Senior Manager of Research Development

Job Description

The Institute for Protein Design's (IPD) has an outstanding opportunity for Senior Manager of Research Development to join their team.

About this Opportunity This position reports to the Director of Translational Research with a dotted-line relationship to IPD Leadership The Sr. Manager of Research Development leads the Institute for Protein Design's (IPD) research development enterprise, overseeing both the organization of inbound research projects and the strategic management and oversight of the Institute’s sponsored research portfolio. This position serves as the Institute's scientific proposal coordinator and oversees the development of high-impact grant applications, corporate-sponsored research proposals, center applications, annual reports, and other strategic research documents that secure external funding and advance IPD's scientific mission. Working closely with IPD Leadership, Principal Investigators (PIs), and scientific staff, the Sr. Manager engages with projects at the stage of proposal development. This role assists the Director of Strategy and Director of Translational Research in coordinating with IPD scientists on structural and operational needs to meet proposal goals, and then works with the IPD Project Management (PM) team on those objectives when funding is secured.

Beyond proposal coordination, the Sr. Manager oversees IPD's active research portfolio, ensuring effective stewardship of sponsored awards through project oversight, high-quality progress reporting, and sponsor engagement. The Sr. Manager supervises IPDs Grants, and Project Management teams and works closely with post-award staff who support the administrative, financial, and compliance aspects of sponsored research.

Position Complexities: This position operates in a highly dynamic, interdisciplinary research environment where scientific excellence, strategic thinking, and exceptional communication directly influence institutional funding success.

The role requires rapidly synthesizing complex scientific concepts spanning computational protein design, artificial intelligence and machine learning, structural biology, experimental biology, protein therapeutics, vaccines, agriculture, sustainability, advanced materials, and translational research into persuasive, scientifically rigorous proposals tailored to diverse funding audiences.

This role will supervise a growing team of eight project managers and grant managers. The role will be required to bring the teams together for seamless management of pre- and post-award grant management. It will also closely collaborate with the IPD Finance and administrative teams.

The Sr. Manager simultaneously manages multiple large-scale proposal efforts, active sponsored projects, and strategic initiatives with competing deadlines driven by federal funding announcements, foundation cycles, industry opportunities, and philanthropic priorities. Success requires balancing sponsor expectations and institutional priorities, while coordinating faculty, scientists, collaborators, and staff across complex, multi-investigator programs.

Position Dimensions and Impact to the University: This position has institute-wide impact by directly increasing IPD's ability to secure and manage external research funding. The Sr. Manager ensures that the Institute is prepared and capable to deliver on fast moving, high impact, research programs and projects essential for our scientific impact and corporate, national, and global partnerships. Successful proposal development and subsequent strong performance and oversight of research programs directly supports the University of Washington's research mission by increasing extramural funding, expanding interdisciplinary collaborations, and enabling ambitious scientific programs. The position also provides leadership for research development and project management staff while ensuring productive stewardship of active sponsored awards through effective reporting, milestone management, and sponsor engagement.

Key Responsibilities: Scientific Writing and Research Grant Development (25%) Collaborate with PIs and IPD Leadership, including Director of Strategic Development and Director of Translational Research, to develop and deploy competitive grant applications, center proposals, corporate-sponsored research agreements, and externally aimed applications. Serve as lead coordinator for IPD's sponsor communications including grant reports, project summaries, RPPR’s, and similar project progress documentation. Work with PIs and the Director of Strategic Development to write and edit major proposal components, including Specific Aims, Research Strategy, Innovation, Significance, Impact, and programmatic narratives. Work with IPD PIs and IPD Leadership, including Director of Strategic Development and Director of Translational Research, to identify teaming needs for proposed research programs. Then coordinate with collaborators to frame responsibilities and identify and fill unmet collaborative needs. Lead iterative drafting and revision processes involving investigators, collaborators, leadership, and external partners. Ensure scientific accuracy, narrative consistency, and alignment with sponsor review criteria. Prepare proposal resubmissions by incorporating reviewer feedback and strengthening proposal strategy.

Research Program Execution and Reporting (30%) Oversee IPD's portfolio of active sponsored research programs and projects. Work with the IPD PM team to track scientific progress against research aims, milestones, and deliverables. Determine, alongside IPD faculty, the deliverables for major awards, planning how the research team will meet those deliverables and sponsor requirements. Work with IPD PIs and IPD Leadership, including Director of Strategic Development, to identify the scientific expertise needed for proposed research programs, and ensure that expertise is available to the project. Work with IPD PIs and IPD Core R&D Leads (senior staff scientists) to identify personnel and equipment needs necessary to successfully execute on research programs. Coordinate with IPD HR and the Assistant Director of Administration to ensure personnel needs are met. Coordinate with Lab Management to ensure equipment needs are met. Coordinate complex multi-investigator and multi-institution research programs. In partnership with IPD PIs, IPD Leadership, and IPD Project Management team, plan and sequence research activities across labs, divide research work among teams, coordinate the sharing of data and materials, and manage scientific dependencies. Develop and oversee the preparation of progress reporters, annual reports, and sponsor deliverables.

Proposal Strategy & Sponsor Engagement (10%) Partner with Institute leadership to develop funding strategies for major research initiatives. Represent IPD in sponsor meetings, program reviews, and strategic discussions. Translate sponsor and program officer feedback into refined proposal strategies. Build long-term proposal planning processes aligned with institutional research priorities.

Team Leadership & Portfolio Management (20%) Supervise Grants and Project Management staff. Guide project managers responsible for scientific milestones, research timelines, deliverables, and sponsor communications. Recruit, mentor, evaluate, and support professional development of team members. Allocate staff resources across proposals, sponsored projects, and strategic initiatives. Oversee IPD's portfolio of active sponsored research awards. Guide project managers responsible for scientific milestones, deliverables, and sponsor communications. Coordinate complex, multi-investigator research programs across the Institute. Develop standardized proposal resources, templates, workflows, and best practices that improve proposal quality and institutional efficiency.

Research Administration, Compliance & Communications (15%) Coordinate with UW pre-award and post-award offices on proposal submission and award management. Ensure compliance with sponsor and university requirements, including NIH, NSF, foundation, and industry policies. Collaborate with UW offices on conflict of interest, intellectual property, export controls, data security, and other compliance requirements. Review contract agreements and liaise with UW Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Office of Sponsored Programs, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and CoMotion officials to ensure timely and effective processing of agreements. In collaboration with IPD Leadership and PIs, Office of Sponsored Programs, and CoMotion, review grant agreements and contracts to ensure IP, publication, scientific milestones, and payment conditions meet IPD expectations. Partner with IPD Communications on scientific figures, graphics, presentations, and public-facing research materials. Monitor changes in sponsor policies and recommend process improvements to maintain institutional competitiveness and compliance.

Required Qualifications To be considered for this opportunity your application must demonstrate you meet both the minimum qualifications and additional qualifications listed below. Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.

Minimum Qualifications Ph.D. in Biochemistry, biological sciences, bioengineering, or a related field and 2 years of experience to include scientific writing experience. Applicants who do not meet these qualifications WILL NOT be forwarded to the Hiring Manager

Additional Qualifications: • Track record of obtaining competitive research grants. • Demonstrated experience developing, overseeing, or executing multi-investigator research programs, such as defining research deliverables and milestones with investigators, planning personnel and resource needs, tracking scientific progress against sponsor deliverables, coordinating research across labs or institutions, or managing a research center, consortium, or large sponsored research award. • Familiarity with federal funding guidelines. • Critical thinking, initiative, and sound judgment based on experience are required to manage tasks, resolve problems, and make recommendations. • Advanced computer skills, project management experience, and advanced communication, organizational and collaborative skills required. • Highly developed project and team management, collaborative and people skills and ability to build and motivate teams in a positive, collaborative environment are a must.

Preferred Qualifications: • Minimum of 5 years of scientific writing experience • Over three years of experience in team leadership and people management. • Hands-on research experience in protein science, structural biology, computational biology, or a related field. • Working knowledge of machine learning and AI methods as applied to biology. • Experience with a range of sponsors, such as NIH, NSF, DoD/DARPA, ARPA-H, BARDA, major foundations, and industry-sponsored research.

Compensation, Benefits and Position Details

Pay Range Minimum: $144,996.00 annualPay Range Maximum: $175,008.00 annualOther Compensation: -Benefits: For information about benefits for this position, visit https://www.washington.edu/jobs/benefits-for-uw-staff/Shift: First Shift (United States of America)Temporary or Regular? This is a regular positionFTE (Full-Time Equivalent): 100.00%Union/Bargaining Unit: Not Applicable About the UW

Working at the University of Washington provides a unique opportunity to change lives – on our campuses, in our state and around the world.

UW employees bring their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to building stronger minds and a healthier world. In return, they enjoy outstanding benefits, opportunities for professional growth and the chance to work in an environment known for its diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

Our Commitment

The University of Washington is committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful and welcoming community for all. As an equal opportunity employer, the University considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or veteran status consistent with UW Executive Order No. 81.

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu.

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.