Job ID: req4650

Employee Type: exempt full-time

Division: Clinical Research Directorate

Facility: Rockville: 9615 MedCtrDr

Location: 9615 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD 20850 USA

The Frederick National Laboratory is operated by Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc. The lab addresses some of the most urgent and intractable problems in the biomedical sciences in cancer and AIDS, drug development and first-in-human clinical trials, applications of nanotechnology in medicine, and rapid response to emerging threats of infectious diseases.

Accountability, Compassion, Collaboration, Dedication, Integrity and Versatility; it's the FNL way.

Program Description

The Cancer Genomics Research Laboratory (CGR) investigates the contribution of germline and somatic genetic variation to cancer susceptibility and outcomes in support of the NCI’s Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG), the world’s most comprehensive cancer epidemiology research group. Working in concert with epidemiologists, biostatisticians, and basic research scientists in DCEG’s intramural research program, CGR provides the capacity to conduct genome-wide discovery studies and targeted regional approaches to identify the heritable determinants of various forms of cancer. The laboratory provides end-to-end research support, from study design and biospecimen processing, laboratory assay development and processing, and bioinformatics support for data analysis.

We are seeking a Project Operations Manager II to oversee and coordinate all project work conducted at CGR in support of the NCI Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics. This position offers an exciting opportunity for an experienced project management professional to lead a team responsible for managing complex, high-throughput genomics, biospecimen, and laboratory research projects that support critical cancer epidemiology and translational research efforts.

The incumbent will manage a team of project management professionals and will serve as a key liaison between CGR operational teams, scientific staff, laboratory leadership, and DCEG principal investigators. This individual will ensure that project activities are effectively planned, communicated, tracked, prioritized, and executed across multiple functional groups. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated project management experience in a scientific, clinical, research, or laboratory environment; experience interacting with principal investigators or scientific stakeholders; exceptional organizational and communication skills; and the ability to report on global project and team activities across a large, complex laboratory operation.

Key Roles/Responsibilities

The Cancer Genomics Research Laboratory is a fast-paced, high-throughput organization that supports histology, molecular and digital pathology, biological specimen processing and aliquoting, nucleic acid extraction, sample staging, genotyping, sequencing, and analysis for genetic and epidemiologic studies for investigators within DCEG. As a Project Operations Manager II, the incumbent will be responsible for overseeing the planning, coordination, tracking, and reporting of project work across CGR. The incumbent is expected to report to the work site(s).

Core Responsibilities Include

• Lead, administer, maintain, and continuously improve project operations across CGR in support of DCEG research priorities
• Provide direct supervision, mentorship, workload oversight, and performance management for a team of approximately five (5) project management professionals
• Oversee the CGR project portfolio, including project intake, planning, prioritization, tracking, execution, reporting, and closeout activities
• Serve as a central point of coordination between CGR leadership, laboratory managers, scientific staff, project managers, operational teams, and DCEG principal investigators
• Interact regularly with principal investigators and study teams to understand project goals, timelines, deliverables, requirements, priorities, and risks
• Ensure project managers are effectively supporting studies involving biospecimen processing, sample tracking, molecular laboratory workflows, genomic assays, sequencing, data generation, and related laboratory operations
• Establish, monitor, and communicate project status, milestones, risks, resource needs, deliverables, and timelines across the organization
• Develop and deliver reports on global project activities, team workload, portfolio status, operational metrics, and project performance for CGR leadership and stakeholders
• Facilitate cross-functional project meetings, prepare agendas and minutes, track action items, and ensure follow-up on commitments and deliverables
• Identify project risks, bottlenecks, competing priorities, and operational challenges; escalate issues appropriately and support timely resolution
• Partner with laboratory operations, quality assurance, bioinformatics, informatics, specimen processing, sequencing, genotyping, and other functional groups to support coordinated execution of project work
• Promote consistency and standardization in project management practices, documentation, tracking tools, communication approaches, and reporting formats
• Support development and maintenance of project plans, timelines, dashboards, status reports, trackers, templates, and other project management tools
• Ensure accurate and timely documentation of project requirements, status updates, decisions, risks, changes, and deliverables
• Prioritize and manage multiple concurrent activities in a fast-paced, high-volume research environment
• Apply strong attention to detail to ensure project records, reports, communications, and deliverables are accurate, complete, and current
• Contribute to process improvement initiatives to increase efficiency, transparency, accountability, and communication across CGR project operations
• Support alignment of project activities with applicable laboratory procedures, institutional expectations, quality systems, safety requirements, and operational best practices
• Use Microsoft Office applications and other electronic systems for tracking, reporting, communication, document preparation, records management, and presentation of project data

Basic Qualifications

To be considered for this position, you must minimally meet the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed below:

• Possession of Master’s degree from an accredited college/university according to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) in a science, business, project management, healthcare administration, public health, or related field or six (6) years relevant experience in lieu of degree. Foreign degrees must be evaluated for U.S. equivalency
• In addition to the education requirement, a minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience, including a minimum of four (4) years managing related high-throughput genomics, biospecimen laboratory research projects
• Demonstrated experience managing complex projects, project portfolios, or operational activities involving multiple stakeholders, timelines, deliverables, and competing priorities
• Demonstrated experience interacting with scientific stakeholders, principal investigators, study teams, laboratory managers, or research leadership
• Demonstrated ability to lead project activities across multiple functional groups performing diverse scientific, laboratory, operational, or administrative work
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear project updates, meeting summaries, reports, presentations, and executive-level summaries
• Excellent organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and manage multiple activities in a fast-paced environment when competing deadlines must be met
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work effectively with scientific, operational, technical, administrative, and management teams
• Ability to analyze information, organize records, identify trends, summarize project status, and present findings clearly and accurately
• Computer literacy and proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook, with demonstrated skills in tracking, reporting, data organization, and document management
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance/Public Trust clearance

Preferred Qualifications

Candidates with these desired skills will be given preferential consideration:

• Demonstrated project management experience in genomics, molecular biology, epidemiology, biorepository, biospecimen processing, sequencing, genotyping, clinical research, or another high-throughput scientific or laboratory environment
• Experience overseeing project management activities for a large laboratory, research organization, or multi-team scientific operation
• Experience managing a team of project managers or project coordinators supporting multiple concurrent scientific or operational projects
• Experience working directly with principal investigators, research scientists, epidemiologists, laboratory leadership, or scientific collaborators
• Familiarity with the NCI Biological Specimen Inventory (BSI) database
• Experience with laboratory information management systems (LIMS), sample tracking systems, electronic laboratory notebooks (ELNs), project management software, or other electronic systems used to support laboratory or research operations
• Familiarity with biospecimen lifecycle management, including sample receipt, inventory, aliquoting, processing, tracking, shipment, and disposition
• Experience developing dashboards, reports, project trackers, operational metrics, or portfolio summaries using Excel, Tableau, Smartsheet, Microsoft Project, Power BI, or similar tools
• Experience training, coaching, or guiding project managers, project coordinators, laboratory staff, or operational teams on project management expectations, communication practices, documentation standards, and reporting requirements

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, color, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.

Pay And Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available here

140,400.00 - 206,510.00 USD

The posted pay range for this job is a general guideline and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include, but are not limited to, responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities as well as internal equity, and alignment with market data.

The salary range posted is a full-time equivalent salary and will vary depending on scheduled hours for part time positions