Lab Manager

Department Summary

The Prevention Science Institute (PSI) is a multi-disciplinary institute focused on understanding human development, preventing behavioral health problems, and implementing effective interventions in community settings. The PSI encompasses focus areas consistent with the field of prevention science, including prevention and intervention, and implementation science. Understanding effective intervention strategies and the outcomes associated with these interventions across multiple domains of functioning, including biological, social, and contextual, is the focus of research at the PSI. The core mission of the PSI is to improve the lives and well-being of children, individuals, and families throughout the lifespan. The PSI is committed to research that expands our understanding of interventions and development with diverse populations, and actively seeks to promote research that reduces health disparities in service utilization.

Position Summary

The Lab Manager (LM) will be involved in organizing key research activities across multiple federally-funded human subjects’ research projects led by Drs. Cioffi, De Anda, and Leve. The research projects are complex clinical trials with community partnerships, contractual arrangements, and pilot research and development projects. Current funded research projects bring in 1-2 million dollars annually.

This position will work closely with Dr. Cioffi and the investigative teams for all her research projects to ensure that project metrics are on track to be met. It will also provide overall organization of Dr. Cioffi’s Community Outreach and Harm Reduction Research (COHR) Lab to sustain successful growth, staff training and support, and institutionalization. Main responsibilities of this position include: management and oversight of the day-to-day running of activities across project levels; providing training, direction, and support to project coordinators and co-investigators across research projects, including those at other sites/institutions; coordinating and overseeing COHR Lab proposals, amendments, and annual reviews submitted to UO’s Internal Review Board (IRB) for Human Subjects Review; managing projects’ budgets, including oversight of weekly spending plans based on project projections, cost fluctuations, and/or award cuts; facilitating external research consultant contracts; assisting the investigative team with preparing and collecting materials for grant proposals and annual project reviews; facilitating the execution of data use agreements and material transfer agreements; organizing and guiding approval processes at all project levels across involved institutions; and coordinating start-up activities of newly funded projects.

The lab manager must be comfortable with fast-paced, complex research program management, including budget and finance management, IRB coordination, meeting coordination, and developing strategic relationships and partnerships with both internal and external staff and collaborators. The lab manager will work closely with the PSI’s administrative staff and other on-campus units such as Research Compliance Services, Sponsored Projects’ Services, Environmental Health and Safety, Innovation Partnership Services, Travel, and Purchasing and Contracting Services. The lab manager will communicate and translate scientific data to a wide variety of audiences, be flexible, and be able to facilitate adjustments to quickly problem solve conflicting priorities and evolving needs as they arise.

The position will directly supervise project coordinators, data managers, and programmers within the COHR Research Lab, and provide supervisory support and oversight of additional project staff, such as assessment coordinators, participant interviewers, recruiters, data analysts, and undergraduate and graduate-level students. The lab manager will coordinate hiring, evaluations, and lab meeting schedules. This position regularly requires the exercise of independent judgment and comprehensive knowledge of the University of Oregon and Prevention Science Institute operations, and local, state, and federal policies applicable to each project and funder. The lab manager will be responsible for decisions related to program oversight and will consult with and make recommendations to leadership as needed.
Flexibility is required in regard to work schedule and time; the applicant must be able to provide assessment support and support other assessment staff with scheduling challenges as they arise.

Minimum Requirements

• BA/BS degree in Prevention Science, Social Work, Psychology, Management, Public Administration, or a closely related field.
• 3 years of leadership experience within a human subjects’ research lab or similar work environment.
• 3 years of project management experience related to research in higher education, research organizations, and/or a related environment.
• 3 years of supervisory experience.
• Experience conducting standardized assessments.