Van Andel Institute (VAI), a world-class biomedical research institute, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is dedicated to improving human health. We are pioneers in the fight against cancer, Parkinson's, and other diseases. We are committed to inspiring the next generation of scientists and educators.
Program Manager, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
Van Andel Institute (VAI) is home to over 500 scientists, educators and staff — each one of us connected to the work we do and driven by an urgent desire to improve health and enhance lives. VAI deeply values our postdoctoral fellows, and we are reimagining the traditional postdoc experience to ensure our postdocs receive the very best training and support. VAI is seeking a Program Manager to lead its Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA).
As the Program Manager, you—with support from the other People Development team members—are responsible for ensuring the OPA meets its mission to recruit and support the next generation of research leaders through rigorous, personalized postdoctoral training.
Your key areas of responsibility will include:
- Working with the Director of People Development to create and execute the OPA’s strategic plan, including the Office’s direction and goals. VAI’s goal is to be nationally recognized for providing the very best training and support for postdocs.
- Advocating for postdocs, especially through collaborating with VAI leadership and Human Resources to guide institutional policies on postdocs.
- Developing, planning, managing and evaluating career and professional development training programming and resources for our postdocs. Teaching and facilitation responsibilities will be shared among People Development team members. As a small institution, collaboration is key to our career and professional development program.
- Creating fellowship application resources, working with postdocs and faculty to strategize and choose appropriate fellowships, reading applications and administering our fellowship incentive program. This is a key resource for our OPA. Over 25% of VAI postdocs have external fellowships and traineeships, compared to 13% nationally.
- Providing strong support for postdocs throughout their time at VAI. This will include forming a relationship with each postdoc, welcoming and onboarding new postdocs, and providing 1x1 advising on career development, interpersonal conflicts, and fellowship applications and job searches.
- Facilitating the Institute’s postdoc recruiting efforts, including attending on- and off-site events, meeting with prospective postdocs, collaborating with faculty and with the talent acquisition team, and leading our biannual Postdoc Preview signature event.
- Supporting our Postdoc Association by working with our Postdoc Leadership Committee to plan and run our research-in-progress seminar series, social events and the VAI postdoc mentoring award.
- Leading and managing VAI’s Inspire Fellowship Program to include serving as a member of the program’s steering committee, arranging appropriate professional development for Inspire Fellows, managing the program’s budget, and evaluating the program.
- Setting and managing the OPA’s budget.
- Collecting, analyzing and reporting institutional data related to postdocs. This will include our annual reporting to the National Science Foundation and to the Coalition for Next Generation Life Sciences.
- Establishing and maintaining positive relationships with OPA stakeholders, including VAI operations and scientific leadership, VAI Graduate School staff, faculty and staff, and with appropriate external collaborators.
This job might be right for you if:
- You are motivated and driven. You take ownership of your projects. You like learning new things and advancing your skill set.
- You love taking on challenges and collaborating with others to manage a project or find the best solution to a problem.
- You enjoy collaborating and working as a team. You are passionate about building relationships and working with others to accomplish your goals.
- You care deeply about postdocs, their unique needs and their career goals. You enjoy working with people from different countries and backgrounds.
- You are an outstanding communicator. You enjoy succinctly, accurately and compellingly communicating in both written and oral form for a variety of purposes (e.g., delivering a workshop, providing a critique of a fellowship application, writing a policy, persuading others).
- You are an excellent, flexible project manager who can prioritize, delegate, manage and plan multiple projects simultaneously. You have strong organizational skills.
To join our team, you need:
- Ph.D. in a biomedical science field (e.g., molecular biology, biochemistry, neurobiology, genetics).
- Two years of experience in higher education administration or related (e.g., working in a graduate school or postdoc office).
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively with a diverse workforce.
- Demonstrated experience in successfully managing multiple collaborative projects.
- Strong writing and communication skills.
- The willingness to occasionally travel and attend after-hours events.
- To support VAI's commitment to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and empowered to reach their full potential.
How to Apply:
If you possess the above attributes and enjoy working with motivated and driven people, we welcome speaking with you and encourage you to?apply online today by submitting a single combined pdf including:
- An up-to-date Resume/Curriculum Vitae
- A Cover Letter outlining your interest and goals
Please contact [email protected]?with questions or if you have any difficulty with the application process.
About Van Andel Institute
Established in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1996 by the Van Andel family, VAI is now home to nearly 500 scientists, educators and support staff, who work with national and international collaborators to foster discovery. The Institute’s scientists study the origins of cancer, Parkinson’s and other diseases and translate their findings into breakthrough prevention and treatment strategies. Our educators develop inquiry-based approaches for K–12 education to help students and teachers prepare the next generation of problem-solvers, while our Graduate School offers a rigorous, research-intensive Ph.D. program in molecular and cellular biology.
VAI is committed to excellence through broad participation and diverse perspectives. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and experiences who share our passion for innovation and collaboration.
Van Andel Institute is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
