Project Manager - Sponsored Research

Position Overview

The SIRO Project Management Office at Penn State is seeking a Project Manager to support a variety of federal and nonfederal, interdisciplinary, multi-million dollar grants. Reporting to the SIRO Associate Director of Project Management, this role is integral to managing the lifecycle of research administration projects, coordinating with cross-functional teams, and ensuring compliance with sponsor and University guidelines. This position is eligible to work remotely within the US with standard work times in EST.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee lifecycle project management of research administration, including proposal development, award management, reporting, and closeout.
• Direct and monitor administrative team assignments during pre and post award stages.
• Liaise with Principal Investigators, subrecipients, sponsors, and internal staff.
• Coordinate multi-disciplinary working groups, committees, and meetings.
• Plan and forecast sponsored budgets and monitor project financial health.
• Ensure compliance with sponsor and University guidelines.
• Coordinate preparation and submission of complex reporting and audits.
• Utilize project management tools and recommend process improvement strategies.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree required.
• Minimum 1+ years relevant experience (Intermediate) or 3+ years (Advanced) in project management.
• Proficiency in MS Office suite with advanced Excel skills.
• Strong time management, organizational, data analytics, and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in project management of research administration.
• Experience working on DoD and foundation-related grants.
• Familiarity with collaborative tools such as Slack, GitHub, Teams, and Google Drive.

Benefits & Perks

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Robust retirement plans.
• Substantial paid time off including holidays, vacation, and sick time.
• Generous 75% tuition discount for employees and eligible family members.
• Competitive Compensation: $61,800.00 - $115,100.00.