Research Center Project Manager

The School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Virginia is seeking a Project Manager that provides project management and operational leadership to a newly established multidisciplinary research center, ensuring research initiatives, collaborations, and sponsored projects are executed efficiently and aligned with the strategic objectives of all stakeholders. This role works closely with faculty, researchers, administrative staff, external partners, and funding agencies to manage a complex research project, monitor budgets, track milestones, and support center operations. Research at the center is focused on supercomputer simulations of extreme conditions experienced by hypersonic vehicles and quantifying the uncertainty.

Responsibilities:

• Project Management: Develop detailed project plans, timelines, and deliverables for research projects and initiatives; coordinate with faculty, graduate students, and external collaborators to ensure milestones are met; monitor project progress, identify risks, and implement mitigation strategies.
• Operations & Center Support: Support the center director and affiliated faculty in pursuing new research opportunities; assist in reviewing partner universities and coordinate the review process with stakeholders; organize workshops, seminars, and outreach activities and ensure compliance with institutional and funding agency requirements and maintain effective knowledge and resource management systems. Manage day-to-day operations and lead Center-wide meetings.
• Financial & Grant Oversight: Assist in budget preparation and track research grants and contracts; manage budgets, expenditures, and cost forecasting; ensure compliance with university policies and sponsor requirements; work with pre-award and post-award offices to support proposal submission and reporting.
• Communication & Reporting: Prepare reports, presentations, and summaries for stakeholders and funding agencies; facilitate effective communication among project teams, departments, and external partners.

Minimum Qualifications:

• US Citizenship.
• Master’s degree in a related field (Engineering, Science, Business, or similar).
• 5 years relevant experience with a minimum of 3 years of project management experience, preferably in an academic or research environment.
• Familiarity with research processes, grant management, and compliance.
• Strong organizational and analytical skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.
• Proficiency with project management tools (e.g., MS Project, Smartsheet, or equivalent) and Microsoft Office Suite.

Preferred Qualifications:

• PhD degree in a relevant field.
• PMP (Project Management Professional) certification or equivalent.
• Experience working in a university research center or managing sponsored research projects.
• Experience in high-performance computing or computational research.
• Familiarity with federal grant regulations (DOE, NSF, NIH, etc.).

About the Position:

The Project Manager will report to the Center Director Dr. Xinfeng Gao. This is a full-time in-person position, regular in-person attendance at meetings and events will be required throughout the year. The Project Manager is a member of the Center leadership, will have significant independence and authority to execute operations, and must exhibit strong professionalism. Candidates should demonstrate skills and experience commensurate with these expectations. Travel is required once per year to attend program review meetings.

The position's start date is September 1st, 2025, and the starting base salary is in the range $90,000 to $110,000.

This is a one-year appointment; however, the appointment may be renewed, contingent upon available external funding and satisfactory performance.

This is an exempt level, benefited position. For more information on the benefits at UVA, visit hr.virginia.edu/benefits. The University will perform background checks on all new hires prior to employment. This position will not sponsor applicants for work visas. This is a Restricted (term-limited) position.

To Apply:

Please apply through the UVA job board and search "R0074569". Internal applicants must apply through their UVA Workday profile by searching 'Find Jobs'. Complete an application online with the following documents:

• Resume/CV
• Cover letter to include your interest in the position and your applicable knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences

Upload all materials into the resume submission field, multiple documents can be submitted into this one field. Alternatively, merge all documents into one PDF for submission. Applications that do not contain all the required documents will not receive full consideration.

References will be completed via UVA’s standardized process Skill Survey. A total of five references will be requested via Skill Survey during the final phase of the interview process. For questions about the application process, please contact Daniel Strong, Senior Academic Recruiter, at das6zb@virginia.edu.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Education: High School Diploma, Bachelor's Degree Preferred

Experience: 5 years relevant experience

Licensure: None

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Click here to read more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.