TERA Hub Launch Manager

OSU Oregon State University•Corvallis, OR

12d

About The Position

The Division of Research and Innovation at Oregon State University is seeking a TERA Hub Launch Manager for the TERA Solutions Hub. This full-time, 12-month professional faculty position provides specialized startup support to newly funded, large, complex, and multi-institutional research awards. The Launch Manager helps research teams rapidly transition from award notification to project execution by coordinating project launch activities and building the administrative, fiscal, operational, and relationship structures needed for success. The position manages a portfolio of 3–5 concurrent projects, with launch support lasting 3–12 months per project. The Launch Manager develops and maintains systems, processes, and procedures for effective project workflows, and serves as a key resource during the high-risk startup phase. Responsibilities include planning, team formation, hiring, onboarding, procurement, partner engagement, project documentation, communications, compliance processes, and operational readiness. The manager ultimately supports the handoff of responsibilities to permanent project staff or long-term project managers. The TERA Solutions Hub supports faculty, students, industry, government, and community members in developing team-based research to address Oregon’s pressing problems. It helps teams move from idea to application through leadership training, transdisciplinary collaboration space, and project management training and tools. The Launch Manager also contributes to Hub tools, workflows, assessment, professional development, training, metrics, case studies, and reports. The position typically requires in-person presence, although a hybrid or remote work agreement with occasional travel may be considered for the right candidate. A flexible schedule may be arranged with the employee and supervisor. Occasional evening or weekend work and limited in-state or out-of-state travel may be required. Salary is $78,000–$85,740, commensurate with skills, education, and experience. The anticipated start date is December 1, 2026.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree.
At least one year of progressively responsible professional experience in operational leadership, research administration, facilitating industry and community partnerships, higher education operations, or a related environment.
Two years of professional experience coordinating complex projects, programs, strategic initiatives, or research activities.
Demonstrated experience managing multiple priorities, expectations, and needs simultaneously.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively with internal and external partners from a variety of backgrounds, and commitment to promoting and enhancing equitable engagement in teams.
Experience developing project plans, timelines, monitoring systems, and reports.
Ability to work independently while coordinating across multiple organizational units.
Strong organizational skills, including the ability to be proactive, prioritize work across multiple projects, and meet deadlines.
Ability to interpret, explain, and implement complex information.
Effective written and verbal communication skills and strong attention to detail.
Ability to make independent decisions and recommendations aligned with policies and to act as a resource to a wide variety of constituents.
Must successfully complete a criminal history check and be determined position qualified; incumbents are required to self-report convictions.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree.
Five years of professional experience coordinating complex projects, programs, strategic initiatives, or research activities.
Experience supporting federally funded research and/or infrastructure programs and projects.
Experience facilitating collaboration among diverse partners, including industry, government, nonprofit, tribal, and community groups.
Experience in higher education, research administration, research development, sponsored programs administration, or project management.
Experience supporting multi-institutional, interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, or community-engaged initiatives.
Knowledge of federal funding agencies and sponsored project requirements.
Experience coordinating hiring, procurement processes, budget management, or project operations.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary launch coordinator for newly funded, large, complex, and multi-institutional research awards, developing startup and implementation plans to move projects from award to operation.
Develop and maintain project timelines, milestones, governance structures, communication plans, tracking systems, and project management tools.
Coordinate startup activities including hiring, onboarding, procurement, contracting, labor distribution, documentation, compliance, reporting systems, and access to facilities and research infrastructure.
Coordinate kickoff meetings, team onboarding, partner engagement, and team alignment, and support the transition of responsibilities to permanent project personnel.
Partner with Principal Investigators, the Division of Research and Innovation, colleges, administrative units, and institutional partners to identify and address barriers to project launch and execution.
Coordinate communication and collaboration among faculty, staff, students, community partners, industry, government agencies, sponsors, and collaborating institutions.
Facilitate meetings, workshops, project reviews, and partnership discussions.
Help teams establish shared goals, communication structures, roles, governance practices, and collaborative approaches that strengthen team performance and project delivery.
Contribute to TERA Solutions Hub tools, templates, workflows, and best practices; document lessons learned; support assessment and professional development; contribute to training; and assist with metrics, case studies, and reports on TERA Launch services.
Maintain a portfolio of multiple concurrent awards and establish systems, administrative and fiscal management structures, and relationships needed for project success.