Director, Research Operations and Training

Director, Research Operations and Training (DROT), as a member of the leadership team for the Office of Research and Innovation, plays a pivotal role in the university’s mission by building and managing research infrastructure and enhancing faculty and professional development in research and innovation. In collaboration with the Vice President for Research (VPR), the DROT will provide oversight and administration of research infrastructure including research/innovation space allocation, management and assessment and operational oversight of research and innovation core facilities.

The DROT will work closely with faculty and professional staff to provide professional development opportunities and to promote extramural funding productivity at the University. The DROT, in collaboration with the VPR and Provost, will integrate and expand workforce and professional development opportunities in research and innovation across the university.

The University of New England Office of Research and Innovation (ORI) plays a vital role in promoting scholarly activities across all of UNE’s colleges, programs, and centers. Through strategic planning, investment, and a comprehensive portfolio of research support services, ORI fosters collaborations both within the University and with external partners to expand the scope and impact of UNE’s research programs while fostering an inclusive scholarly environment.

As a Carnegie‑classified R2 high research activity institution, UNE demonstrates remarkable strength in the biomedical sciences, including neuroscience, immunology, pharmacology, and biochemistry. The University engages medical, health professional, graduate, and undergraduate students in meaningful scholarly pursuits that enhance their educational experience while advancing our understanding of human health and disease. Faculty‑led student research is a cornerstone of the UNE student experience, with 41% of UNE seniors working with faculty on research projects — almost twice the national average.

ORI provides support for student experiential learning, including fellowships, travel awards, and opportunities to present and publish work.

As part of a strategic commitment to advance biomedical research, UNE has prioritized key biomedical research areas for future investment and faculty recruitment, established strategic external partnerships, and fostered student participation in research through workforce development initiatives. Ranked No. 1 in NIH funding among colleges and universities in Maine, UNE is the only higher education institution in the state with two NIH‑funded Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE), including the recently established Center for Cell Signaling Research in 2024.

UNE boasts 10 centers for research, scholarship, and interprofessional collaboration, as well as the recently established Portland Laboratory for Biotechnology and Health Sciences.

The ORI, led by the VPR, oversees the Office of Sponsored Programs, the Office of Research Integrity, the Office of Research Animal Care and the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. These units provide administrative support services to faculty, professional staff and students to enable pursuit of extramural funding, provide intellectual property and technology transfer expertise, and to ensure the highest ethical standards and regulatory compliance in UNE’s research, scholarship and innovation activities.

UNE is Maine’s largest private university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one‑of‑a‑kind study‑abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible online offerings. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands‑on learning, empowering students to positively impact a world full of challenges. We are the state’s top provider of health professionals and home to Maine’s only medical and dental colleges, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care programs, and nationally recognized programs in the marine sciences, the natural and social sciences, business, the humanities, and the arts.

• Multiple health and dental plan options, plus vision coverage.
• Up to 8% retirement plan match.
• Generous leave time, including vacation, sick, and personal time, and 12+ holidays per year.
• Educational benefits:
  • UNE tuition waiver for employees, spouses, and domestic partners.
  • UNE tuition waiver for dependents of employees with 1 year of full‑time service.
  • 50% tuition reduction if less than 1 year of full‑time service.

For more information about our outstanding benefits, please visit: UNE Benefits Overview.