Senior Program Manager, Scientist

Key Responsibilities Portfolio & Program Management Lead and coordinate a portfolio of concurrent research programs spanning multiple principal investigators, timelines, and funding mechanisms. Develop, implement, and maintain program management tools including project plans, milestone trackers, risk registers, and dashboards. Facilitate cross-functional team meetings, track action items, and ensure accountability across scientific and administrative stakeholders. Identify and resolve operational bottlenecks and interdependencies that may affect program timelines or scientific deliverables. Support strategic planning efforts, including program prioritization, resource allocation, and go/no-go decision frameworks. NIH Grant Administration & Reporting Serve as the program-level point of contact for large NIH grants (e.g., R01, P01, U01, U54, RM1), coordinating all administrative and scientific reporting requirements. Prepare, compile, and submit annual Progress Reports (RPPRs), non-competing renewals, supplements, and other required NIH correspondence. Monitor grant budgets, expenditure timelines, and ensure compliance with NIH terms and conditions in coordination with sponsored research offices. Track deliverables, milestones, and publication requirements across multi-project and multi-site awards. Coordinate with NIH Program Officers and other agency contacts as needed to address administrative or scientific programmatic matters. Grant Writing & Scientific Communication Write, edit, and contribute to all sections of grant applications including Specific Aims, Research Strategy, human subjects/vertebrate animal sections, biosketches, and resource/environment pages. Prepare white papers, concept papers, letters of intent, and responses to RFAs/PAs across NIH and other federal or private funding agencies. Draft scientific summaries, program highlights, and lay-language communications for institutional and external audiences. Support manuscript preparation, including literature reviews, methods sections, and figure/table organization for peer-reviewed publications. Scientific Contribution – Mouse Genetics & Therapeutic Development Provide scientific input and oversight on programs involving mouse genetics, including transgenic, knock-in, knock-out, and conditional models. Contribute expertise in preclinical therapeutic development pipelines, including target identification, in vivo efficacy studies, and translational modeling. Critically evaluate experimental designs, interpret results, and ensure scientific rigor across program deliverables. Engage with scientific collaborators and external partners (academic, industry, and government) to advance program goals. Stay current with literature and emerging methodologies relevant to mouse genetics, neuroscience, rare disease, or other applicable therapeutic areas. Compliance, Regulatory & Operational Oversight Ensure all animal research activities are conducted in compliance with IACUC protocols, institutional policies, and NIH guidelines. Support IRB submissions and renewals where applicable. Coordinate vendor management, subcontract oversight, and data sharing agreements associated with funded programs. Train and mentor junior program staff and research coordinators on project management best practices and grant administration procedures. Required Qualifications Master’s Degree required, but strong preference for a Ph.D. in Genetics, Molecular Biology, Neuroscience, Pharmacology, or a closely related biomedical science field. Minimum of 5 years of experience in a research environment, with at least 2 years in a program management or research administration capacity. Demonstrated expertise in mouse genetics, including design and interpretation of genetic mouse models (transgenic, CRISPR-based, conditional knockouts, etc.). Direct experience with NIH grant mechanisms and administration, including preparation of RPPRs, competitive renewals, and budget management. Proven track record as a scientific writer with experience authoring or co-authoring NIH grant applications and/or peer-reviewed publications. Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple programs simultaneously under competing deadlines. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; ability to work effectively with diverse teams of scientists, clinicians, and administrators. Preferred Qualifications Experience in therapeutic development, drug discovery, or translational research programs, particularly in neuroscience or rare/genetic diseases. Familiarity with NIH eRA Commons, Grants.gov, and related submission platforms. Prior experience managing multi-site or consortium grants (e.g., P01, U54, U19). Knowledge of GLP/GCP principles and preclinical regulatory frameworks. Postdoctoral research experience with independent publication record. Experience with project management software (e.g., Smartsheet, Asana, MS Project) and data visualization tools. Established network of collaborators in academic or industry research settings. Core Competencies • Scientific Rigor & Critical Thinking • Strategic Program Planning • NIH Grant Expertise • Stakeholder Communication • Mouse Genetics & In Vivo Modeling • Cross-functional Leadership • Scientific & Technical Writing • Budget & Resource Management • Translational Research Acumen • Compliance & Regulatory Knowledge Work Environment & Physical Requirements This position is primarily office/laboratory-based, with regular interaction in vivarium and wet lab settings as required by program needs. The role may require occasional travel for scientific conferences, site visits, and stakeholder meetings. The incumbent must be able to work with or in proximity to laboratory animals (mice) and must comply with all institutional occupational health requirements. This job description is intended to describe the general nature of the work performed. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required. The organization reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and to assign other duties as needed. Preferred Experience: 6 years Pay Range: $106,000 - $153,729, salary is determined by experience About JAX: The Jackson Laboratory is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institution with a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center and nearly 3,000 employees in locations across the United States (Maine, Connecticut, California), Japan and China. Its mission is to discover precise genomic solutions for disease and empower the global biomedical community in the shared quest to improve human health. Founded in 1929, JAX applies over nine decades of expertise in genetics to increase understanding of human disease, advancing treatments and cures for cancer, neurological and immune disorders, diabetes, aging and heart disease. It models and interprets genomic complexity, integrates basic research with clinical application, educates current and future scientists, and provides critical data, tools and services to the global biomedical community. For more information, please visit EEO Statement: The Jackson Laboratory provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment in all job classifications without regard to race, color, religion, age, mental disability, physical disability, medical condition, gender, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, marital status, national origin, veteran status, and other classifications protected by applicable state and local non-discrimination laws. Bar Harbor: The Jackson Laboratory's 43-acre scenic Bar Harbor campus is nestled between the Gulf of Maine and the mountains of Acadia National Park. Some of the best hiking and biking in the world (over 50 square miles of mountains, lakes, views, and dramatic coastline) is accessible from our campus. We are one mile from downtown Bar Harbor, which offers a vibrant downtown district with a plethora of restaurants, shops, museums, and galleries. Ellsworth: The Charles E. Hewett Center in Ellsworth, Maine, is a state-of-the-art facility that serves researchers world wide. The facility represents the culmination of nine decades of unmatched experience and leadership in breeding and caring for laboratory mice. Ellsworth, Maine, is one of Maine’s fastest growing cities. With a growth rate of nearly 20%, Ellsworth is a bustling year-round community and acts as a hub for surrounding towns. It is located nearby Acadia National Park and hosts numerous special events, concerts and festivals each year. Residents have access to fabulous shopping, recreation, museums, galleries, and dining at a variety of independent restaurants. Farmington: JAX Genomic Medicine is transforming medicine by improving patient care, lowering costs, and increasing life span and health span. JAX Genomic Medicine’s research focuses on the complex genetic causes of disease and on the development of genomic solutions tailored to each person's unique genetic makeup. JAX Genomic Medicine sits on a 17-acre site on the campus of the University of Connecticut Health Center. The 183,500-square-foot facility opened in the fall of 2014. Now, it houses over 300 biomedical researchers, technicians, and support staff in state-of-the-art computing facilities and laboratories. In Connecticut, JAX resides in the scenic town of Farmington, in the state’s capitol region. The Hartford region, which offers some of the best public schools in the country, is made up of both bigger cities and smaller, charming historic New England towns. JAX Genomic Medicine is also geographically located within 2 hours of Boston and New York and is close to multiple transportation systems, including bus lines, highways, railroads and international airports. Sacramento: The JAX® Mice, Clinical and Research Services facility is located in Sacramento, the state capital of California. Sacramento is less than a two-hour drive from San Francisco, Napa Valley, and scenic Lake Tahoe, and a short flight to both Los Angeles and Orange County. Sacramento is the birthplace of the nation’s Farm to Fork movement, and offers excellent restaurants, gastro-pubs, wineries, theaters, and museums. Outdoor activities are plentiful: Boating, white water rafting, and riding the scenic bicycle trails are popular. Housing and other costs of living are more affordable in Sacramento and its surrounding suburbs than in most other neighboring areas in the North Bay, making Sacramento one of the hottest housing markets in the country year after year. Augusta: JAX’s Maine Cancer Genomics Initiative (MCGI) is located in Augusta, Maine, in the Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care (HACCC), at Maine General Hospital. It began operations in 2016 with three overarching goals: to provide cancer genomic testing for Maine cancer patients; to develop and deliver physician education about clinical genomic cancer diagnostics; and to build a network in Maine of oncology practices conducting studies in genomic medicine.