The Bioheat Material Transfer Lab Project Manager serves as an administrative liaison between the Bioheat Material Transfer Lab and the I nstitute for Engineering in Medicine . This position reports to Professor John Bischof, Principal Investigator of the Bioheat Material Transfer Lab in Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Institute for Engineering in Medicine. The Bioheat Material Transfer Lab Project Manager is primarily responsible for operationalizing the research initiatives of Professor Bischof and developing detailed plans for their implementation, including, but not limited to, making decisions to maximize the efficient use of resources, determining realistic and achievable implementation milestones, tracking timelines, holding lab and staff members accountable, and developing assessment and evaluation plans to measure the effectiveness of current practices and promote a culture of continuous improvement. The Bioheat Material Transfer Lab Project Manager will also engage with diverse stakeholders in the Medical School, College of Science & Engineering, and the University community to determine and accomplish goals that expand the reach, knowledge, and usability of cryopreservation research by creating synergies and collaborations with faculty, researchers, and industry practitioners on campus and beyond. The candidate will be in contact with 1) various sponsors, including state, federal, philanthropic, foundation, and industrial, 2) project partners and collaborators, including helping to forge new relationships, 3) graduate students, undergraduate students, and postdocs performing research associated with the Bioheat Material Transfer Lab and/or the Institute for Engineering in Medicine and 4) administrative staff in the Department and University to coordinate accounting and purchasing.
Position Duties/Responsibilities:
60% - Bioheat Material Transfer Heat Lab Project Management
The lab project manager is responsible for developing a responsive preaward service program that aligns with the research portfolio of the Bioheat Material Transfer Lab, which includes projects related to nanowarming, cryopreservation; synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials; cancer focal therapies; immunotherapy; drug delivery system; in vivo and in vitro cancer models; laser nanowarming; fast laser calorimetry; computer modeling of phase change and light propagation in tissue; cryopreservation by vitrification; thermal stress and fracture; differential scanning calorimetry; cryomicroscopy and computational heat transfer; drosophila cryopreservation; cardiac cryopreservation of cells, tissues, and organs; cryoprotectant toxicity; repository development, fisheries conservation and cryoprotectant loading; coral reef conservation; and other applications of bioheat material transfer.
Duties include:
1. Grant preparation and preaward support for new proposals.
a. Work to develop and align lab membersâ research ideas with funding opportunities from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBIR/STTR awards), and Foundation solicitations.
b. Develop detailed budgets and budget justifications that reflect lab personnel time, supplies, and protocols; include subawards with other institutions; and meet the deliverables of the call for proposals and/or sponsor needs.
c. Develop processes for data collection to ensure the timely completion of short-term and long-term grant goals.
d. Develop and maintain systems and timelines for the research team to prepare and analyze data for reporting with dissemination of results in mind.
e. Submit proposal into MN-GEMS and serve as Subject Matter Expert lab liaison with SPA, Department of Mechanical Engineering staff, sponsoring agency on all proposal questions
f. Planning, writing, budgeting, administrative items for grant submission based on call for proposals.
2. Project management oversight for the dozens of established projects and contracts with industry, government, and institutions that the lab already has in place through grant contracts. Based on deliverables communicated in the grant proposals, the lab project manager will develop, implement, and assess strategies to ensure that all aspects of the grant management process are successfully and timely met, so the team can focus on developing cryopreservation approaches for regenerative and transplant medicine.
a. Define organizational goals, hiring plans, partnerships and synergies, strategic plans, and objectives, as well as make decisions about personnel, resources, space, and equipment needs in consultation with Principal Investigator and senior lab staff.
b. Track critical project outcomes for the lab including publications, research aims, sponsor deliverables, and financial metrics.
c. Manage lab personnel payroll and mandatory research effort certification to federal granting agencies per University of Minnesota policy procedures.
d. Serve as Lab Subject matter expert on intellectual property resources for companies interested in licensing intellectual property and/or sponsoring lab research.
e. Serve as Human Research Protection Program (ETHOS)/Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Subject Matter Expert for lab members who need to file protocols for research projects.
f. Monitor and document research progress for monthly, quarterly, and annual financial and performance reports to key stakeholders.
g. Measure, assess, and continuously improve lab practices and procedures through technology, resource allocation, technical skill alignment, and rearrangement of priorities
h. Create project status presentations/plans for team or project personnel for multi-agency supported research projects.
i. Confer with the Principal Investigator and research team to identify and resolve complex research problems and build new best practices and processes in order to remain productive and on track with research deliverables.
j. Develop lab websites and social media to communicate research best practices to the Bioheat Material Transfer research community and promote lab success, priorities, and goals to a broad audience.
k. Organize and coordinate lab tours for special visitors, invited guests, researchers, and K-12 groups interested in Bioheat Material transfer research projects.
l. Set publication goals and roadmaps for graduate student success that align with their degree progress milestones.
25% - Serve as Project Manager for Bischof IEM Director and Bischof Director Support
1. Establish operational standards and work procedures for the Bischof Director schedule.
2. Manage Bischofâs curriculum vitae and provide updates on a regular basis for contracts, grants, awards, and publications to ensure comprehension and compliance. Update CV on a regular basis.
3. Communicate and track MN-GEMS updates for Bioheat Material Transfer lab and the Institute for Engineering in Medicine.
4. Update biosketch, current & pending, effort tracking, and other support documents for grant applications and reporting.
5. Obtain Director signature on required documents such as WFGEN Invoices, letters of recommendation, match letters, and correspondence for the Medical School and /or the College of Science & Engineering.
6. Provide administrative support as needed for external vendors and service providers to ensure that the business needs of the organization, department, and work unit are met.
10% - Assist with Project Management of Institute for Engineering in Medicine (IEM) Initiatives
1. Serve as project manager for new programs as described in MOU on file.
a. International Exchange Partnership Development with Universities in Latin America (i.e. Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Peru);
b. Explore opportunities for students such as short term/long term mobility such as summer schools, semester abroad, articulation and exchange;
c. Develop pathways for progression of students into Masterâs or Doctorate Programs;
d. Identify opportunities for exchange of faculty and research staff;
e. Identify opportunities for joint supervision of Masterâs and Ph.D. students;
f. Make faculty and students aware of the academic programs, research institutes, and educational resources of each otherâs institutions;
g. Facilitate joint workshops, conferences, and publishing;
h. Identify other areas of possible interest and collaboration.
2. Serve on Twin Cities STEM program implementation committee and define assessmentprotocols for the following collaborative initiatives between the University of Minnesota (UMN) and Twin Cities STEM, which aim to strengthen STEM education and community engagement:
a. STEM Saturdays: Develop and deliver monthly themed STEM Saturdays, offering hands-on, interactive STEM experiences for K-12 students. These events will be designed in partnership with UMN faculty, staff, and volunteers to ensure educational rigor and engagement.
b. STEMFEST Events: Plan and execute annual large-scale STEMFEST events, showcasing a variety of STEM activities, demonstrations, and workshops to engage the broader community, including students, parents, and educators. These events will highlight UMNâs contributions and serve as a platform for promoting STEM pathways.
c. Volunteer Recruitment and Database Development: Build a comprehensive volunteer database, leveraging partnerships with colleges, corporations, and community organizations. This database will include UMN students and faculty, as well as corporate and community volunteers, to support events and programming.
d. UMN Lab Tours for K-12 Students: Develop and implement a lab tour schedule, offering K-12 students the opportunity to visit UMNâs state-of-the-art research labs. Six lab visits will be scheduled over the next 24 months, providing students with exposure to real-world STEM research and innovation.
e. Workshops at UMN: Plan and execute two STEM workshops at UMN over the next 24 months. These workshops will focus on specific areas of STEM, providing students with deeper learning experiences and the opportunity to interact with UMN researchers and faculty.
f. Paid Internships for 18+ Students: Develop and implement paid internship programs for students aged 18 and older. The goal is to onboard two students during Summer 2025 and another two students during Summer 2026 through the Institute for Engineering in Medicine (IEM). These internships will provide students with practical, hands-on experience in STEM fields, helping to prepare them for future careers.
5% - Other duties as assigned
Required qualifications include:
- Bachelorâs degree with at least 6 years of administrative experience
- Ability to work collaboratively, make decisions, problem solve and prioritize tasks.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Attention to detail and organizational abilities.
- Experience working with diverse populations.
- Oral and written communications skills, with the desire to learn new scientific disciplines and convey scientific knowledge across diverse populations and students. Applicants without a solid command of the English language are not encouraged to apply.
- Evidence of self-initiative, independence, sound judgment, discretion and confidentiality, and high-level analytical skills.
Preferred qualifications include:
- MS/Ph.D.
- Understanding of the research cycle, including proposal development, preaward and postaward management, and compliance and reporting.
- Experience working with IRB or IACUC protocols.
- Fluent in Spanish.
- Exceptional problem-solving skills (issue identification, problem structuring, analysis, development of actionable recommendations) as well as experience leading implementation of recommendations.
- Experience implementing DEI initiatives in higher education, especially related to the academic success of underrepresented students.