Program Director – Neuroscience

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Virginia, +1 more state.

📋 Description

• Assist in the planning, coordination, and execution of RNI’s clinical, translational, and applied research projects, ensuring they align with institutional and commercialization goals.

• Convert strategic objectives into detailed project plans, timelines, and deliverables that facilitate the progression of technologies from research through validation and commercialization.

• Collaborate with teams from RNI, WVUH, HSC, and WVU to synchronize clinical research, translational development, and commercialization efforts.

• Oversee project governance processes, including tracking milestones, identifying risks, and assisting in prioritization decisions throughout the research-to-commercialization process.

• Track initiative progress and proactively identify risks, bottlenecks, and dependencies; escalate issues as necessary.

• Enhance portfolio-level visibility by monitoring key initiatives, synthesizing updates, and maintaining centralized reporting across clinical, translational, and commercialization activities.

• Create executive-level presentations and materials summarizing progress, risks, intellectual property considerations, and commercialization pathways.

• Analyze operational and research data to derive insights that inform decision-making, development strategy, and market entry planning.

• Assist in coordinating intellectual property efforts, including invention disclosures, patent applications, and alignment with institutional IP and licensing strategies.

• Support commercialization initiatives, including collaboration with industry partners, assessment of partnership opportunities, and alignment of development milestones with market demands.

• Contribute to the development and refinement of standard operating procedures and best practices to improve efficiency across research, development, and commercialization functions.

• Work with internal teams and external partners to ensure alignment on deliverables, timelines, and expectations.

• Aid in budget tracking, resource planning, and operational coordination across various initiatives.

• Ensure compliance with institutional policies, procedures, regulatory standards, and intellectual property frameworks.

• Drive the daily execution of strategic initiatives, managing multiple priorities concurrently while maintaining a keen attention to detail.

• Act as a primary operational point of contact for assigned initiatives, ensuring effective communication and follow-through with stakeholders.

⛳️ Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Healthcare Administration, Life Sciences, Engineering, or a related field is required.

• At least three (3) years of experience in Project Management, Strategic Operations, Program Management, or Venture/Program Support within healthcare, life sciences, MedTech, or a similar environment.

• Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be taken into account.

• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Experience in supporting cross-functional initiatives that span research, product development, or translational programs.

• Familiarity with commercialization activities, including product development, market entry planning, industry partnerships, startup/spinout formation, or technology transfer processes.

• Experience in early-stage venture environments, venture studios, incubators, or innovation programs is preferred.

• Experience with grant development, writing, and/or submission, including coordination of proposals (e.g., NIH, DoD, foundation, or industry-sponsored funding), is preferred.

• Experience working in complex, matrixed organizations (e.g., academic medical centers, universities, health systems, startups, or industry settings).

• Understanding of translational research pathways (from bench to clinical to commercialization) is preferred.

• Experience with grant development and submission, including coordination of multi-investigator proposals.

• Familiarity with MedTech commercialization, including product development, regulatory pathways (e.g., FDA 510(k), PMA), and early market development.

• Working knowledge of intellectual property strategies, including invention disclosures, patent coordination, and licensing.

• Ability to assist with market evaluation, partnership development, and commercialization strategies.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to develop grant applications, executive materials, and content for investors.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to synthesize clinical, technical, and business inputs.

• Capacity to manage multiple concurrent initiatives across research, clinical, commercialization, and funding stages.

• Effective coordination with stakeholders including clinicians, researchers, executives, and external partners.

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail; proficient in project management tools (e.g., Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, Asana, Trello).

• Self-directed and able to thrive in a fast-paced, high-ambiguity environment.

🏝️ Benefits

• 37.5-hour work week

• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)

• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year (employee leave)

• 18 sick days per year (for when you’re ill, when you need time to care for sick family, or for your own or your family’s regularly scheduled medical appointments. Family, for this purpose, includes immediate relatives, in-laws, and others considered members of your household living under the same roof)

• WVU offers a variety of health insurance and other benefits

• 401(a) retirement savings plan with a 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and additional retiree perks. For more information on retirement benefits, please refer to retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQs.

• Wellness programs