Senior Research Program Coordinator

University of Texas at Austin

2d • Onsite

About The Position

Dell Medical School is seeking a Senior Research Program Coordinator for a grant-funded position expected to continue through February 28, 2029. Renewal depends on funding availability, work performance, and progress toward research goals. The position provides advanced project and program support for a variety of non-clinical research initiatives across lab environments within the healthcare system. Reporting to a Principal Investigator, Lab Director, or Research Manager, the coordinator manages day-to-day research project or laboratory operations, including planning, data and documentation management, regulatory compliance, and stakeholder communication. The role also supports faculty and research leadership in developing and executing research programs, preparing reports and grant materials, and meeting institutional and sponsor requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a related field and at least 5 years of experience in research coordination, laboratory operations, or academic research administration; relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.
• Ability to coordinate multiple tasks and deadlines, prioritize work, and meet deadlines consistently.
• Ability to organize project files, coordinate resources, and ensure timely completion of administrative and operational tasks.
• Ability to identify workflows, standardize recurring research tasks, and suggest process improvements.
• Ability to ensure compliance with institutional and sponsor processes and meet internal and external customer expectations.
• Clear and concise writing and communication skills, including drafting reports and correspondence and editing and formatting grant applications and manuscripts.
• Ability to communicate complex information in accessible language and balance competing demands across projects.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree in a related field and at least 6 years of experience in a research-intensive academic or healthcare setting.
• Experience leading process improvement initiatives or coordinating cross-functional teams.
• Certified Research Administrator (CRA) certification from the Research Administrators Certification Council.
• Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) certification.
• Institutional or external laboratory safety or biosafety certification.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate day-to-day operations of complex research projects or laboratories.
• Develop and maintain project plans, timelines, and deliverables with investigators; track milestones, identify risks, and support mitigation strategies.
• Facilitate project meetings, prepare agendas, and document decisions and action items.
• Ensure project activities align with institutional, sponsor, and regulatory requirements.
• Manage data collection, entry, and quality control for multi-site or high-volume research projects.
• Maintain and audit databases, lab notebooks, and digital records; prepare data summaries, charts, and reports.
• Ensure data integrity and compliance with sponsor, institutional, and federal guidelines.
• Support manuscript development and publication processes.
• Administer and coordinate program development and activities; develop standards for achieving program goals and objectives.
• Conduct marketing assessments, promote program visibility, and recommend or implement policies and procedures to improve program effectiveness.
• Maintain interaction with university departments, external agencies, and collaborators.
• Prepare and distribute internal and external reports, updates, and correspondence.
• Draft and edit grant applications, progress reports, publications, and other communications.
• Coordinate communication among investigators, collaborators, and institutional offices; maintain documentation of decisions, timelines, and deliverables.
• Support dissemination of research findings through presentations, newsletters, or digital platforms.
• Prepare and submit IRB, IACUC, biosafety, and other regulatory documents; coordinate IRB applications and subject recruitment for non-clinical studies.
• Facilitate compliance activities across multiple protocols or investigators.
• Track grant milestones, reporting deadlines, and budgetary requirements; assist with grant writing, formatting, submission, audit preparation, and sponsor reporting.
• Participate in strategic planning for research program growth or restructuring.
• Assist with budget forecasting and financial reconciliation.
• Represent the research team in institutional committees or working groups.
• Contribute to SOP development and process improvement initiatives.
• Support research-related outreach, recruitment, or community engagement activities.
• Coordinate personnel, funding, materials, and support; organize project files and documentation; manage tasks and deadlines across projects.
• Identify workflows and inefficiencies, help standardize recurring research tasks, and suggest improvements.
• Respond promptly to investigators and lab staff, anticipate needs, and provide clear written communication and documentation.

Benefits

• Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) retirement plan eligibility, subject to the position meeting the stated hours-per-week and duration thresholds.

What This Job Offers

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