Research Project Coordinator, BioPACIFIC MIP – BioPACIFIC MIP/UC Santa Barbara

Location: Santa Barbara, CA

Posted on: October 27, 2025

Description:

Position overview

Position title: Research Project Coordinator

Salary range: $73,248 to $92,330
Percent time: 100%
Anticipated start: November 1, 2025 or later.
Position duration: One year

Application Window

Open date: October 1, 2025

Most recent review date: Wednesday, Oct 15, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications received after this date will be reviewed by the search committee if the position has not yet been filled.

Final date: Wednesday, Dec 31, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position description

OVERVIEW
Reporting to the Executive Director at UCSB of the NSF BioPACIFIC MIP, and working closely with the Executive Director at UCLA and the BioPACIFIC MIP User Coordinator, the Research Project Coordinator will track and manage proposals and projects submitted through the BioPACIFIC MIP’s User Program. The Research Project Coordinator will (1) facilitate discussions between prospective users and the technical team to assess project feasibility and logistics, (2) provide guidance to users on proposal development, submission, and revision, (3) manage proposal intake, review, and disposition process, (4) coordinate visits by external researchers to BioPACIFIC MIP, and (5) work with users to track project progress and reporting.

The BioPACIFIC MIP Research Project Coordinator will have a Ph.D. in Chem, Chemical Engineering, Materials, Biology, Bioengineering, or similar field. This technical expertise is required in order to communicate with potential, current, and former users of the BioPACIFIC MIP facilities about available resources, proposal feasibility, potential collaborations, project progress, and project outputs such as publications or patents.

Duties focused on increasing the technical impact of the BioPACIFIC MIP include:

• Participate in trade shows to raise center visibility
• Participate in technical conferences such as American Chemical Society, and Materials Research Society to raise center visibility and recruit users
• Partner with BioPACIFIC MIP directors to develop new proposals and strategies to obtain resources necessary to further increase the impact of the MIP
• Help identify and develop targeted calls for user proposals
• Develop machine assisted product screening tools to help bridge the gap between synthetic biology and synthetic chemists MIP users

Duties focused on user engagement with the BioPACIFIC MIP include:
• Refine workflows to connect users planning to submit BioPACIFIC MIP research proposals to BioPACIFIC MIP personnel for preliminary technical discussions
• In partnership with the MIP Directors, refine workflows by which BioPACIFIC MIP user proposals are evaluated for feasibility
• Manage and optimize workflows for connecting users to facilities, equipment, and staff once they are at BioPACIFIC MIP for research
• Lead engagement efforts after users complete their research at BioPACIFIC MIP, including creating Highlight slides that will be reported to the NSF on a quarterly basis, incorporated in the BioPACIFIC MIP Annual Report, and showcased on the BioPACIFIC MIP website and newsletter
• Collect statistics and synthesize narrative for the NSF Annual Report, including on user project outcomes, products, and impacts

Program management duties include:

• Coordinate the collection and submission of required business forms from users coming to access the facilities
• Coordinate the collection and submission of required MTA forms for sample requests
• Manage the logistics of schedule and travel for the users coming to UCSB

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)
  • Ph.D. in Chem, Chemical Engineering, Materials, Biology, Bioengineering, or similar field at time of application
Preferred qualifications
  • Demonstrated experience developing machine learning models for applications in chemistry, biology, or materials
  • Experience in project management – tracking project goals and deliverables, working with project leads to track progress and develop reports
  • Experience in project development – working with possible project leads to define a scope of work, identify resources, assess feasibility, and guide a project to initiation
  • Ability to work collaboratively in a team-oriented work environment.
  • Ability to work creatively and independently and follow through on assignment with minimal or no directions
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to interact with faculty, staff, students, visitors, and public
  • Skill in prioritizing workload, assessing timelines, coordinating numerous assignments/projects simultaneously under heavy workload
  • Ability to utilize a variety of communication methods to move projects forward in a timely manner
  • Familiarity with procedures and protocols relevant to university research processes and laboratories

Application Requirements

Document requirements

  • Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

  • Cover Letter

Reference requirements
  • 3-5 required (contact information only)

Please provide name, telephone and email address for all references.

References will be contacted if selected as a finalist.

Apply link: https://recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/JPF03022

Help contact: debbie@cnsi.ucsb.edu

Application Deadline: December 31, 2025

More Information: https://recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/JPF03022

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