Lab and Project Manager – Price Lab

Position Summary

The Price Lab at the Buck Institute seeks a Lab and Project Manager (LPM) to drive execution across our multi-site, multi-omics, and data-intensive research portfolio. Working closely with Dr. Nathan Price (Professor) and scientific leads, the LPM will convert high-level research strategies into clear workplans, budgets, and timelines. This role coordinates internal and external collaborations, manages risks and resources, and ensures programs are delivered on time and within scope.

The ideal candidate combines rigorous project/program management expertise with a strong understanding of academic research operations and a service-oriented mindset that enables world-class science.

Key Responsibilities

Program Leadership & Governance

• Build and maintain portfolio-level roadmaps, milestones, and decision gates
• Run governance processes (weekly standups, monthly reviews, quarterly steering meetings)
• Translate scientific goals into scopes of work, RACI charts, and detailed Gantt/kanban plans
• Implement and refine PM best practices, SOPs, and knowledge management tools
  
  

Planning, Execution & Delivery

• Drive day-to-day execution across computational and clinical collaborators
• Coordinate multi-omics data generation and analysis workflows
• Define and track OKRs/KPIs; prepare concise status reports and retrospectives
  
  

Grants, Contracts & Budget Stewardship

• Monitor budgets, grants, and philanthropy; track burn rates and flag funding needs
• Support grant and proposal development, ensuring timely submission of non-scientific components
• Oversee compliance workflows (DUAs, MTAs, subcontract SOWs) in coordination with institutional offices
  
  

Regulatory, Data & Risk Management

• Coordinate IRB/IACUC submissions and renewals (as applicable)
• Partner with IT and data stewards to enforce data governance standards
• Maintain risk registers with mitigation and contingency plans
  
  

Stakeholder & Communication Management

• Serve as the operational point of contact for collaborators, vendors, and sponsors
• Produce meeting agendas, briefs, decision logs, reports, and dashboards
  
  

Lab Management & Operations

• Mentor junior staff; foster transparency and accountability in the lab
• Support HR with recruiting, onboarding, and offboarding
• Manage purchasing, vendor selection, and computing resources
• Act as PI backup for payroll approvals and PTO requests
• Coordinate lab workshops, symposia, and on-site meetings
• Serve as point person for facilities and IT needs
• Maintain lab communication systems, calendars, and event logs
  
  

QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (MS/MPH/MBA/PhD) in biomedical sciences, data science, engineering, or management preferred
• Project/program management certification (e.g., PMP, PgMP, PRINCE2, Agile/Scrum) strongly preferred
  
  

Experience

• 6+ years of progressive project/program management experience, ideally leading multi-site academic or health-tech programs
• Demonstrated success managing budgets, vendors, and cross-functional teams
• Experience with research operations (IRB, data agreements, multi-omics/clinical workflows) strongly preferred
• Proven track record producing clear reports, dashboards, and executive summaries
  
  

Skills & Competencies

• Proficiency in PM tools (Asana, Jira, Smartsheet, Notion) and strong Excel/Google Sheets skills
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and stakeholder-management skills
• Ability to prioritize, manage ambiguity, and deliver results independently
• Comfortable working across scientific, clinical, and administrative teams with a service mindset
  
  

WE OFFER

• Salary range: $70,000 - $95,000 (commensurate with experience)
• Benefits package including health insurance, paid parental leave, vacation/sick leave, 401(k) with 5% employer match, and student loan repayment option
  
  

TO APPLY

Please submit the following:

• Current resume or CV
• Cover letter describing your experience and interest in this role
• Contact information for 3 professional references