Research Project Lead

Join the Office of Research as the Research Project Lead and help advance the University's research mission through leadership of complex research programs, sponsored projects, and strategic initiatives. This role provides oversight of project and portfolio management, fiscal stewardship, compliance, and program development while building strong partnerships with researchers, sponsors, and university stakeholders. If you are an experienced leader with expertise in research administration, sponsored programs, project management, and team development, we encourage you to apply and help drive research excellence and innovation across Alaska and beyond.

As the Research Project Lead, you will serve as a trusted resource for Sponsored Programs and Research staff by providing guidance on research administration practices, sponsor requirements, project documentation, and internal workflows. You will coordinate daily activities across assigned projects and teams, help resolve operational and administrative challenges, support onboarding and cross-training efforts, and promote consistent application of established procedures. Acting as a functional lead, you will mentor colleagues, review selected work products, identify training and process-improvement opportunities, and elevate complex policy, compliance, personnel, or high-risk matters to Office of Research leadership when appropriate.

You will independently manage complex sponsored and externally funded projects from proposal development through closeout, ensuring compliance with sponsor requirements, university policies, budgets, schedules, and project objectives. You will develop project plans, budgets, schedules, risk-management tools, reports, and sponsor-facing materials; coordinate activities among Principal Investigators, sponsors, research administrators, and institutional partners; monitor project performance and financial activity; and provide clear documentation, analysis, and recommendations to support informed decision-making. You will also lead efforts to improve research administration and project-management practices by developing tools, templates, guidance materials, and workflow improvements that enhance service, efficiency, consistency, and collaboration across the Office of Research.

To thrive in this role, the successful candidate brings advanced expertise in research project management, sponsored project administration, and research operations across the full lifecycle of externally funded projects. The position requires extensive knowledge of federal, state, university, and sponsor requirements related to proposal development, award administration, fiscal management, compliance, reporting, procurement, and project closeout. Success depends on the ability to serve as a trusted technical resource, providing guidance to colleagues, coordinating workflow, resolving operational challenges, and leading through expertise and collaboration rather than formal supervisory authority. Strong project management, analytical, and organizational skills are essential, including the ability to develop workplans, schedules, risk-management strategies, tracking systems, and documentation processes that support complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.

The ideal candidate demonstrates advanced written and verbal communication skills, sound independent judgment, and the ability to interpret sponsor guidance, award terms, institutional procedures, and complex project information. Success also requires the ability to analyze fiscal and programmatic data, identify risks and discrepancies, support informed decision-making, and maintain productive relationships with Principal Investigators, administrators, sponsors, government agencies, and external partners.

Minimum Qualifications:

Master’s degree and four years research experience at the postgraduate level in a field relevant to the research, or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

Position Details:

This position is located in Anchorage, Alaska, and flexible on-site/hybrid work arrangements may be considered in accordance with UA regulations. This is a term-funded, full-time, exempt staff position complete with both a competitive salary and full employee benefits package. UA provides a generous compensation package that includes retirement options, annual leave, 12 paid holidays per year, tuition waivers for employees and family members, and affordable medical, dental and vision care coverage. New hires will be placed on the UA Staff Salary Schedule, Grade 81, based on education and experience.

We review applications on a rolling basis. Because we may close the posting once a sufficient pool of qualified candidates is established, we encourage early submission. Please note that once a viable pool is identified, further applications may not be reviewed.

The University of Alaska (UA) requires employees to work on-site based on operational and business needs. Hybrid and remote work arrangements may be considered only for positions specifically designated and advertised as eligible for hybrid or remote work. Any approved arrangement will be based on the position’s duties, operational needs, and the employee’s ability to effectively perform the work remotely.

📃To view the full list of job responsibilities, please click HERE.

☎️If you have any questions regarding this position, please contact Kelsie Kingston at kakingston@alaska.edu.

*To be eligible for this position, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without restriction.  Applicants who now or may in the future require visa sponsorship to work in the United States are not eligible.

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This is a term-funded position reviewed annually for contract renewal at the University's discretion.

The University of Alaska (UA) is responsible for providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities throughout the applicant screening process. If you need assistance in completing this application or during any phase of the interview process, please contact the ADA team at ua-ada@alaska.edu.

The University of Alaska (www.alaska.edu) is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access Employer and Educational Institution.  The University is committed to a policy of non-discrimination (www.alaska.edu/nondiscrimination) against individuals on the basis of any legally protected status.

The successful applicant is required to complete a background check. Any offer of employment is contingent on the background check.

Your application for employment with the University of Alaska is subject to public disclosure under the Alaska Public Records Act.

All employees at the University of Alaska are expected to uphold the highest standards of ethics and professionalism when conducting or engaged in university business.

*Each university within the University of Alaska system publishes an Annual Security and Fire Safety Report which contains information regarding campus safety and security including topics such as: campus law enforcement authority; crime reporting policies; campus alerts (Timely Warnings and Emergency Notifications); fire safety policies and procedures; programs to prevent dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking; the procedures the University will follow when one of these crimes is reported; and other matters of importance related to security on campus. The report also contains information about crime statistics for the three most recent calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus; in On-Campus Student Housing Facilities; in Noncampus buildings or property owned or controlled by the University or a recognized student organization; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus.  The report also contains fire statistics for any fires occurring in an On-Campus Student Housing Facility during the three most recent calendar years.  

Access to the reports is available at:

UAA: (Addresses Anchorage campus, Aviation Technology Complex, JBER - Elmendorf Extension, JBER - Richardson Extension, Kenai Peninsula College - Kachemak Bay campus, Kenai Peninsula College - Kenai River campus, Kodiak College, Kodiak High School Extension, Matanuska-Susitna College, Prince William Sound College, and Prince William Sound College - Cordova Extension) Online: https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/students/safety. Request a paper copy in person: UAA Police Department Office at Room 114 of Eugene Short Hall on the Anchorage campus / UAA Dean of Students Office at Room 122 of Rasmuson Hall on the Anchorage campus. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-786-1120 or police@uaa.alaska.edu / 907-786-1214 or uaa_deanofstudents@alaska.edu. 

UAF: (Addresses Fairbanks Campus, Bristol Bay Campus, Chukchi Campus, Community and Technical College, Kasitsna Bay Campus, Seward Marine Center, Tok Campus, Kuskokwim Campus, and Northwest Campus) Online: https://www.uaf.edu/orca/files/ASFSR.pdf. Request a paper copy in person: UAF Office of Rights, Compliance and Accountability on the 3rd Floor of Constitution Hall. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-474-7300 or uaf-orca@alaska.edu.

UAS: (Addresses the Juneau Auke Bay Campus, Juneau Technical Education Center, Sitka Campus, & Ketchikan Campus) Online: https://uas.alaska.edu/equity-and-compliance/docs/clery/UAS_ASFSR.pdf. Request a paper copy in person: Hendrickson Building, Suite 202 on the Juneau campus. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-796-6371 or emailing uas.clery@alaska.edu.