Research Manager Jobs in South Carolina

Posting Number RTF00142PO26

USC Market Title Research Program Manager

Business Title (Internal Title) Research Program Manager

Campus Columbia

Work County Richland

College/Division College of Arts and Sciences

Department CAS Psychology

Anticipated Hiring Range Salary commensurate with qualifications

Location of Vacancy

Part/Full Time Full Time

Hours per Week 37.5

Work Schedule

* Standard schedule is Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with one hour for lunch.
* Must be willing to work a flexible schedule to meet the needs of the department.

Type of Staff Position Staff Research Grant (SRGP)

Basis 12 months

Job Search Category Other Professional

About University of South Carolina

From the Upstate to the Lowcountry, the University of South Carolina system is transforming the lives of South Carolinians through the impact of our eight institutions and 20 locations throughout the state. More than 50,000 students are enrolled at one of eight institutions, including the research campus in Columbia and comprehensive four-year universities in Aiken, Upstate and Beaufort. In addition, our Palmetto College campuses in Salkehatchie, Union, Lancaster and Sumter enable students to earn associate or bachelor’s degrees through a combination of in-person, online or blended learning. All of our system institutions place strong emphasis on service — helping to build healthier, more educated communities in South Carolina and beyond.

Benefits for Research Grant or Time-Limited Positions Are Indicated Below

The University of South Carolina (UofSC), through the State of SC and Public Employee Benefit Authority (PEBA), offers employees a valuable benefits package, including health and life insurance, generous paid leave and retirement programs. To learn more about UofSC benefits, access the "Working at USC" section on the Applicant Portal. Research Grant or Time-limited positions may be eligible for all, some, or no benefits, based on the grant or project funding.

South Carolina Retirement Yes

State Insurance Programs Yes

Annual Leave Yes

Sick Leave Yes

Advertised Job Summary

The purpose of this position is to provide strategic and operational management for a research program with multiple active grants and projects. This role supports the Principal Investigator by overseeing project tracking, grant development and reporting, budget monitoring, hiring coordination, and operational systems. The position is responsible for ensuring research activities, deliverables, and administrative requirements are organized, compliant, and progressing on schedule while developing systems that improve efficiency, accountability, and research productivity.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

* Requires a bachelor’s degree in a job related field and 3 or more years of job related experience, which may be substituted by an equivalent combination of job related certification, training, education, and/or experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

* Master’s degree in public health, psychology, administration, business administration, or a related field.
* Experience supporting grant development, progress reporting, or research program administration.
* Experience monitoring or coordinating budgets across multiple funding sources.
* Experience coordinating hiring or recruitment processes.
* Experience developing operational workflows, documentation, or standard operating procedures.
* Experience working in an academic research environment.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

* Exceptional organizational and project management skills.
* Ability to proactively identify problems, operational risks, and process inefficiencies and develop solutions.
* Strong professional communication skills for interacting with faculty, collaborators, and university administrative offices.
* Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while maintaining consistent communication.
* Ability to synthesize information across multiple projects and maintain accurate tracking systems.
* Ability to develop and implement structured workflows, checklists, and documentation systems.
* Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
* Ability to manage confidential information with discretion.
* Demonstrated initiative, adaptability, and collaborative work style.

Job Duties

The Research Program Manager in this role will oversee and coordinate key operational aspects of the project to ensure successful and timely completion of study goals. Responsibilities include tracking recruitment progress, data collection activities, IRB status, staffing plans, budgets, deliverables, and internal and external deadlines to maintain full visibility of project performance and compliance. The role involves actively monitoring project timelines, identifying potential risks, delays, or operational bottlenecks, and implementing proactive solutions to keep milestones on schedule. Working closely with cross-functional research teams, the individual will facilitate communication, align priorities, and ensure accountability for deliverables. Additionally, they will recommend and implement process improvements designed to increase efficiency, streamline workflows, and reduce operational barriers, thereby strengthening overall project execution and research quality.

Essential Function Yes
Percentage of Time 25

The Research Program Manager in this role will provide comprehensive editing and coordination support to facilitate the successful submission of new grant proposals and the timely completion of progress reports for existing awards. Responsibilities include gathering and compiling required materials from collaborators and lab members to ensure proposals are complete, accurate, and aligned with funding guidelines. The role involves preparing and revising non-scientific components of grant applications – such as coordinating biosketches, drafting facilities descriptions, and completing administrative sections – to ensure clarity, consistency, and compliance. The individual will interface directly with the university grants office to confirm adherence to institutional policies, sponsor requirements, and submission deadlines. Additionally, they will organize and support internal feedback and brainstorming sessions to strengthen proposal development, enhance competitiveness, and promote collaborative input across the research team.

Essential Function Yes
Percentage of Time 25

The Research Program Manager in this role will maintain a comprehensive, high-level oversight of all research budgets and funding accounts to ensure financial sustainability and compliance across projects. Responsibilities include tracking personnel allocations across multiple grants and funding sources to ensure accurate effort distribution and alignment with award requirements. The role involves monitoring spending rates, forecasting future budget needs, and identifying potential constraints to prevent shortfalls or funding lapses. Based on ongoing financial analysis, the individual will provide strategic recommendations regarding budget distribution and spending priorities to support project goals and long-term planning. In collaboration with institutional finance offices, they will ensure accurate expense charging, adherence to sponsor and university policies, and overall financial compliance.

Essential Function Yes
Percentage of Time 20

The Research Program Manager in this role will lead and coordinate strategic hiring efforts to ensure staffing aligns with research priorities, available budgets, and team strengths. Responsibilities include developing proactive hiring plans to anticipate workforce needs, drafting and posting position descriptions that clearly reflect role expectations, and coordinating recruitment efforts to attract qualified candidates. The role involves conducting initial application reviews, facilitating communication with candidates, and advancing strong applicants through the hiring process in a timely and organized manner. The individual will interface closely with Human Resources to ensure compliance with institutional policies and to streamline hiring workflows. Additionally, they will support onboarding coordination to ensure a smooth transition for new hires and their effective integration into the research team.

Essential Function Yes
Percentage of Time 10

The Research Program Manager in this role will design and implement standardized workflows, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and escalation pathways to strengthen operational consistency and reduce ad-hoc decision making. They will map current processes, identify pain points, and develop repeatable systems—including clear roles, handoffs, and escalation criteria—so staff can resolve routine issues quickly and reliably. Working closely with the PI, lab members, and administrative partners, the person will pilot new procedures, provide training and resources to ensure adoption, and maintain a centralized, version-controlled repository of operational documentation. By institutionalizing streamlined processes and continuously reviewing performance metrics, they will reduce the administrative burden on the PI, improve operational efficiency, and ensure that operational issues are resolved promptly and transparently.

Essential Function Yes
Percentage of Time 10

The Research Program Manager in this role will develop and maintain comprehensive training and retraining systems to ensure operational continuity and consistent staff competency. They will define role-specific training requirements and create practical operational checklists so each team member understands expectations and can perform tasks reliably. To protect research quality and data integrity, the person will establish and implement quality-control protocols for research processes and data handling, regularly monitor adherence to those standards through audits and performance metrics, and document findings. When gaps or risks are identified, they will recommend and oversee targeted improvements – such as refresher trainings, checklist updates, or process changes – to close deficiencies and sustain high-quality, compliant research practice.

Essential Function Yes
Percentage of Time 10

Position Attributes

Hazardous weather category Non-Essential

Employees in Safety-Sensitive or Security-Sensitive positions will be subject to pre-employment and post-employment drug testing in accordance with University policy HR 1.95 Drug and Alcohol Testing. No

Number of Vacancies 1

Job Open Date 06/18/2026

Job Close Date 08/02/2026

Open Until Filled No

Special Instructions to Applicant

Positions are advertised for a minimum of five (5) business days on our job website. After five (5) business days, positions can be closed at the discretion of the department at any time. This employment site is updated on a regular basis. The length of the recruitment and screening process may vary from position to position, depending upon a variety of factors. Should review of your qualifications result in a decision to pursue your candidacy, you will be contacted by phone or email.

We are only accepting applications submitted by August 2, 2026.

EEO Statement

The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities or decisions for qualified persons on the basis of age, ancestry, citizenship status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender (including transgender), gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDs status, military status, national origin, pregnancy (false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, childbirth, recovery therefrom or related medical conditions, breastfeeding), race, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other bases under federal, state, local law, or regulations.