Senior Project / Program Manager

Looking for top tier Project/Program Manager in the Scientific R&D Automation space. this is the automation they will be working on: Biologics Discovery E2E DNA to Protein Production/Purification to Assays
We are seeking a Senior Project / Program Manager to lead a strategic Biologics Discovery Automation initiative at the intersection of scientific research, laboratory automation, data, and technology. This individual will partner with discovery scientists, Business Technology product owners, data teams, automation engineers, and external vendors to drive planning, execution, governance, and delivery of automation-focused programs that enhance biologics discovery capabilities.
The ideal candidate brings strong program leadership experience within biopharma R&D environments and has successfully managed complex cross-functional initiatives involving laboratory systems, automation platforms, scientific workflows, data integration, and digital transformation. This role will focus on aligning stakeholders, driving decision-making, managing dependencies, mitigating risks, and ensuring successful delivery of automation and data initiatives that support scientific innovation.

Key Responsibilities
Program & Project Leadership
Lead end-to-end planning, execution, and governance of Biologics Discovery Automation initiatives.
Develop and maintain integrated project plans, timelines, milestones, budgets, resource plans, and dependency tracking.
Drive program governance, status reporting, risk management, issue resolution, and executive communications.
Facilitate decision-making across scientific, technical, and business stakeholders to ensure alignment and delivery success.

Stakeholder Management & Collaboration
Partner closely with discovery scientists, Business Technology product owners, automation engineers, data teams, and vendors to align priorities and execution plans.
Coordinate activities across multiple workstreams, ensuring clear ownership, accountability, and communication.
Serve as the primary point of contact for program updates, escalations, and stakeholder engagement.

Automation & Scientific Workflow Enablement
Support the assessment, prioritization, and implementation of laboratory automation initiatives and automated workcells.
Collaborate with scientific and technical teams to understand assay workflows, automation requirements, data dependencies, and operational impacts.
Facilitate evaluation and selection of automation technologies, instruments, and integration solutions.

Delivery & Change Management
Drive execution of project deliverables while managing scope, timelines, risks, assumptions, and dependencies.
Coordinate testing, validation, user acceptance activities, training, and deployment readiness.
Lead change management efforts to support adoption of new automation capabilities, systems, and workflows.

Vendor & Cross-Functional Coordination
Support vendor evaluations, RFP processes, contract deliverables, and implementation activities.
Manage relationships with internal and external partners to ensure alignment with program objectives and timelines.
Ensure successful integration of scientific, automation, data, and technology workstreams.

Required Qualifications
7+ years of Project or Program Management experience leading complex technology, automation, data, or digital transformation initiatives within the biopharma industry.
Experience supporting scientific research, laboratory operations, R&D technology, automation, informatics, or related discovery-focused programs.
Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams consisting of scientists, engineers, data teams, IT, business stakeholders, and external vendors.
Strong experience with project planning, governance, risk management, budgeting, resource management, and executive stakeholder communication.
Demonstrated success managing large-scale programs in matrixed organizations.
Experience utilizing project management and collaboration tools such as Jira, Confluence, Smartsheet, MS Project, or similar platforms.
Excellent communication, facilitation, and organizational skills.

Preferred Qualifications
Experience supporting laboratory automation, biologics discovery, assay development, scientific workflows, or research informatics initiatives.
Familiarity with laboratory systems including LIMS, ELN, data platforms, scientific instrumentation, or automation technologies.
Experience leading vendor selection, implementation, and integration programs.
PMP, PgMP, Agile, Scrum, or similar project management certification preferred.

Soft Skills & Competencies
Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence without direct authority.
Ability to navigate ambiguity and drive alignment across diverse scientific and technical teams.
Excellent problem-solving and decision-making capabilities.
Highly organized, proactive, and execution-oriented.
Intellectual curiosity and ability to quickly learn scientific concepts and emerging technologies.