Senior Manager of Research Development

University of Washington Medical Center•Seattle, WA

2d•$144,996 - $175,008

About The Position

The Senior Manager of Research Development leads the Institute for Protein Design’s research development enterprise, overseeing inbound research projects and the strategic management of its sponsored research portfolio. The role serves as the Institute’s scientific proposal coordinator, leading the development of grant applications, corporate-sponsored research proposals, center applications, annual reports, and other strategic research documents. In collaboration with Institute leadership, principal investigators, and scientific staff, the Senior Manager coordinates proposal development and helps identify the structural and operational support needed to meet project goals. Once funding is secured, the role works with the project management team to advance those objectives. The position oversees active sponsored research programs, including project oversight, progress reporting, and sponsor engagement. It supervises the Grants and Project Management teams and works closely with post-award staff on administrative, financial, and compliance matters. The role coordinates complex, multi-investigator and multi-institution research programs, connecting scientific aims and sponsor deliverables with staffing, equipment, timelines, and institutional resources. This institute-wide leadership position operates in a dynamic, interdisciplinary environment and has direct impact on IPD’s ability to secure and manage external research funding. It requires translating complex science into persuasive, rigorous proposals for varied funding audiences, managing multiple concurrent proposals and active awards, and building effective teams and processes. The position reports to the Director of Translational Research, with a dotted-line relationship to IPD Leadership.

Requirements

Ph.D. in biochemistry, biological sciences, bioengineering, or a related field, and two years of experience that includes scientific writing; equivalent education and/or experience may substitute where permitted.
Track record of obtaining competitive research grants.
Demonstrated experience developing, overseeing, or executing multi-investigator research programs, including work with deliverables, milestones, staffing or resources, scientific progress, cross-lab or cross-institution coordination, research centers, consortia, or large sponsored awards.
Familiarity with federal funding guidelines.
Critical thinking, initiative, and sound judgment to manage tasks, resolve problems, and make recommendations.
Advanced computer skills and project management experience.
Advanced communication, organizational, and collaborative skills.
Strong project and team management, collaboration, and people skills, including the ability to build and motivate teams in a positive, collaborative environment.

Nice To Haves

At least five years of scientific writing experience.
More than three years of team leadership and people management experience.
Hands-on research experience in protein science, structural biology, computational biology, or a related field.
Working knowledge of machine learning and AI methods as applied to biology.
Experience with a range of sponsors, such as NIH, NSF, DoD/DARPA, ARPA-H, BARDA, major foundations, and industry-sponsored research.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with principal investigators and Institute leadership to develop competitive grant applications, center proposals, corporate-sponsored research agreements, and other external applications.
Coordinate sponsor communications and prepare grant reports, project summaries, RPPRs, progress documentation, annual reports, and sponsor deliverables.
Write and edit proposal components, including Specific Aims, Research Strategy, Innovation, Significance, Impact, and programmatic narratives.
Identify teaming needs for proposed research programs; coordinate with collaborators to define responsibilities and address gaps.
Lead proposal drafting and revision with investigators, collaborators, leadership, and external partners; ensure scientific accuracy, narrative consistency, and alignment with sponsor criteria.
Prepare proposal resubmissions by incorporating reviewer feedback and strengthening proposal strategy.
Oversee the portfolio of active sponsored research programs and work with project managers to track scientific progress against aims, milestones, and deliverables.
Work with faculty to define major-award deliverables and plan how research teams will meet those deliverables and sponsor requirements.
Identify scientific expertise needed for proposed programs and help ensure it is available.
Coordinate personnel and equipment planning with relevant Institute and University teams.
Plan and sequence activities across labs and institutions, divide research work among teams, coordinate data and materials sharing, and manage scientific dependencies.
Partner with Institute leadership to develop funding strategies for major research initiatives.
Represent IPD in sponsor meetings, program reviews, and strategic discussions, and translate sponsor feedback into refined proposal strategies.
Build long-term proposal planning processes aligned with institutional research priorities.
Supervise Grants and Project Management staff; recruit, mentor, evaluate, and support team members’ professional development.
Guide project managers, allocate staff resources, and coordinate complex research programs across the Institute.
Develop standardized proposal resources, templates, workflows, and best practices.
Coordinate with University pre-award and post-award offices on proposal submissions and award management.
Ensure compliance with sponsor and University requirements, including applicable NIH, NSF, foundation, and industry policies.
Collaborate with University offices on conflict of interest, intellectual property, export controls, data security, and other compliance matters.
Review agreements and coordinate with relevant University and Institute offices to support timely processing and ensure contract terms meet IPD expectations.
Partner with IPD Communications on scientific figures, graphics, presentations, and public-facing research materials.
Monitor sponsor policy changes and recommend process improvements to maintain competitiveness and compliance.