Research Project Manager

Position Title:

Research Project Manager

Job Group:

Professional & Scientific

Required Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree and 3 years of related experience

Job Description:

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

Do you love bringing big ideas to life? Are you energized by variety, collaboration, and helping teams turn research into real-world impact?

If so, the Office of the Vice President for Research is seeking candidates for a Research Project Manager to join ResearchPOST, a small team of centralized project managers who serve all university units. As part of ResearchPOST, this individual will manage a portfolio of research projects, each with a term of three months or longer. This position will be classified as a Research Administrator II.

What You'll Do:

• Collaborate with principal investigators and project teams to manage research projects, define scope and goals, track milestones, and support decision-making.

• Coordinate communication among stakeholders, schedule and facilitate meetings, and prepare project documentation and reports.

• Develop and maintain tools to monitor project progress, manage risks, and ensure compliance with sponsor and university requirements.

• Assign and track tasks for project team members and support leadership through meeting facilitation and reporting.

• Support post-award financial and administrative tasks, including budget monitoring, financial reporting, and salary allocation to sponsored accounts.

• Maintain accurate records of project deliverables, subawards, and compliance documentation.

• Support research operations by coordinating meetings, responding to inquiries, recruiting participants, and managing websites and communication materials.

• Build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support project success and visibility.

• Assist with planning and executing events, workshops, and outreach efforts to promote project outcomes and partnerships.

The ideal candidate will have interest in supporting a broad range of projects, some of which will be interdisciplinary and/or multi-institutional. This individual will also bring strong organizational and relationship-building skills to the role.

This is a fixed-term position with an end date of 6/15/2028, with the opportunity for renewal.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Background in conducting or supporting research projects.

• Previous experience working in a university environment.

• Experience with Federal regulations and agency policies and guidelines for sponsored research.

• Demonstrated experience implementing project management in accordance with industry-standard principles and best practices.

• Experience developing and managing strategic partnerships.

• Experience with financial administration, such as budget monitoring, reporting, etc.

Department Description:

Research projects at Iowa State University often involve multiple stakeholders, strict deadlines, and complex coordination. The Research Project Operations and Strategy Team (ResearchPOST), supported by the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR), provides experienced project managers to guide scientific, scholarly, and educational initiatives, focusing on post-award support. We build essential infrastructure and ensure efficient progress, allowing you to concentrate on your research. For more information, please visit ResearchPOST.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship. Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position.

Application Instructions:
To apply for this position, please click on “Apply” and complete the Employment Application. Please be prepared to enter or attach the following:

Resume/Curriculum Vitae(Required)

Letter of Application/Cover Letter(Required)

Why Choose Iowa State University?
Iowa State Employees enjoy comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental, as well as:

• Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans

• Generous vacation, holiday, and sick time and leave plans

• Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa)

• Life insurance and long-term disability

• Flexible Spending Accounts

• Various voluntary benefits and discounts

• Employee Assistance Program

• Wellbeing program

• Iowa State offers WorkFlex options for some positions. WorkFlex offers flexibility on when, where, and how you do your work. For more information, please speak with the Hiring Manager.

If you have questions regarding this application process, please email employment@iastate.edu, or call 515-294-4800 or Toll Free: 1-877-477-7485.

Appointment Type:

Regular with Term Appointment (Fixed Term)

Proposed End Date or Length of Term:

June 15, 2028

Number of Months Employed Per Year:

12 Month Work Period

Time Type:

Full time

Pay Grade:

PS808

Original Posting Date:

May 15, 2026

Posting Close Date:

May 28, 2026

Job Requisition Number:

R19214

Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Veteran. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed to Office of Equal Opportunity, 2680 Beardshear Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa 50011, Tel. 515-294-7612, email eooffice@iastate.edu.

 

General ISU compensation information can be found on the University Human Resources website. Please note that this is only a list of ranges and individuals will be paid commensurate with qualifications.