TERA Assistant Director

This Division of Research and Innovation is seeking a TERA Assistant Director. This is a full-time (1.00 FTE), 12-month, professional faculty position. The TERA Solutions Hub (Transdisciplinary, Translational, and Engaged Research Advancement) Assistant Director works closely with the TERA Director to cultivate strategic relationships with colleges and research teams across Oregon State University and beyond and provides consistent operational leadership for the TERA Launch program within the TERA Solutions Hub.

The position is responsible for designing, implementing, and continuously improving a university-wide project launch service that supports newly funded large, complex, and multi institutional research awards. This position supervises Launch Managers and supports a limited portfolio of high-priority projects.

• TERA Solutions Hub Operations and Administration – Oversee day-to-day operations of the TERA Solutions Hub, including programs, services, systems, communications, data management, operational processes, and service delivery to ensure effective and efficient operations aligned with TERA’s mission.
• TERA Launch Program Leadership and Development – Provide operational leadership for TERA Launch, including development and refinement of service models, intake and project-selection processes, launch methodologies, assessment frameworks, cost-recovery approaches, templates, and operating procedures.
• Program Planning, Performance, and Continuous Improvement – Establish and maintain systems for project assignment, resource allocation, reporting, evaluation, and quality assurance; monitor program performance and use results to guide improvements, annual planning, resource decisions, and program scaling.
• Launch Manager Supervision and Workforce Development – Supervise Launch Managers, including hiring, onboarding, training, workload distribution, mentoring, professional development, quality assurance, and performance management; foster a community of practice and provide peer support to project managers across campus.
• Strategic Research Partnerships and TERA Ecosystem Development – Work with TERA leadership to develop and strengthen partnerships with colleges, centers and institutes, industry, government agencies, nonprofits, and community organizations; represent TERA Launch in university planning and broader TERA initiatives.
• High-Priority Research Project Launch and Implementation – Serve as the lead launch administrator for selected high-priority, large, complex, and multi-institutional research awards, either directly managing launches or coordinating Launch Managers. Develop startup and implementation plans, governance structures, timelines, communication plans, milestone systems, and transition strategies.
• Cross-Functional Coordination and Collaborative Team Development – Coordinate administrative and operational requirements—including hiring, procurement, contracting, compliance, reporting, infrastructure access, and project documentation—while facilitating collaboration among PIs, research teams, university units, sponsors, institutions, and external partners to remove barriers and support effective team performance.

• Bachelor’s degree AND a minimum of two (2) years of progressively responsible professional experience in operational leadership research administration, innovation centers, industry partnerships, complex program management, higher education operations, or a related environment.
• Five years of experience managing complex programs, projects, research initiatives, or organizational operations.
• Demonstrated experience supervising staff or leading teams.
• Experience developing operational systems,…