Scientific Program Manager

(ID: 2026-3397)

Axle is a bioscience and information technology company that offers advancements in translational research, biomedical informatics, and data science applications to research centers and healthcare organizations nationally and abroad. With experts in biomedical science, software engineering, and program management, we focus on developing and applying research tools and techniques to empower decision-making and accelerate research discoveries. We work with some of the top research organizations and facilities in the country including multiple institutes at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Axle is seeking a Scientific Program Manager to join our vibrant team at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) supporting the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) located in Rockville, MD.

Benefits We Offer:

• 100% Medical, Dental & Vision Coverage for Employees
• Paid Time Off and Paid Holidays
• 401K match up to 5%
• Educational Benefits for Career Growth
• Employee Referral Bonus
• Flexible Spending Accounts:
  • Healthcare (FSA)
  • Parking Reimbursement Account (PRK)
  • Dependent Care Assistant Program (DCAP)
  • Transportation Reimbursement Account (TRN)

Position Information:

National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) is seeking a Scientific Program Manager that will work with NIH program staff on performing tasks in relation to the NIH Common Fund’s Complement Animal Research in Experimentation (Complement-ARIE) program and provide comprehensive administrative and program support to ensure efficient program operations. This individual will coordinate across multiple NIH Institutes, Centers and Offices and across multiple partner agencies. In addition, this individual may support other NCATS programs as needed.

Additional Qualifications:

Certifications & Licenses

• 3 years of specialized experience plus a bachelor’s degree is equivalent to a master’s degree

• Master’s degree in molecular biology, Microbiology, Biomedical Engineering, or a related discipline

• Minimum of two (2) years of related project management experience

• Four years of experience in biology or other related field

Field of Study

• Molecular Biology

• Biology

• Physiology

Software

• Experience with databases; Working knowledge and ability to use NIH IMPAC

• MS Office

• Demonstrates expertise with Microsoft MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, etc.)

Skills

• Strong communication skills, both oral and written

• Ability to develop detailed reports and analyses

• General knowledge of biomedical terms

• Knowledge of NIH funding mechanisms that support biomedical research

• Experience with independently performing budget execution and administration duties requiring tracking, review and analysis

• Knowledge of NIH grants and funding mechanisms

Deliverables:

• Work product and documents related to preparing meeting summary of conference calls, semi-annual meetings and workshops; prepare quarterly reports, annual progress reports and milestones reports. - Ad-Hoc

• Work products and documents related to developing and updating standard operating procedures and policies for analyzing program activities and administrative oversight; development of analyses and evaluations of proposed funding plans in meeting established goals, measures, and objectives. - Ad-Hoc

• Work products and documents related to provision of management support to upper-level management and ad hoc expert committees; write responses to correspondence pertaining to the tissue chip program for the signature of upper-level management. - Ad-Hoc

• Work products and documents related to gathering and summarizing of materials and data; develop reports required by NCATS, NIH or others, interagency agreements; edit and prepare text and figures for reports, and materials preparation and file maintenance. - Ad-Hoc

• Work products and documents related to maintaining and updating SharePoint site and other web site improvements. - Ad-Hoc

• Computer-generated work including database module maintenance and development, budget tracking, data entry and spreadsheets; work with staff on budget management, program expenditures, budget forecasts, spreadsheets and statistical reports information. - Ad-Hoc

Statement of Work Details:

• Prepare program documents such as meeting notes, summaries of conference calls (including action items), semi-annual meetings and workshops; prepare quarterly reports, content for the annual OSC annual progress reports and milestones reports including presentations. - 1
• Create both internal and external materials in the form of reports, summaries, emails, website content, video scripts, newsletters and social media. - 2
• Prepare for a variety of information exchanges with public and private sector science colleagues working on research, programs, and policy related to research program priorities. - 3
• Work with staff on organizing and participating in symposia and discussions with national and international scientific leaders. - 4
• Evaluate program activities to identify issues and develop recommendations for improvement. - 5

• Develops and assists staff implement policies and procedures related to the organization's scientific programs.

• Coordinate and document projects from beginning to completion; monitor and report the status of completion, funding and results attained; provide progress reports.

• Collaborate with staff on the planning, implementation, coordination and evaluation of programs and initiatives in the assigned specialty area of research.

• Provide technical and management support to NIH program staff during the execution of day-to-day functions, planning and implementation of the program, including supporting program staff in setting priorities, managing assigned tasks, monitoring project status, reviewing work products.

• Collects, analyzes and creates scientific program information.

• Oversee all data management activities and development of data files for internal and external use as necessary.

• Develop periodic and special reports and procedures; search records and files, the internet, background materials and precedent references.

• Plan, initiate, monitor and conduct administrative/portfolio analyses to evaluate the effectiveness of the program in meeting established goals.

• Review and summarize materials and data; gather and coordinate information for review; conduct data entry and file maintenance; edit and/or prepare text, data and charts.

• Coordinates workshops and reports their outcomes.

• Prepare briefing materials and summaries of meetings, workshops, and conferences.

• Use science writing skills to extract science themes and priorities during multidisciplinary science meetings.

• Attend review, scientific, in-house and various other meetings; provide minutes/reports and self-directed analysis when requested.

• Attend committees and report relevant programmatic and scientific information to Institute leadership.

• Take and compile comprehensive notes and organize and edit content of meeting reports.

• Plan, organize and participate in technical meetings and consultations that convene diverse experts to advance key issues in scientific research.

• Provide regular program updates to internal and external stakeholders.

• Evaluates current scientific programs and determines if changes need to be made.

• Conduct qualitative and quantitative analyses of Institute funded extramural research programs.

• Review short- and long-range planning proposals to ensure alignment with organizational objectives and mission.

• Provide comprehensive administrative and program support to ensure efficient program operations.

• Assists with analyzing current scientific programs and developing and proposing new initiatives.

• Assist in conducting literature searches and provide summaries of findings as part of preliminary planning for new research activities and directions.

• Confer with other government agencies, extramural researchers and the broader scientific community on future projects, policy and general research.

• Work with staff on planning and implementing project-based activities; e.g., workshop planning, resource evaluation, communication strategy, assist with report writing/editing, etc.

• Collaborate with program staff on the development and implementation of grants, cooperative agreements, challenges, and other transactions.

• Collaborates with management and prepares reports to keep them updated on new and ongoing programs and activities.

• Meet with leadership on a regular basis to provide oral reports and discuss the status of on-going projects and to receive new assignments.

• Prepare presentations to Institute leadership; attend monthly meetings; report to multiple divisions in the Institute on the status of the program budget.

• Contribute to the writing and development of executive summaries and reports to share with key partners.

• Provide advice to upper-level management on the latest published research findings and trends.

• Provide a facilitative role among the team leaders aimed at coordinating strategies and goals into a focused Project Plan.

• Track implementation of the Project; review progress in relation to the plan; work with the Project Team to revise the plan as needed; develop and maintain a project-tracking document.

• Meet with upper-level management on a regular basis to provide oral reports on the status of on-going projects and to receive new assignments.

• Collaborate with program staff to develop the agenda and logistics for workshops and conferences, including semi-annual meetings; coordinate activities across all stakeholders.

• Coordinates staff responsible for developing, installing and maintaining scientific programs.

• Work with staff on the development and coordination of scientific initiatives.

• Implement issues and strategies to enhance successful completion of current projects; prepare conceptual plans and other written products.

• Analyze and evaluate research portfolios, synthesizing scientific data to report on scientific advancements and outcomes, and identify gaps or issues and develop recommendations for improvement as requested by the Program Coordinators.

• Facilitate cross-functional team meetings, track action items, and ensure accountability across scientific and administrative stakeholders.

• Analyzes current policies and procedures and suggests and develops improvements.

• Analyze program activities to identify issues and develop recommendations for improvement.

• Meet with staff on a regular basis to provide oral reports on the status of on-going projects and to receive new assignments.

• Provide advice to the team regarding unique conditions and issues which affect scientific and administrative functions.

• Identify operational and technical problems; work with staff to identify a recommended action plan and solutions.

• Assists in preparing and developing future strategic plans.

• Prepare, a variety of routine and special reports on the research goals, current activities, accomplishments, and strategic planning efforts.

• Prepares and provides educational materials to staff.

• Document all program activities, maintain content on program SharePoint site and other web sites.

• Works closely with management to develop new initiatives that further scientific research.

• Collaborate with project lead to assess and make recommendations for appropriate initiatives and strategies to move forward; develop new initiatives.

• Work with staff on the development and coordination of scientific activities within the initiative.

• Uses scientific expertise to review grant proposals and interacts with potential grantees to obtain additional information.

• Identify and resolve operational and technical challenges with staff collaboration.

• Collaborate with staff on the development and implementation of cooperative agreements.

• Collaborate with staff on development of outreach strategies for the initiatives.

• Develop quarterly reports from data and updates provided by the program awardees.

• Schedule and conduct participate in periodic conference calls and/or site visits, including tools such as WebEx, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, etc.

• Collaborate with staff to develop the agenda and logistics for semi-annual meetings of investigators; coordinate activities with NCATS partners and other stakeholders.

• Work with staff to develop the agenda and logistics for workshops relevant to program development and expansion.

• Provide regular updates and communication to NCATS program leads and other partners.

• Work with staff on tracking and evaluating the yearly milestones and progress reports; prepare dossier for each and the program, including presentations.

• Work with staff on management of program budget, including a wide range of administrative and analytical duties; formulate operating budget projections and annual allocations; monitor and track program expenditures; maintain fiscal oversight over office awards and contracts; track awards and obligation of funds; ensure adequate funds for program coverage.

• Generate weekly, quarterly and various other budget reports of program funds for internal use, for senior management, and as requested by the program officers.

• Consolidate financial data for budget presentations; provide overview of the financial status of operations; maintain internal records and analyze proposed funding plans to identify trends, surplus or shortage of funds; recommend new or changed methods or procedures for monitoring tracking budgetary information.

• Analyze program activities, via internal systems and/or NIH enterprise systems, to identify issues and develop recommendations for improvement; draft standard operating procedures and guidelines for implementation of programmatic and administrative activities.

• Provide technical and management support to program staff during execution of day-to-day functions, planning and implementation of projects, including setting priorities, managing assigned tasks, monitoring project status, reviewing.

Disclaimer: The above description is meant to illustrate the general nature of work and level of effort being performed by individuals assigned to this position or job description. This is not restricted as a complete list of all skills, responsibilities, duties, and/or assignments required. Individuals may be required to perform duties outside of their position, job description or responsibilities as needed.

The diversity of Axle’s employees is a tremendous asset. We are firmly committed to providing equal opportunity in all aspects of employment and will not tolerate any illegal discrimination or harassment based on age, race, gender, religion, national origin, disability, marital status, covered veteran status, sexual orientation, status with respect to public assistance, and other characteristics protected under state, federal, or local law and to deter those who aid, abet, or induce discrimination or coerce others to discriminate.

Accessibility: If you need an accommodation as part of the employment process please contact: [email protected]

This role has a market-competitive salary with an anticipated base compensation range listed below. Actual salaries will vary depending on a candidate’s experience, qualifications, skills, and location.