Summary

Center for Space Medicine (CSM) was established in 2008 to be a world academic leader in space biomedical research and education and to translate the advances in knowledge and technology to benefit life on Earth. TRISH is a virtual institute awarded through a NASA cooperative agreement and is a consortium with Caltech and MIT. TRISH is charged by NASA’s Human Research Program with finding and providing federal grant funding to develop innovative approaches to reduce risks to humans during spaceflight. More information about CSM and TRISH can be found at www.bcm.edu/spacehealth.

The Research Operations Manager directs the overall and daily business operations for TRISH. The ideal candidate is a dynamic and adaptable professional that thrives in a fast-paced environment. The Research Operations Manager will deliver value across the entire Institute and empower the organization with insights, efficiency, and technology. The ideal candidate will be a highly collaborative team player who possesses expertise in project management, strong organizational skills, and skilled in implementing new processes to improve effectiveness. This position will be 100% grant-funded. Periodic in-person meetings at NASA Johnson Space Center are required.

This role is eligible for a hybrid work schedule.

Job Duties

• Manage the daily operations of TRISH, including, but not limited to Institute staffing in conjunction with Center Administrator; oversee TRISH compliance and project tracking; and management of departmental budgets and TRISH award timelines/pipeline.
• Manage Research Operations team, including a Research Administration Associate, Business Operations Specialist, and Business Operations Coordinator, by defining and prioritizing work responsibilities, setting performance development plans and goals, and conducting annual performance evaluations.
• Develop, manage, and control TRISH operational budgets. The Research Operations Manager will work with a variety of financial data sets, including research budget administration for TRISH, to establish financial and operational systems to monitor, control, and verify strategic grant spending.
• Develop staffing plans to support Institute operations and implement productivity guidelines and strategies that harmonize budget availability and Institute strategic priorities.
• Develop and implement successful strategic initiatives which expand TRISH impact on behalf of NASA, by maximizing Institute’s ability to leverage investments and efficiently control expenses.
• Manage and track contracts, memorandums of understanding, or other agreements.
• Develop/manage staffing activities for TRISH, in coordination with the Institute’s Executive Director and Director of Research Operations.
• Collaborate with CSM finance department and TRISH to maximize effective business operations.
• Manage internal/external strategic partnerships (such as partnerships with NASA Human Research and commercial spaceflight providers in support of Institute priorities and revenue growth opportunities.
• Formulate policies and guidelines for Institute activities, while leading analysis of metrics that improve business performance and drive business actions.
• Review/approve operational expenses (invoices) and implement expense control strategies.
• Oversee and originate strategic projects or programs to develop synergies among new space health technology and current business objectives, including the Institute’s goal to train the next generation of space health scientists on behalf of NASA.
• Direct the implementation of business tools or techniques to streamline, improve, and automate business processes.
• Lead TRISH workflows, business improvement projects, or other projects with support from other team members in the TRISH Science Office, Operations, and Communications groups to expand the Institute’s reach and impact.
• Oversee special research initiatives/projects.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• Four years of relevant experience. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in project management or process improvement.
• Relevant certification.