Research Project Manager - Molecular Precision Medicine​/Medicine

Position Specifics

The Department of Molecular and Precision Medicine / Medicine at Penn State College of Medicine seeks a Research Project Manager to support a dynamic portfolio of gastrointestinal (GI), microbiome, metabolomics, and translational research programs. This position will provide high‑level scientific and operational leadership across basic, clinical, and translational studies, ensuring regulatory compliance, data integrity, and efficient execution of multi‑investigator projects.

The successful candidate will oversee research coordination, protocol development, regulatory documentation, SOP implementation, and cross‑functional team management. This role serves as a central operational leader to ensure studies remain audit‑ready, scientifically rigorous, and aligned with sponsor and institutional requirements.

• Lead day‑to‑day coordination of GI‑focused basic and translational research studies
• Support protocol development, study design refinement, and implementation across human and animal research projects
• Coordinate biospecimen collection, processing workflows, and data integration in collaboration with interdisciplinary teams
• Conduct quality control review of complex datasets (e.g., microbiome, metabolomics, molecular analyses) to ensure completeness and accuracy

• Oversee IRB, IACUC, IBC submissions, protocol modifications, continuing reviews, and regulatory reporting
• Ensure compliance with ICH‑GCP, institutional policies, and sponsor requirements
• Develop and maintain audit‑ready documentation systems
• Author and implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for laboratory and study operations
• Train research personnel on protocol adherence, regulatory documentation standards, and best practices

• Build and maintain dependable systems for efficient scheduling, purchasing, onboarding, and study documentation
• Oversee procurement processes and inventory management
• Coordinate laboratory startup activities, workflow optimization, and operational improvements
• Support integration of clinical and laboratory research activities

• Contribute data and coordinate research teams to contribute to NIH and foundation grant submissions
• Assist with assembling progress reports, regulatory documents, and supporting materials
• Prepare data summaries, figures, and manuscript components for peer‑reviewed publication

• Serve as liaison between faculty investigators, research staff, data managers, and collaborators
• Facilitate research meetings and track project milestones and deliverables
• Provide mentorship and training to laboratory personnel and research staff

• PhD in biomedical sciences, pathobiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, or related discipline
• Demonstrated experience supporting or managing clinical and translational research programs
• Experience with protocol development, regulatory documentation, and compliance oversight
• Strong scientific writing and data analysis skills
• Proven ability to manage multiple concurrent projects in a fast‑paced research environment
• Experience in gastrointestinal research, microbiome science, metabolomics, toxicology, or related biomedical fields
• Experience maintaining ICH‑GCP‑aligned documentation systems
• Prior experience in laboratory startup or operational system development
• Demonstrated record of peer‑reviewed publications
• Experience coordinating animal and human subject research

Bachelor's Degree; no prior relevant work experience required; previous relevant work experience accepted in lieu of education.

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies. Penn State does not sponsor or take over sponsorship of a staff employment Visa. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.

The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $56,200.00 - $81,500.00.…