Scientific Research Project Manager

Discover Vanderbilt Health: With eight hospitals and over 180 clinics, we are the region’s largest comprehensive academic health system. Vanderbilt Health has a long tradition of providing world-class care to the people of the Mid-South, living out our mission of moving medicine forward through preeminent programs in patient care, education and research. Here you’ll find a spirit of collaboration and a supportive community where your expertise is valued, your knowledge expanded and your uniqueness celebrated. We are committed to fostering an environment where talented, compassionate people are united in bringing the most advanced care to our neighbors throughout the region.

Organization

VICTR

Job Summary

Scientific Research Project Manager – VICTR

JOB SUMMARY

In this pivotal role, the Scientific Research Project Manager will lead and oversee healthcare research projects and evidence-generation initiatives with limited supervision. The position requires close collaboration with Principal Investigators, clinical leaders, and multidisciplinary teams across the health sciences enterprise to facilitate effective communication, coordinate complex activities, and ensure alignment on project goals, timelines, dependencies, and deliverables. Key responsibilities include management of clinical research operations, best practice implementation and maintenance, clinician engagement, guidance document development, project planning and execution, quality assurance, process standardization, and oversight of special initiatives to enhance operational effectiveness and efficiency. The position will support a diverse portfolio of projects, including drug repurposing and therapeutic development programs, national multi-site clinical trials, and coordinating center activities. Additionally, the role will contribute to the evaluation, implementation, and oversight of advanced analytical approaches, including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and data-driven decision support tools, ensuring the application of rigorous scientific and quality standards. Familiarity with independent validation and verification (IV&V) methodologies is desirable and may support select technology-focused programs.

About the Department

The Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical & Translational Research (VICTR) is Vanderbilt’s virtual home for clinical and translational research. Supported by Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Office of Research and the NIH-sponsored Clinical and Translational Service Award (CTSA), the mission of the institute is to transform the way ideas and research discoveries make their way from origin to patient care. VICTR functions to help researchers and clinicians do their jobs better by providing tools and support to improve the quality of research, publications, grant writing, and training for future doctors and researchers. For more information, please visit https://victr.vumc.org/.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s Degree (Required)
• 2 years of relevant experience (Required)
• Masters and/or doctorate in biomedical science; cancer biology, pharmacology, or drug discovery/development a plus

This position works normal business hours Monday - Friday and offers the opportunity to work remotely.

About the Department

The Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical & Translational Research (VICTR) is Vanderbilt’s virtual home for clinical and translational research. Supported by Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Office of Research and the NIH-sponsored Clinical and Translational Service Award (CTSA), the mission of the institute is to transform the way ideas and research discoveries make their way from origin to patient care. VICTR functions to help researchers and clinicians do their jobs better by providing tools and support to improve the quality of research, publications, grant writing, and training for future doctors and researchers. For more information, please visit https://victr.vumc.org/.

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KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Plans, develops, leads and executes projects in order to meet established goals and objectives at the direction of the Principal Investigator.
• Lead therapeutic development and drug repurposing projects at various stages of development.
• Utilizes scientific knowledge and quantitative and qualitative research skills to perform a variety of research- and operations-related activities, data management, analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, report preparation and management of project budgets and schedules for proposals and projects.
• Identifies appropriate resources needed and coordinates the curation of scientific evidence.
• Performs data collection, analysis, and interpretation to update current processes.
• Facilitates the proper level of regulatory compliance for each study, preparing quality-related documentation and addressing quality-related findings.
• Supports the development, evaluation, and implementation of artificial intelligence and machine learning methodologies to advance clinical research, therapeutic development, and operational effectiveness.
• Supports validation, quality assurance, and performance evaluation activities for research methodologies, software applications, analytical tools, and emerging technologies as needed. Exposure to independent validation and verification (IV&V) approaches is beneficial.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary scientific, technical, and clinical teams to establish validation frameworks, quality assurance procedures, and performance metrics for AI-enabled technologies and research platforms.
• Lead the evaluation of data quality, algorithm performance, and model generalizability across diverse datasets and research environments.
• The responsibilities listed are a general overview of the position and additional duties may be assigned.

TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES

PROJECT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT (INTERMEDIATE)

- Demonstrates proficiency in providing professional and scientific guidance in the execution of day-to-day research project activities. Plans and maintains schedule of research projects and timelines. Develops research protocols and prepares draft/final study protocols for studies under occasional guidance. Monitors budgetary requirements and aims of the grant award. Identifies gaps in processes and potential areas for improvement. Participates in meetings as required with sponsoring agencies and/or collaborating professionals and vendors. Communicates as needed with colleagues, leadership, Principal Investigator, collaborating professionals, the Human Research Protection Program, the scientific community, and others.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT (INTERMEDIATE)

- Demonstrates comprehensive understanding in developing and communicating appropriate project documentation, including project overview, scope, team structure, status reports, issues management reports, change control reports, meeting notes, etc., as required in a timely manner. Coordinates and may lead steering committee, project team and work group meetings, as required. Manages and communicates project status to team members and executive staff, including management of project website, consistent status reporting, and presentations. Identifies, documents, and manages project issues and escalates, as appropriate, to achieve timely resolution. Ensures compliance with regulatory agencies including meeting deadlines, when applicable.

DATA ANALYSIS (INTERMEDIATE)

• Serves as the data advisor on projects. Demonstrates proficiency in performing data collection and evaluation. Performs data analysis, data QC, and data interpretation. Evaluates significance of data and reports findings. Updates database(s), or provides information as case may be, on a daily basis. Ensures integrity and security of scientific data. Ensures compliance with regulatory agencies, including meeting deadlines.

PUBLICATION MANAGEMENT (INTERMEDIATE)

• Reviews, edits and contributes to various materials for publication. Demonstrates proficiency in manuscript preparation for scientific journals. Generates SOPs, graphs, slides, protocols, and manuscripts for publication. Plans and coordinates literature and library searches, as well as data collection programs. Generates reports for internal use and generate executive level study summaries for leadership as needed.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (INTERMEDIATE)

• Demonstrates understanding of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and advanced analytical approaches and their applications in biomedical research and healthcare. Supports the evaluation, implementation, and management of AI-enabled tools and data-driven solutions while considering data quality, reproducibility, bias, regulatory considerations, and scientific rigor. Collaborates effectively with technical and scientific teams to translate analytical results into actionable insights.

QUALITY ASSURANCE AND VALIDATION (INTERMEDIATE)

• Demonstrates proficiency in supporting validation, quality assurance, and performance assessment activities for research processes, data products, software applications, and analytical methods. Contributes to the development of testing plans, evaluation criteria, and documentation to ensure reliability, reproducibility, and compliance with project requirements. Familiarity with independent validation and verification (IV&V) methodologies is preferred.

LEADERSHIP (INTERMEDIATE)

- Manages multiple projects simultaneously. Demonstrates proficiency in unique scientific methods, tests, techniques, etc. Maintains tools, computer programs, and SOPs required for studies. Ensures that regulations and SOPs are followed in all activities. Provides project management leadership through effective goal setting, delegation, hands-on involvement and communication. May contribute to intellectual property development and patent prosecution.

Our professional administrative functions include critical supporting roles in information technology and informatics, finance, administration, legal and community affairs, human resources, communications and marketing, development, facilities, and many more.

At our growing health system, we support each other and encourage excellence among all who are part of our workforce. High-achieving employees stay at Vanderbilt Health for professional growth, appreciation of benefits, and a sense of community and purpose.

Core Accountabilities

Organizational Impact: Executes job responsibilities with the understanding of how output would affect and impact other areas related to own job area/team with occasional guidance. Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Analyzes moderately complex problems using technical experience and judgment. Breadth of Knowledge: Has expanded knowledge gained through experience within a professional area. Team Interaction: Provides informal guidance and support to team members.

Core Capabilities

Supporting Colleagues:- Develops Self and Others: Invests time, energy, and enthusiasm in developing self/others to help improve performance e and gain knowledge in new areas.- Builds and Maintains Relationships: Maintains regular contact with key colleagues and stakeholders using formal and informal opportunities to expand and strengthen relationships.- Communicates Effectively: Recognizes group interactions and modifies one's own communication style to suit different situations and audiences. Delivering Excellent Services:- Serves Others with Compassion: Seeks to understand current and future needs of relevant stakeholders and customizes services to better address them.- Solves Complex Problems: Approaches problems from different angles; Identifies new possibilities to interpret opportunities and develop concrete solutions.- Offers Meaningful Advice and Support: Provides ongoing support and coaching in a constructive manner to increase employees' effectiveness. Ensuring High Quality: - Performs Excellent Work: Engages regularly in formal and informal dialogue about quality; directly addresses quality issues promptly.- Ensures Continuous Improvement: Applies various learning experiences by looking beyond symptoms to uncover underlying causes of problems and identifies ways to resolve them. - Fulfills Safety and Regulatory Requirements: Understands all aspects of providing a safe environment and performs routine safety checks to prevent safety hazards from occurring. Managing Resources Effectively: - Demonstrates Accountability: Demonstrates a sense of ownership, focusing on and driving critical issues to closure.- Stewards Organizational Resources: Applies understanding of the departmental work to effectively manage resources for a department/area.- Makes Data Driven Decisions: Demonstrates strong understanding of the information or data to identify and elevate opportunities. Fostering Innovation:- Generates New Ideas: Proactively identifies new ideas/opportunities from multiple sources or methods to improve processes beyond conventional approaches.- Applies Technology: Demonstrates an enthusiasm for learning new technologies, tools, and procedures to address short-term challenges.- Adapts to Change: Views difficult situations and/or problems as opportunities for improvement; actively embraces change instead of emphasizing negative elements.

Position Qualifications:

Responsibilities:

Certifications:

Work Experience

Relevant Work Experience

Experience Level

2 years

Education

Bachelor's (Required)

This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within Vanderbilt Health, supported by a comprehensive benefits package which may include health, disability, retirement and/or wellness offerings to enhance your well-being and professional growth.

Vanderbilt Health is committed to fostering an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and is committed to the principles of equal opportunity. EOE/Vets/Disabled.