Research Project Manager

Department: MED-Medical Social Sciences
Salary/Grade: EXS/7

Target hiring range for this position will be between $63,079-$67,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Job Summary:

Manages all activities associated with biomedical &/or social-behavioral research studies considered very complex by the inclusion of several of the following: multiple investigators, teams, sites, sub-contracts, participants, longitudinal assessments/ interventions; &/or multi-million dollar budgets. Ensures completion of contract requirements & client specifications. Oversees day-to-day operations including identifying & securing needed resources; creating, implementing, monitoring, & updating project plans; facilitating meetings with appropriate parties; tracking tasks/deliverables to ensure timelines, milestones &/or goals are attained; monitoring & reporting progress as appropriate; & resolving or escalating issues in a timely manner. May co-author scientific papers for presentation & publication & coordinates writing, submission & administration of grants. Ensures that all study activities are completed by strictly following Good Clinical Practices (GCP) & all current local, state, & federal laws, regulations, guidance, policy & procedure developed by the NU Institutional Review Board (IRB), Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), & the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH).

Specific Responsibilities:

Technical

• Provides complex scientific & technical leadership in determining research priorities & the plan, design & execution of research projects ensuring that programs of investigation meet specified objectives.
• Plans, develops & implements new processes & protocols to support research studies & maximize/extend study capabilities.
• Oversees completion of study activities per protocol.
• Ensures that study protocols are in compliance with appropriate rules & regulations & reviews study progress and recommends revisions, amendments, and/or other study changes as necessary to better meet needs of sponsors.
• Reviews scientific literature & evaluates & recommends applicable techniques & procedures.

Administrative

• Analyzes, evaluates & interprets data to determine relevance to research.
• Assists PI in developing basic statistical methods & models to analyze & report data based upon study requirements.
• Prepares results & may co-author scientific papers for presentation & publication & disseminates information via seminars, lectures, etc.
• Creates data for use in grant submission & develop new proposals for research including obtaining financial support.
• Acts as liaison between sponsoring agencies, collaborating organizations &/or other research &/or educational institutions.
• Ensures that all study documents associated with current local, state, & federal regulatory guidelines, requirements, laws & research protocols are completed in a timely manner.

Finance

• May create &/or manage research study budget which may include deciding on & approving expenditures of funds based on budget.
• Monitors accounts.
• Negotiates prices & specifications with vendors.
• Purchases supplies, materials, equipment & services.
• Ensures appropriate allocation & compliance.
• Invoices study sponsors for study tests/procedures.
• Coordinates & participates in budgetary negotiations with industry sponsors.

Supervision

• Trains, directs, assigns duties to & may supervise lab EEs, students, residents &/or fellows.
• Acts as a mentor in regard to education of junior coordinators.

Miscellaneous

Performed other duties

Minimum Qualifications: (Education, experience, and any other certifications or clearances)

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in a major such as social or health science or related; OR appropriate combination of education and experience and 5 years' research study or other relevant experience required; OR
• Successful completion of a full course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a master's or higher degree in a major such as social or health science or related; OR appropriate combination of education and experience and 3 years' research study or other relevant experience.
• Supervisory or project management experience required.
• Must complete NU's IRB CITI training before interacting with any participants & must re-certify every 3 years.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Demonstrated ability to manage complex research projects, including coordinating timelines, deliverables, and task delegation across teams at different study sites.
• Strong knowledge of clinical research operations, including IRB processes, regulatory compliance, and human subjects protections.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and maintain attention to detail in an active research environment.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to interface with investigators, staff, and community partners.
• Proficiency in data management, tracking systems, and research documentation to ensure accuracy, quality, and audit readiness.
• Ability to independently problem-solve, anticipate project needs, and implement solutions with supervision.

Preferred Qualifications: (Education and experience)

• Master's degree in public health, clinical research, psychology, health services research, or a related field.
• 3-5 years of experience coordinating or managing clinical research studies, preferably multi-site or federally funded behavioral health/supportive care trials (e.g., NIH-funded trials).
• Experience working with cancer populations, adolescents and young adults (AYAs), or digital health interventions.
• Prior experience managing multi-site study logistics, including site onboarding, training, and monitoring.
• Familiarity with grant-funded research environments and sponsor reporting requirements.

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Advanced project management skills, including development of workflows, standard operating procedures, and infrastructure for complex studies.
• Experience with participant recruitment, retention strategies, and engagement approaches, particularly in hospital-based settings.
• Ability to lead and coordinate study tasks across multiple institutions, fostering collaboration and maintaining protocol fidelity.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to interpret study metrics and adapt processes to improve efficiency and outcomes.
• Experience supervising or mentoring research staff, with the ability to support team development and performance.
• Familiarity with digital health tools, social media platforms or technology-enabled research platforms (e.g., health apps).
• Demonstrated relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams and engage diverse partners.

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.

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