Executive Director, Biological Design Center Biomedical Engineering

Nature creates highly adaptable and efficient biological systems. The goal of the Biological Design Center (BDC) at Boston University is to unlock these design principles and reengineer them for applications in human health and the environment. To achieve this goal the BDC brings together disparate research areas including biology engineering physics chemistry and medicine to create disruptive ideas and biomedical technologies drawing in scientists from industry and academia to tinker invent and discover under the Centers auspices.

The Center is home to 21 core faculty and more than 150 researchers and trainees spanning departments of engineering sciences computing and medicine and occupying three floors of the Rajen Kilachand Center for Integrated Life Sciences & Engineering. The BDCs deeply collaborative investigators advance cutting-edge research through federal foundation and industry support and anchor two field-defining graduate training programs: the NIH T32 in Synthetic Biology and Biotechnology (SB2) and the NSF NRT in Biological Feedback Control.

The Executive Director leads the day-to-day operation of the BDC driving the strategic communications and operational aspects of the Centers activities and programs both facilitating the Centers growth and promoting its science on the global platform.

Specific responsibilities include:

the Centers Operations and Shared Research Infrastructure: The BDCs operations include purchasing and managing shared equipment planning equipment maintenance and selective upgrades overseeing the Centers facilities and resources interfacing with other University offices and groups implementing standard operating procedures and maintaining a safe and positive environment at the Center.

the Centers Scientific and Training Programs: the BDC is home to a number of prestigious scientific training programs including the NIH T32 SB2 program and the NSF NRT in Biological Feedback Control for which seminars workshops training and professional development opportunities symposia and requests for applications among other things will need to be managed. The Executive Director also organizes the Centers annual symposium and seminar series and where necessary develops and implements new objectives and opportunities for training within the Center.

the Centers Public Relations Communications and Marketing: this includes the Centers social media communications website content marketing and public relations programs and communications and where necessary interfacing with University Marketing & Communications offices.

Oversight on and Managing the Centers Finances and Budget: this includes reporting on the Centers finances assisting with annual reviews and reports development and management of budgets and projections and overseeing invoicing disbursements payroll purchase orders accounts receivables and/or payables.

the Centers Administrative Staff: this includes regular meetings creating constructive efficient and positive workplace practices and delegation of the Centers administrative tasks.

and Writing Multi-PI/Institution Grants: this involves supporting multi-PI and multi-institution grant efforts that advance the scientific goals of the BDC including identifying faculty and institutions and coordinating writing and submitting grant proposals to funding agencies.

Required Qualifications:

A PhD in biology physical sciences biomedical engineering or a related field.

At least 3 years of related work experience post-graduation (such as in scientific administration outreach program management or communications). Postdoctoral training is not required.

Demonstrated experience taking primary responsibility for a program initiative or operation from planning through execution for example running a training program a seminar or symposium series laboratory or core facility operations or a comparable organizational unit.

Strong communication skills with demonstrated ability to convey scientific and organizational information effectively.

Strong organizational skills and the ability to create structure and mechanisms around new programs and activities.

Experience contributing to grant proposals or comparable complex multi-author scientific documents.

Ability to work with a diverse group of scientists administrators trainees and staff members and to navigate interpersonal relationships.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience in an academic research center institute or core facility environment. Familiarity with shared research infrastructure scientific equipment purchasing or core facility operations. Experience coordinating multi-PI or multi-institutional grants particularly training grants or center grants. Experience communicating science to both scientific and general audiences.

To Apply

Please submit a CV and a single PDF containing a brief cover letter and one writing sample of your own authorship for example a grant section program or annual report newsletter piece or article written for a scientific or general audience (25 pages). Co-authored work is acceptable; please indicate which portions are yours.


We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color natural or protective hairstyle religion sex age national origin physical or mental disability sexual orientation gender identity genetic information military service pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition or because of marital parental or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.