Technical Project Manager III

The mission of the Allen Institute for Cell Science is to create multi-scale visual models of cell organization, dynamics, and activities. Our approach encompasses large-scale data collection, observation, theory, and predictions to understand cellular behavior in normal and pathological contexts. As a division within the Allen Institute, the Allen Institute for Cell Science uses a team-oriented approach, focusing on accelerating foundational research, developing standards and models, and cultivating new ideas to make a transformational impact on science.

We are seeking a Technical Project Manager to join our multidisciplinary Cell Science Management team to enhance efficiency and amplify the impact of our technical engineering and UX efforts in alignment with our Institute's priorities. This individual will play a pivotal role project managing the migration to and the management of our evolving cloud-based ecosystem, which includes a laboratory information system, a file management system, data analysis and modeling pipelines, and public-facing tools. These tools are essential for gathering, analyzing, interpreting, and sharing our research findings in a robust and reproducible manner. The ideal candidate should be highly motivated, team-oriented, and committed to advancing the Institute’s research and development goals. This role requires prioritizing and streamlining our cross-team science and software tool development by collaborating with multiple teams. The primary responsibility of this position is to manage projects across infrastructure, software engineering, visualization, simulation, and UX domains, ensuring seamless communication between engineering and scientific teams.

The Allen Institute believes that team science significantly benefits from the participation of diverse voices, experiences, and backgrounds. High-quality science can only be produced when it includes different perspectives. We are committed to increasing diversity across every team and encourage people from all backgrounds to apply for this role.

Essential Functions

As Technical Project Manager, you will be a key leader around project planning, collaborative prioritization, resourcing, and execution.

• Project manage engineering efforts including infrastructure, software engineering and UX efforts. This includes:
  • scheduling and facilitating regular planning meetings to ensure timely delivery and transparent tracking of efforts
  • gathering requirements, and working with technical leads to establish technical design for new product features
  • working with various stakeholders to breakdown large requirements into manageable tasks
  • prioritizing small incoming tasks relative to inflight bandwidth. When incoming tasks are too large or disruptive, escalating to a larger team of stakeholders for prioritization
  • proactively identifying at-risk projects, implementing mitigation strategies, and reducing scope-creep
• Facilitate collaboration and communication between various technical specialists, including UX, software engineering, infrastructure, computational biology, simulation, and visualization experts to sustain focus, ensure on-time delivery, and drive project momentum
• Foster dialogue between engineering and scientific teams. This includes engaging with non-technical biologists to translate their requirements into actionable tasks in collaboration with technical leads
• Partner closely with scientific program managers to stay updated on scientific priorities and their impact on engineering efforts (and vice versa)
• Partner closely with program management and leadership teams to plan and implement annual goals and milestones. Oversee and align long and short-term engineering goals with the broader Institute’s goals, milestones, and mission. Report progress toward engineering-related goals to diverse levels of stakeholders
• Proactively identify areas of improvement in processes and software products

Note: Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This description reflects management’s assignment of essential functions; it does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, relevant scientific field, or project management; or equivalent combination of degree and experience
• Minimum of 3 years direct experience in technical project management overseeing multiple, simultaneously ongoing engineering projects at different life cycle stages
• Experience with project management tools (e.g., GitHub, JIRA, Confluence, Smartsheet, Miro) and Microsoft Office
• Track record of success:
  • Creating and maintaining useful project plans amidst complexity and uncertainty
  • Working diplomatically with a broad network of internal and external contributors and stakeholders

Preferred Education and Experience

• More than 5 years direct experience in technical project management
• Project management experience in a life science or healthcare setting
• Experience working with Agile (or similar) methodologies and teams
• Demonstrated experience with back-end and front-end software design patterns
• Exceptionally organized and effective at helping teams organize
• Experience working with a diverse set of stakeholders (e.g., infrastructure and software engineering, UX, computational and experimental researchers)
• Technical and analytical skills with a focus on problem-solving and minimizing bottlenecks
• Passion for new technology and a user focused approach
• Creative problem-solving skills
• Coding experience (e.g., React JS/TS, Python, Java)
• Experience with LIMS software
• Strong organizational, written, and verbal communication skills

Physical Demands

• Fine motor movements in fingers/hands to operate computers and other office equipment

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

• This role is currently able to work in a hybrid work environment. We are a Washington State employer, and any remote work must be performed in Washington State.

Travel

• Occasional travel to conferences or collaborative meetings might be required

Additional Comments

• **Please note, this opportunity does not offer work visa sponsorship**

Annualized Salary Range

$115,950 - $154,600*

* Final salary depends on the required education for the role, experience, level of skills relevant to the role, and work location, where applicable.

Benefits

Employees (and their families) are eligible to enroll in benefits per eligibility rules outline in the Allen Institute’s Benefits Guide. These benefits include medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance. Employees are also eligible to enroll in the Allen Institute’s 401k plan. Paid time off is also available as outlined in the Allen Institutes Benefits Guide. Details on the Allen Institute’s benefits offering are located at the following link to the Benefits Guide: https://alleninstitute.org/careers/benefits.

It is the policy of the Allen Institute to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, the Allen Institute will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.