Senior Program Manager for Advanced Research and Leadership

Job Summary

The Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP), the flagship program of the Center for Research, Scholarship, and Creative Inquiry, seeks an experienced, student-centered professional to provide high-level leadership in the development, implementation, and assessment of advanced research, leadership, equity-centered scholarship, and graduate education preparation opportunities for University of Michigan undergraduate students. This position is anchored in UROP and contributes to the broader mission of the Center for Research, Scholarship, and Creative Inquiry by supporting both UROP and non-UROP students engaged in research, scholarly work, and creative practice.

UROP seeks a candidate who is energized by working in a student-centered, multidisciplinary, and collaborative environment. The successful candidate will value working with undergraduate students, faculty, researchers, graduate student mentors, academic departments, and campus partners; demonstrate a commitment to expanding access to mentored research experiences; and contribute to a collegial team environment focused on student success, research excellence, and inclusive scholarly development.

The Senior Academic Program Manager will oversee several student-centered programs. These include the Graduate Education Preparation Program (GEPP); the Bowman-UROP Equity Fellows Program; the Research for Impact Program in partnership with Michigan Medicine; UROP's Student Success Workshop Series; and supervision of UROP Peer Research Facilitators.

The position also includes an annual 11.1% Lecturer appointment to teach ALA 285 during the Winter term each year for GEPP students. The teaching assignment is included within the total 100% appointment and is integrated into the position's broader focus on student success, research development, and graduate education preparation. Because the instructional effort is concentrated in the Winter term, the Director of Mentor Engagement will work with the successful candidate to plan seasonal responsibilities and make appropriate workload adjustments to support a balanced and sustainable role.

Reports to the Director of Mentor Engagement.

Responsibilities

I. Manage and Oversee the Graduate Education Preparation Program (GEPP) – 20%

The Graduate Education Preparation Program, formerly known as Grad PREP, supports a small cohort of up to 20 U-M undergraduate students each year as they prepare for graduate study, advanced research, and competitive post-baccalaureate opportunities. GEPP supports students who demonstrate strong potential for graduate study and who would benefit from structured academic, professional, research, and mentoring support.

Responsibilities include:

• Lead the design, coordination, implementation, and ongoing improvement of GEPP.
• Develop and maintain a structured one- to two-year graduate education preparation experience within the Center.
• Provide comprehensive academic, professional, and developmental support to students preparing for graduate education and advanced research opportunities.
• Support students across disciplines, with particular attention to students who may face barriers to accessing graduate education pathways, including students in STEM and other research-intensive fields.
• Collaborate with UROP leadership, Rackham Graduate School, academic departments, faculty, researchers, and campus partners to strengthen research opportunities, graduate school preparation, faculty mentorship, and professional development.
• Develop programming that supports graduate school exploration, application preparation, research identity development, academic planning, professional communication, and post-baccalaureate pathway preparation.
• Integrate inclusion and student-centered approaches into GEPP programming, mentoring, and student support.
• Supervise two graduate student mentors assigned to support GEPP students.
• Coordinate graduate student mentor responsibilities, training, student engagement, and evaluation.
• Monitor student progress, maintain program records, and provide individualized support to promote students' academic, research, scholarly, and professional success.
• Conduct program evaluation and assessment, including tracking student outcomes and preparing reports as needed.
• Serve as a liaison to graduate programs, faculty, campus units, and other partners involved in graduate education preparation.

II. Teach ALA 285 for GEPP Students – 11%

This position includes an annual 11% Lecturer appointment to teach ALA 285 during the Winter term each year for students in the Graduate Education Preparation Program. Although the instructional appointment is annualized as part of the total 100% effort, the teaching duties are concentrated in the Winter term.

Responsibilities include:

• Teach ALA 285 in alignment with GEPP goals and the Center's Student Success Model.
• Develop, refine, and maintain course materials that support graduate education preparation, research development, academic planning, and professional growth.
• Provide instruction, feedback, and mentoring to GEPP students enrolled in the course.
• Coordinate course content with GEPP programming, graduate student mentor support, and related student development activities.
• Assess student learning and maintain instructional records in accordance with university policies.
• Collaborate with the Center and UROP leadership to ensure the course supports students' broader preparation for graduate education, advanced research, and post-baccalaureate pathways.

III. Oversee the Bowman-UROP Equity Fellows Program – 14%

The Bowman-UROP Equity Fellows Program prepares undergraduate students to become equity-minded researchers, scholars, and creative practitioners. Grounded in the Bowman Center's scholarly framework and the Center/UROP's mission to expand access to mentored research, the program supports students in producing rigorous, socially responsive scholarship that advances knowledge, strengthens communities, and contributes to institutional transformation. The program supports up to 10 student fellows annually working across up to eight Bowman-affiliated research projects. For the inaugural year, the program will be organized around the broad theme of Communities in Action, which will also inform Bowman Center programming throughout the academic year.

Responsibilities include:

• Oversee the implementation, coordination, and ongoing administration of the Bowman-UROP Equity Fellows Program.
• Support recruitment, selection, onboarding, and ongoing engagement of up to 10 undergraduate Equity Fellows per year.
• Coordinate with Bowman Center leadership, UROP leadership, faculty, researchers, and project mentors to ensure high-quality student research placements.
• Support students participating in the program for academic credit or work-study funding.
• Collaborate with the Bowman Center Director and UROP research staff on monthly seminar meetings for Equity Fellows.
• Help develop and coordinate seminar topics related to PhD pathways, equity-centered research practices, socially responsive scholarship, the annual program theme, and student interests.
• Support students in understanding and applying equity-minded research practices within their research, scholarship, or creative activities.
• Maintain communication with research mentors and assist in resolving student or placement-related concerns.
• Track student participation, progress, and outcomes.
• Contribute to program assessment, reporting, and continuous improvement.
• Help cultivate a cohort experience that supports students' research identities, sense of belonging, and development as equity-minded scholars, researchers, and creative practitioners.

IV. Design and Manage the Academic and Professional Development Student Success Workshop Series – 25%

The Senior Academic Program Manager will lead the design and implementation of the Center's Research Student Success Workshop Series, which provides centralized academic and professional development support to undergraduate students engaged in research, scholarly work, and creative inquiry.

Responsibilities include:

• Design, coordinate, and deliver workshops related to entering undergraduate research, applying to research opportunities, developing research skills, and becoming an independent researcher.
• Develop programming for students across a range of experience levels, from novice researchers to advanced undergraduate researchers.
• Create workshops that support students' academic, professional, and research development, including topics such as research communication, mentor relationships, research ethics, graduate school exploration, conference preparation, and post-baccalaureate pathways.
• Collaborate with campus partners to strengthen support for undergraduate students seeking post-baccalaureate research opportunities.
• Assess workshop participation, learning outcomes, and student needs to inform future programming.

V. Co-Lead the Research for Impact Program with Michigan Medicine – 15%

The Research for Impact Program is a medical and research mentorship program developed in partnership with Michigan Medicine. Through this program, former UROP health science students work with medical teams to explore how research can be applied to real-world health and medical challenges. Students are paired with a physician, a clinical researcher, and a medical student and are supported in developing sustained, self-directed learning in an area of interest.

Responsibilities include:

• Co-lead the Research for Impact Program in collaboration with University of Michigan Medical School faculty, clinical researchers, and medical students.
• Coordinate recruitment, selection, onboarding, and ongoing support for student participants.
• Collaborate with Michigan Medicine partners on educational programming, professional development, and training.
• Support a student cohort of approximately 10 students per year, with a total two-year cohort size of approximately 20 students.
• Monitor student progress and provide individualized support as needed.
• Maintain regular communication with Michigan Medicine partners, mentors, and student participants.
• Track program participation, outcomes, and student development.
• Contribute to program evaluation, reporting, and continuous improvement.

VI. Supervise UROP Peer Research Facilitators – 15%

The Senior Academic Program Manager will supervise up to nine UROP Peer Research Facilitators, who support undergraduate researchers through peer mentoring, workshop facilitation, student engagement, and research-readiness programming.

Responsibilities include:

• Recruit, train, supervise, and evaluate up to nine UROP Peer Research Facilitators.

How to Apply

The Senior Program Manager position is interdependent with the LEO Adjunct Lecturer (Curriculum Support) position, which involves teaching ALA 285: Post-Baccalaureate Preparation. You must apply to both job postings and be qualified for both positions in order to be considered as a candidate. (Please see Job Posting 282236, which describes the LEO Adjunct Lecturer position, for the specific application requirements of that position.)

To be considered as a candidate for this position, candidates should submit a single attachment (in PDF format) to this posting with the following materials:

• Cover letter addressing your interest in this position and outlining skills and experience that directly relate to this role
• Current resume or CV
• Statement of teaching philosophy and experience (no more than five pages)
• Syllabus from a course you developed and taught and one student assignment from that course

Applications and supporting materials must be submitted through the UM jobs website in order to be considered an applicant for this position.