Scientific Project and Alliance Manager

The mission of the Allen Institute is to understand the principles that govern life, and to advance health. Our creative and multi-dimensional teams focus on answering some of the biggest questions in bioscience. We accelerate foundational research, catalyze bold ideas, develop tools and models, and openly share our science to make a broad, transformational impact on the world.

The mission of the Allen Institute, Brain Science, is to accelerate the understanding of how the human brain works in health and disease. Using a big science approach, we generate useful public resources, drive technological and analytical advances, and discover fundamental brain properties. Built on the foundational knowledge of brain cell types, the mission of the Allen Institute, Brain Science, is to conduct a series of large-scale projects designed to create “CAP” (Complete, Accurate, Permanent) datasets and experimental tools; gain fundamental knowledge in the development, evolution, connectivity and function of brain cell types; move towards a better understanding of mammalian brain function in healthy and diseased conditions; and disseminate the data, knowledge and tools broadly with the community, to accelerate research across the neuroscience field. This position, reporting to the Director of Scientific Program Management, will support planning and execution of projects that are part of new scientific initiatives in Brain Science, such as the Mammalian Brain Lifespan, and Whole Mouse Brain Projectome & Connectome.

At the Allen Institute, we believe that science is for everyone – and should be open to everyone. We are dedicated to combating biases and reducing barriers to STEM careers more broadly.

We also believe that science is better when it includes different perspectives and voices. We strive to make the Allen Institute a place where everyone feels like they belong and are empowered to do their best work in a supportive environment.

We are an equal-opportunity employer and strongly encourage people from all backgrounds to apply for our open positions.

Essential Functions

• In partnership with scientific co-leads for one to a few projects, serve as the Project Manager to ensure the successful execution of project deliverables
• Support cross-functional teams throughout the project life cycle (planning and execution)
• Plan and organize internal and external project meetings with clear agendas, expected outcomes, and follow-up on project-related actions
• Plan and organize virtual and face-to-face meetings with external collaborators
• Create, maintain, and disseminate project deliverables and timelines, using project management best practices and tools
• Contribute to fiscal management of the project, including budget planning, resource forecasting, expenditure monitoring
• Implement communication plans to promote effective dialogue among all team members
• Ensure appropriate communication with all project stakeholders regarding timelines and status, deadlines, data requirements, and other project-related matters
• Keep project milestones/deliverables on track, monitoring and identifying at-risk deliverables
• Transparently communicate issues, and work with team members to identify options and implement mitigation strategies
• Facilitate and support preparation for internal and external project reviews
• Partner with scientific staff to develop competitive external funding applications (Federal and Private), including applications of significant complexity (multiple parties and administrative coordination). Ensure that Grants Management best practices are followed
• Support post-award execution of externally funded efforts in audit-compliant fashion including contracts, sub-awardees, budget tracking/variance reporting, prior approval requests, carry forward requests and agency reporting

Required Education and Experience

• Ph.D. degree in biological sciences, with a strong preference towards Neuroscience domain knowledge; or equivalent combination of degree and experience
• Minimum of 1 year of experience as a Project Manager, beyond an academic research/post-doctoral setting for a Ph.D. degree holder, and a minimum of 6 years of experience for M.S. degree holder
• Demonstrated experience with fiscal management of projects

Preferred Education and Experience

• 5 years of experience for Ph.D. degree holders and 6-10 years of experience for M.S. degree holders
• Formal Project Management training and PMP certification is desirable
• Experience planning, coordinating and launching a new initiative
• A strong understanding of cell type characterization technologies (such as transcriptomics, spatial transcriptomics, morphology, anatomical tracing, and electrophysiology) is a plus
• Results-oriented with a passion for delivering successful projects, with a proven track record of increasing team’s velocity and effectiveness
• Detail-focused and organized, with an understanding that communication and transparency are critical to achieving success
• A collaborative leader with strong communication and collaboration skills; able to navigate challenging group dynamics with consensus-building skills, and to work effectively across scientific, technical and business interfaces
• Able to set expectations (vertically and horizontally) and hold individuals and teams accountable
• Advanced ability to translate scientific and technical subject matter into concise, clear communications that are understood by technical and non-technical leaders and constituents

Physical Demands

• Fine motor movements in fingers/hands to operate computers and other office equipment

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

• This role is currently able to work both remotely and onsite in a hybrid work environment. We are a Washington State employer, and the primary work location for all Allen Institute employees is 615 Westlake Ave N.; any remote work must be performed in Washington State.

Travel

• Possible travel to collaborator sites
• Possible travel to national or international conferences