

• Program & Project Management
• Coordinate and manage the operational aspects of the lab’s research portfolio, including multiple NIH grants (e.g., R01, R21, U24) and non-NIH grants (NSF, AWS, etc) in biostatistics, data science, and environmental/public health
• Develop and maintain project timelines, milestones, and deliverables for methodological and applied projects; monitor progress and proactively identify risks and mitigation strategies
• Plan and facilitate regular project, lab, and working-group meetings (e.g., methods development teams, data analysisteams, multi-site collaborations), including agenda setting, documentation, and follow-up
• Support multi-PI, multi-site collaborations involving epidemiologists, environmental scientists, clinicians, computer scientists, and policy partners, including coordination of subawards, data use agreements, and communication workflows
• Develop and implement standard operating procedures (SOPs) for research processes, data management, and internal communication
• Serve as primary liaison between the research group and school/university administrative offices (e.g., research administration, HR, finance, IRB, IT)
• Regulatory Compliance & Research Integrity
• Ensure all research activities comply with federal, state, sponsor, and institutional policies, including human subjects protection, data security, conflict of interest, and responsible conduct of research
• Oversee preparation, submission, and maintenance of IRB protocols, amendments, continuing reviews, and reportable events
• Develop and deliver training and guidance for investigators and staff on compliance requirements, Good Clinical Practice (GCP) where applicable, and ethical research conduct
• Monitor adherence to data use agreements (DUAs) and other compliance related contracts
• Conduct periodic internal audits or quality checks to identify and address compliance risks
• Grants & Contracts Support (Administrative)
• Coordinate the scientific and administrative preparation of NIH grant applications and progress reports (RPPRs), working closely with the PIs, co-investigators, departmental pre-award staff, and the Grants Manager
• Track deadlines and ensure timely submission of new grants, progress reports, Just-in-Time materials, and renewals
• Collaborate with the Grants Manager and Office of Sponsored Programs on: Budget development and justification (providing programmatic input and staffing plans), Subaward setup and monitoring from a programmatic perspective, Monitor effort distributions, personnel support, and scope of work for alignment with scientific aims, communicating needed changes to the PIs and Grants Manager
• Coordinate with Grants Manager, Department Administration and HR for all appointments, reappointments, visa-related coordination, the Office of Sponsored Programs for all submissions, subcontracts, and compliance, the various Compliance offices for IRB, data privacy, conflict of interest for research-regulatory needs, the University Research Computing and Data Sciences for onboarding, offboarding, and communicating policies
• Provide the Grants Manager with timely information on staffing plans, anticipated changes in effort, timeline shifts, and major scope changes so that budgets and financial projections can be updated accordingly
• Participate in regular check-ins with the Grants Manager and relevant administrators to review portfolio status, upcoming deadlines, and operational needs
• Operations, Data Governance & Compliance
• Oversee administrative operations of the lab, including onboarding/offboarding
• Maintain organized records of protocols, approvals, data-use and collaboration agreements, training certifications, and conflict-of-interest disclosures
• Aid with preparation for audits, coordinate logistics, briefing materials, and presentations, in collaboration with the Grants Manager where financial information is required
• Personnel & Training Support
• Support recruitment, hiring, and appointment processing for research staff, data analysts, statisticians, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and undergraduate trainees, in partnership with HR and departmental administration
• Help define roles, expectations, and workflows for project teams
• Coordinate training in lab procedures, compliance requirements, and administrative processes; support mentoring activities and professional development (seminars, methods workshops, coding collaboratives)
• Contribute to a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performance culture that supports diverse trainees and staff in biostatistics and public health
• Communication, Dissemination & Outreach
• Serve as a central point of contact between the PIs/lab and institutional offices, collaborators (e.g., schools of public health, environmental health, medicine), community partners, and sponsors for programmatic and scientific matters
• Coordinate dissemination activities, including maintenance of lab and project websites and public-facing summaries of methods and findings
• Support preparation of manuscripts, methods papers, software documentation, and presentations (e.g., reference management, formatting, figures, reproducible reports, and ensuring compliance with public access policies)
• Help organize talks or workshops as needed
• Represent the research group on school or university committees related to research operations, compliance, or strategic initiatives

Qualifications

• Basic Qualifications: Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience is required, 5+ years of relevant experience is required
• Additional Qualifications and Skills: Advanced degree (e.g., MPH, MS in Biostatistics/Epidemiology, MPA, MBA, or related field) is strongly preferred, 3–5+ years of progressively responsible experience in research administration, program management, or related role in an academic or public health research environment, Demonstrated experience supporting NIH-funded projects, including familiarity with common mechanisms and electronic systems (e.g., eRA Commons, ASSIST, NIH Other Support), Understanding of pre- and post-award processes and requirements (scientific and administrative), with the ability to coordinate effectively with dedicated financial/Grants Management staff, Experience working with quantitative or data-intensive research (e.g., biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental or population health), Demonstrated experience supporting NIH-funded projects, including familiarity with common mechanisms and electronic systems (e.g., eRA Commons, ASSIST, NIH Other Support), Strong understanding of pre- and post-award processes and requirements (scientific and administrative), with the ability to coordinate effectively with dedicated financial/Grants Management staff, Experience working with quantitative or data-intensive research (e.g., biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental or population health), Familiarity with statistical software environments and workflows (e.g., R, Python, reproducible research tools) sufficient to understand project needs and communicate effectively with technical teams, Experience in a biostatistics, epidemiology, or public health department, especially with projects involving causal inference, environmental exposures, and health outcomes, Experience coordinating multi-site grants related to environment and public health, Experience working closely with Grants Managers or research finance professionals in a large research institution, Excellent organizational and time-management skills; ability to manage multiple complex projects and deadlines in a fast-paced academic environment, Strong written and verbal communication skills, including ability to synthesize complex scientific and methodological information for diverse audiences, High level of professionalism, discretion, and attention to detail, particularly with confidential data and personnel information, Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of multidisciplinary teams, exercising sound judgment, initiative, and problem-solving skills, Strong collaboration skills, especially in building effective working relationships with Grants Managers, departmental staff, and central offices, Commitment to advancing public health, scientific rigor, and equity, and to fostering an inclusive and collaborative research environment