Research Program Manager

About the role

JOB SUMMARY: The Research Program Manager - Level 1 is responsible for the end-to-end management of federally funded research programs at the Kostas Research Institute (KRI) at Northeastern University, with a focus on delivering customer value through applied research and product development. This position reports to the Director of Program Management and provides program, product, and project management across multiple federal research contracts, balancing traditional government program management requirements with a product-oriented approach that emphasizes user needs, feasibility, and mission viability. The Research Program Manager - Level 1 oversees a portfolio of 2-4 programs with low to moderate complexity, managing cost, schedule, and performance while maintaining strong focus on outcomes and product strategy. Responsibilities include engaging directly with federal sponsors and end users to gather requirements and feedback, coordinating with technical teams to define and deliver solutions that meet customer needs, managing program execution to ensure contractual compliance, and supporting business development activities including proposal development and customer relationship management. This dynamic position requires interaction with internal KRI researchers, technical leads, the Chief Technology Officer, principal investigators, finance, and security; as well as the Northeastern University Research Enterprise Systems (NU-RES) staff, external partners and subcontractors, and federal agency program managers and contracting officers. The successful candidate will combine solid understanding of federal research program requirements with a customer-centric mindset, focusing on delivering value while ensuring compliance with government regulations and contractual obligations. They will demonstrate the ability to balance what should be built with how it should be delivered, working collaboratively across technical and business functions.