Research Associate

Global Cancer Lead / Principal Investigator RoleReports To: Global Cancer Lead / Principal InvestigatorTeam Context: Works in close coordination with the PI’s Kenya-based team, who lead in-country field operations. This role is based at the University of Michigan and focuses on strategic, cross-portfolio work that directly supports the Program Lead. The global cancer portfolio is facilitated by a Principal Investigator who directs a growing, multi-grant research portfolio (currently four active awards) spanning international partnerships, digital health research, and working-group/community facilitation. This role exists to increase the PI’s capacity by owning the operational, financial, analytical, and relationship-management work behind partnership development, grant strategy, and scholarly output – allowing the Lead to focus on scientific direction, high-level negotiation, and publishing.This is not a purely administrative role. The ideal candidate holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) and will operate as a junior investigator and strategic partner to the Program Lead.Responsibilities1. Partnership & Collaboration DevelopmentSupport the Program Lead's efforts to build and sustain new institutional and international collaborations:Prepare briefing packets ahead of partnership meetings – partner background, prior touchpoints, and clear meeting objectives – so the Lead walks in fully prepared.Maintain a partnership tracking system (active and prospective collaborators, key contacts, last touchpoints, and follow-up actions).Conduct rapid needs assessments or situational analyses ahead of new partnership discussions to ensure proposed collaborations are equitable and aligned with local priorities.Draft follow-up correspondence and partnership summaries for the Lead's review and signature.2. Grant Strategy & New Funding MechanismsActively scout and help shape opportunities across the Program Lead's four-grant portfolio and beyond:Monitor NIH, Fogarty International Center, foundation, and other funder portals for new grant mechanisms relevant to the program's global cancer priorities; flag opportunities with fit assessments for the Lead's review.Maintain a rolling funding pipeline and calendar so renewal and resubmission cycles are anticipated well ahead of deadlines.Co-develop Specific Aims, logic models, and conceptual frameworks in collaboration with the Lead for new proposals.Independently draft non-scientific proposal components: biosketches, facilities/resources descriptions, data management plans, human subjects sections, community engagement frameworks, and budget justifications.Manage internal U-M eResearch Proposal Management (eRPM) routing timelines.3. Research & Scholarly Productivity SupportDirectly extend the Program Lead's research output, working from data and drafts up through the manuscript stage:Conduct systematic and rapid literature reviews; synthesize findings and draft literature review sections for grants and manuscripts.Clean, manage, and run preliminary/descriptive analyses on research datasets (e.g., in R, Stata, or Python), preparing tables and figures for the Lead's review.Draft methods and results sections, and take first-author or co-author roles on secondary manuscripts, methods papers, or systematic reviews as appropriate.Organize reference libraries (EndNote/Zotero), verify citation accuracy, and manage journal submission and peer-review tracking.4. Program & Team IntegrationServe as the connective layer across the full team, the Lead and the Kenya-based team members, so the group operates as a single, synchronized program:Co-facilitate global cancer working group sessions; synthesize technical discussions into actionable deliverables and policy briefs.Coordinate directly with the Kenya-based team on cross-site deliverables, data flow, and timelines, without requiring the Lead to broker every handoff.Apply program evaluation methods to assess community and partnership impact; produce annual impact summaries for leadership and funders.Manage shared team communications – mailing lists, shared workspaces, and cross-time-zone meeting logistics.5. Financial Stewardship, Data Governance & ComplianceProtect the integrity of the program's grants and international data operations:Monitor spending and burn rate across all active grants and subawards, including funds disbursed to the Kenya-based team; flag discrepancies before they become audit issues.Support effort reporting and certification processes to ensure alignment between funded effort and actual work.Track IRB protocol amendments, continuing reviews, and safety reporting with U-M IRB (IRBMED/eResearch) and Kenyan ethics boards (e.g., NACOSTI, local IRBs).6. Program Continuity & Institutional KnowledgeBuild the documentation backbone that lets the program scale and survive staff transitions:Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures for both field operations and this role itself, so institutional knowledge doesn't leave with any one team member.Document partnership history and grant strategy rationale (why mechanisms were pursued or passed on) to support future decision-making.Help establish and maintain a written authorship and data-sharing policy across sites, ensuring clarity on credit and data ownership before disputes arise.Required QualificationsMaster of Public Health (MPH) or equivalent advanced degree in a related field.Demonstrated experience in global health programming, research coordination, or partnership/stakeholder management.Strong scientific writing skills, with familiarity in literature synthesis and grant or manuscript components.Excellent judgment and independence – comfortable autonomously producing complete drafts.Desired QualificationsExperience with international research settings, particularly East Africa.Familiarity with NIH grant mechanisms and U-M systems (eRPM, IRBMED/eResearch).Working proficiency in a statistical or data analysis tool (R, Stata, or Python).Exposure to implementation science frameworks (RE-AIM, CFIR) or program evaluation methods.Familiarity with research data governance, data use agreements, or grant financial administration.Additional InformationWhy This RoleThis is a rare opportunity for an MPH graduate to step into a genuine junior-investigator role inside an active, multi-grant global oncology portfolio, not a support position on the sidelines of the science, but a seat close to it. You'll co-develop grant strategy, contribute to manuscripts, help shape international partnerships, and see first-hand the growth of a global research program, from funding pipeline to field implementation. For someone aiming at a PhD, MD, or a long-term career in global health leadership, this role is the ideal launchpad.Growth & Working ModelStructured as a launchpad role for an MPH graduate pursuing doctoral training (PhD/DrPH/MD) or a global health leadership career.Manuscript co-authorship, conference abstract opportunities, and direct exposure to NIH-funded global health research.Direct mentorship from the Program Lead, with a weekly structured sync to set priorities and review deliverables; day-to-day work is driven independently between syncs.Background ScreeningThe University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.U-M EEO StatementThe University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.