Research Operations Director, Dog Aging Project

Overview

The mission of the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University (HNRCA) is to promote healthy aging through nutrition science to empower people seeking to enjoy long, active, and independent lives. HNRCA investigators examine how nutrition and physical activity play a role in the prevention of the major chronic degenerative conditions and diseases associated with aging.

The Metabolism and Basic Biology of Aging research directive focuses on understanding cellular and molecular processes that contribute to age-related disease, as well as the role of nutrition in regulating the underlying mechanisms that promote healthy aging.

Dr. Daniel Promislow, Senior Scientist at the HNRCA, is the Principal Investigator of the Dog Aging Project. Founded in 2018, the Dog Aging Project is a fully operational, long-term longitudinal study of healthy aging in more than 50,000 companion dogs from across the United States. The goal of the Dog Aging Project is to identify the genetic and environmental factors that influence healthy aging, and to understand how these factors shape aging. More information can be found at https://dogagingproject.org.

What You'll Do

This is a grant funded position and is not eligible for severance pay. This is also a 5-year limited term project/position.

Working closely with Dog Aging Project's leaders and partners, the Research Operations Director will provide oversight and senior level reporting for the program as well as serving as principal point of contact for operational issue resolution. The Research Operations Director will work with partners to:

1) Manage the strategic operations for the program, including working closely with Principal Investigator and Program Directors to adjust and meet overall program goals

2) Establish a detailed execution plan for each component of the program

3) Ensure operational readiness for implementation of goals outlined by the program

4) Oversee execution of each component of the program and be accountable for program progress

The role will build on the strong executive, business and technical relationships among program leaders, staff and partners to ensure timely completion of defined programmatic goals. This will include oversight of major program workstream, collaborations, and some day-to-day management of activities, as needed. The role may require involvement in execution of and compliance with agreements, carrying out scientific tasks or workstreams to meet project deadlines, forming connections and maintaining communication with external scientific collaborators and other external partners. This role will need to pay particular attention to partner relationships and manage the interests of the HNRCA and Tufts University as well as its partner institutions.

The Research Operations Director will connect with stakeholders from many functional areas of several organizations at many organizational levels, encompassing a team of ~100 individuals. The role will be part program manager, ensuring deadlines are met to drive the Dog Aging Project work product, and part diplomat, gaining alignment and collaboration to ensure all interests are met.

• Manage Dog Aging Project program operations with partner institutions to build infrastructure, acquire data and samples, analyze project data and provide program outputs. Track and support progress towards milestones throughout the project.
• Drive, track and report on Dog Aging Project progress to internal and external partners, including contract development and relationship management with external vendors and partners.
• Participate in creating strategies for successful execution of Dog Aging Project operational and scientific goals, including collaborating with parties throughout partner institutions, as well as with partners leading ancillary studies, to accomplish project goals.
• Provide budgetary oversight working with the accounting and finance team
• Supervise staff members within administrative core and provide training and mentoring to junior team members/direct reports
• Manage and facilitate resolution of program operation risks or issues; plan and implement contingencies, as appropriate. Identify opportunities and implement solutions to improve team dynamics, interactions and overall collaborative spirit.
• Lead and facilitate meetings as required (e.g. Scientific Priorities Team, Operational Priorities Team, etc.); Develop, maintain and implement operational SOPs, processes, and training to ensure cross-team efficiency

What We're Looking For

Basic Requirements:

Knowledge and experience typically acquired by:

• Advanced degree in health or biological sciences or related field (i.e., bioinformatics, medicinal chemistry, public health, etc.), and/or business or equivalent work experience;
• Five years of experience in a combination of strategy, operations, clinical or biological research, genetics or genomics, data analytics, program management, administration, communication and financial management;
• Exceptional organizational and time management skills, with the ability to appropriately manage stakeholders, as well as balance multiple workstreams and competing priorities;
• A strong collaborative mindset that enables the ability to interact with, influence, and act on many internal and external organizational levels;
• Comfort with large amounts of data and information, and the ability to accept and channel ambiguity into project frameworks;
• Ability to maintain the highest level of confidentiality and to engender trust;
• Strong analytical skills, solid business acumen, and the ability to span stakeholders;
• Experience synthesizing information and presenting concepts to constituents across a wide range of fields (scientific, clinical, information technology, finance, etc.);
• Ability to identify and solve problems, analyze data and implement and troubleshoot solutions;
• Ability to maintain the best interest of the the Dog Aging Project, amidst competing priorities and conflicting feedback from a variety of constituents;
• Excellent verbal and written communication as well as editing skills;
• Proven proficiency with MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google Drive Suite (Doc, Sheets, and Slides);
• Reliability, integrity, grace-under-pressure;
• Experience synthesizing information and presenting concepts to constituents across a wide range of fields (scientific, clinical, information technology, finance, etc.);
• Ability to identify and solve problems, analyze data and implement and troubleshoot solutions;
• Ability to maintain the best interest of the the Dog Aging Project, amidst competing priorities and conflicting feedback from a variety of constituents;
• Excellent verbal and written communication as well as editing skills;
• Proven proficiency with MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google Drive Suite (Doc, Sheets, and Slides);
• Reliability, integrity, grace-under-pressure;

Preferred Qualifications:

• Background in research with a strong understanding of data and sample acquisition process development.
• Experience directing multi-year, multi-phase, multi-institutional projects or programs;
• Exposure to the principles of organizational dynamics.

Pay Range

Minimum $108,200.00, Midpoint $135,300.00, Maximum $162,400.00

Salary is based on related experience, expertise, and internal equity; generally, new hires can expect pay between the minimum and midpoint of the range.