Research Project Manager (TEMPORARY)

Brigham Young University • Provo, UT

1d • $17 - $21

About The Position

As the flagship higher education institution of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Brigham Young University (BYU) strives to be among the exceptional universities in the world. At BYU, we are devoted to our faith and to our students. We take an active role in the University's Mission: "To assist individuals in their quest for perfection and eternal life.” Our unique mission, deeply rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, provides countless ways to serve and make an impact. This, along with our remarkable culture of belonging, weekly devotionals, and endless opportunities for learning and growth—all situated within a beautiful and historic campus—make it hard to imagine a more inspiring place to work. Brigham Young University strongly prefers to hire faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Research Project Manager (TEMPORARY) The Project Manager will oversee the planning, coordination, and execution of a multidisciplinary human subjects research study investigating dietary sulfur (sulfites and sulfates) sensitivity. This role is responsible for managing IRB compliance, participant recruitment and scheduling, biospecimen collection logistics (blood, urine, and related samples), and coordination of laboratory analyses including gene expression, metabolomics, and analytical chemistry workflows (e.g., HPLC, GC-MS). The Project Manager will serve as the central point of communication among clinical staff, laboratory personnel, and investigators, ensuring protocol adherence, data integrity, and timely completion of study milestones. Strong organizational skills, experience with human subjects research, and the ability to manage complex, cross-functional workflows are essential. What you’ll do in this position: A Project Manager in this study would be responsible for making (or guiding) several critical operational and scientific-support decisions that directly impact study quality, compliance, and timelines. Key decisions include: Protocol adherence vs. feasibility adjustments — deciding when minor deviations (e.g., timing of biospecimen collection, missed dietary restriction windows) are acceptable versus when a participant must repeat or be removed from a study arm. Dose escalation and safety thresholds — working with clinical oversight to determine whether participants can safely proceed to higher sulfite/sulfate exposure levels based on observed symptoms or biomarkers. Resource allocation and prioritization — balancing lab capacity (e.g., HPLC, GC-MS, PCR platforms) with sample throughput, deciding which analyses are prioritized if bottlenecks arise. Data quality control thresholds — determining when data (e.g., gene expression outliers, metabolomics variability, sample degradation) are acceptable, require re-analysis, or should be excluded. Vendor and supply decisions — selecting and managing suppliers for reagents, sulfite dosing materials, and collection kits, especially if substitutions are needed due to availability or stability concerns.

Requirements

• A firm commitment to the mission of BYU.
• Bachelor’s degree in a life science discipline
• Minimum of one year of research experience, preferably in a laboratory or human subjects research setting

Nice To Haves

• Strong understanding of basic laboratory techniques (e.g., pipetting, sample handling, aseptic technique) and familiarity with analytical platforms (e.g., HPLC, GC-MS, PCR)
• Experience with human subjects research practices, including confidentiality, informed consent, and protocol adherence
• Excellent organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple participants, timelines, and workflows simultaneously
• Proficiency in data management and analysis, including use of Excel and/or statistical software (e.g., R, SPSS, or similar)
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to data quality and reproducibility
• Effective written and verbal communication skills for coordinating with research staff, participants, and investigators

Benefits

• Employee assistance program, available to the employee and all members of their household
• Access to the library
• Free on-campus parking
• Free UTA pass
• Discounts at the BYU Store and for many events at BYU

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Manager
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees