(Remote) Program Director - Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute

West Virginia University • West Virginia, WV

4d • Remote

About The Position

This position will lead the strategic operations and translational program for the RNI Innovation Center (RNI IC), serving as the central point of coordination and execution across clinical research, translational development, and commercialization initiatives. The role bridges strategy and execution—translating leadership priorities into actionable plans, aligning multidisciplinary teams, and supporting the advancement of innovations from research through commercialization. This individual partners closely with RNI leadership and external collaborators to provide visibility into performance, risks, intellectual property strategy, and resource needs across the portfolio.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Healthcare Administration, Life Sciences, Engineering, or a related field required.
• A minimum of three (3) years of experience in the following: Project management, strategic operations, program management, or venture/program support within healthcare, life sciences, MedTech, or a related environment.
• Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered.
• All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.
• Experience supporting cross-functional initiatives spanning research, product development, or translational programs.
• Exposure to commercialization activities, such as product development, go-to-market planning, industry partnerships, startup/spinout formation, or technology transfer processes.
• Experience working in complex, matrixed organizations (e.g., academic medical centers, universities, health systems, startups, or industry environments).
• Experience with grant development and submission, including coordination of multi-investigator proposals.
• Familiarity with MedTech commercialization, including product development, regulatory pathways (e.g., FDA 510(k), PMA), and early market development.
• Working knowledge of intellectual property strategy, including invention disclosures, patent coordination, and licensing.
• Ability to support market evaluation, partnership development, and commercialization strategy.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including development of grant applications, executive materials, and investor-facing content.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to synthesize clinical, technical, and business inputs.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives across research, clinical, commercialization, and funding stages.
• Effective stakeholder coordination across clinicians, researchers, executives, and external partners.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail; proficient in project management tools (e.g., Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, Asana, Trello).
• Self-directed and comfortable operating in a high-ambiguity, fast-paced environment.

Nice To Haves

• Exposure to early-stage venture environments, venture studios, incubators, or innovation programs preferred.
• Experience supporting grant development, writing and/or submission, including coordination of proposals (e.g., NIH, DoD, foundation, or industry-sponsored funding), preferred
• Understanding of translational research pathways (bench → clinical → commercialization) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Support the planning, coordination, and execution of RNI’s clinical, translational, and applied research initiatives, ensuring alignment with institutional and commercialization priorities.
• Translate strategic objectives into structured project plans, timelines, and deliverables that advance technologies from research through validation and commercialization.
• Coordinate across RNI, WVUH, HSC, and WVU teams to align clinical research, translational development, and commercialization activities.
• Facilitate project governance processes, including tracking milestones, identifying risks, and supporting prioritization decisions across the research-to-commercialization continuum.
• Monitor initiative progress and proactively identify risks, bottlenecks, and dependencies; escalate issues as appropriate.
• Support portfolio-level visibility by tracking key initiatives, synthesizing updates, and maintaining centralized reporting across clinical, translational, and commercialization efforts.
• Prepare executive-level presentations and materials summarizing progress, risks, intellectual property considerations, and commercialization pathways.
• Analyze operational and research data to generate insights that inform decision-making, development strategy, and go-to-market planning.
• Assist in coordinating intellectual property activities, including invention disclosures, patent filings, and alignment with institutional IP and licensing strategies.
• Support commercialization efforts, including coordination with industry partners, evaluation of partnership opportunities, and alignment of development milestones with market needs.
• Assist in the development and refinement of standard operating procedures and best practices to enhance efficiency across research, development, and commercialization functions.
• Coordinate with internal teams and external partners to ensure alignment on deliverables, timelines, and expectations.
• Support budget tracking, resource planning, and operational coordination across initiatives.
• Ensure adherence to institutional policies, procedures, regulatory requirements, and intellectual property frameworks.
• Drive day-to-day execution of strategic initiatives, managing multiple priorities simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail.
• Serve as a key operational point of contact for assigned initiatives, ensuring clear communication and follow-through across stakeholders.

Benefits

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year (employee leave)
• 18 sick days per year (for when you’re ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family’s, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6%25 employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ’s.
• Wellness programs

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior