Research Program Manager Job Miami area,Florida USA,Research/Development

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Position type: Full-Time 12-Month

Department: 191001 - Northern Gulf Institute

Location: Miami, FL

Categories: Professional

Position Open Date: May 19 2026

Position Function

The Research Program Manager supports a federally funded marine environmental DNA (eDNA) research program at NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) in Miami, Florida. This position is responsible for the execution and coordination of laboratory, field, and administrative activities across multiple federally funded research programs focused on marine biodiversity monitoring, eDNA metabarcoding and metagenomics, and ocean data infrastructure. The Research Program Manager works under the direction of the Principal Investigator and collaborates closely with co-investigators, research staff, and external partners to ensure the integrated and timely delivery of program objectives.

The Northern Gulf Institute (NGI) is a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Institute comprised of six academic institutions geographically distributed across the U.S. Gulf Coast states. The six NGI member institutions are Mississippi State University (lead), the University of Southern Mississippi, Florida State University, Louisiana State University, the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and the Dauphin Island Sea Laboratory.

Together with NOAA and in support of their strategic plan, NGI conducts research on interconnections among Gulf of Mexico environments, habitats, resources, and people and engages in outreach to help others learn about and make decisions based on these interconnections.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Plan, coordinate, and execute eDNA sample processing workflows including DNA extraction, PCR amplification, amplicon library preparation, and quality control across multiple concurrent research programs, managing sample throughput of several thousand samples per year.

Develop, optimize, and document new eDNA metabarcoding assays targeting marine prokaryotic, eukaryotic, and vertebrate communities; evaluate assay performance and maintain standard operating protocols.

Coordinate field sampling operations including cruise preparation, sample collection logistics, field team coordination, and chain-of-custody documentation in collaboration with vessel operators, external partners, and NOAA program personnel.

Manage laboratory data using FAIR-compliant metadata standards (FAIReSheets); oversee data entry, quality control, and submission of eDNA datasets and associated metadata to public repositories including NCBI SRA and OBIS/GBIF.

Coordinate procurement of laboratory supplies, equipment, and services; maintain laboratory inventory and equipment records; liaise with university purchasing and compliance offices.

Assist the Principal Investigator with budget tracking, expenditure reconciliation, and financial reporting across multiple sponsored awards; monitor spending against project budgets and flag discrepancies.

Assist the Principal Investigator and co-investigators with preparation of progress reports, renewal proposals, presentations, and other grant deliverables.

Provide day-to-day technical guidance and mentorship to laboratory technicians, graduate students, and undergraduate interns working within the research program.

Maintain awareness of regulatory and compliance requirements applicable to federally funded research, including biosafety, chemical inventory, and data management obligations.

Perform other duties as assigned in support of NGI and NOAA research mission objectives.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in marine science, biology, environmental science, or a closely related field, plus three years of experience in a research environment. Experience must include hands‑on molecular biology laboratory work and demonstrated involvement in research program coordination or project management.

Preferred Qualifications

Master's degree in marine science, biology, environmental science, or a closely related field.
Experience with eDNA metabarcoding methods including DNA extraction, PCR, and amplicon library preparation.
Familiarity with FAIR data…