Director of Operations, AI-BIOME Programmable Cloud Laboratory

About the role

• Thank you for considering a career with the Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY).
• The team at RFCUNY is made up of dedicated, talented professionals committed to providing the services that allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries.
• We are pleased that you are interested in exploring opportunities to join RFCUNY.
• Primary Location: The CITY COLLEGE of NEW YORK
• Bargaining Unit: No

Position Summary

The Director of Operations will oversee the day-to-day administration and operational management of AI-BIOME. Reporting to the Executive Director and working closely with the Co-Directors, the Director of Operations will ensure efficient execution of all financial, administrative, human resources, facilities, research support, and compliance activities across the multi-institutional AI-BIOME program.

The Director of Operations will build and manage the operational infrastructure required to support AI-BIOME's research, education, workforce development, and outreach activities while coordinating closely with CCNY, ASRC, Research Foundation of CUNY (RFCUNY), Brookhaven National Laboratory's Center for Functional Nanomaterials, and partner institutions.

Core Responsibilities

Operations & Administration

• Oversee the daily administrative and operational activities of AI-BIOME.
• Develop and implement operational policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Coordinate activities across participating institutions.
• Monitor organizational performance and operational metrics.
• Finance & Research Administration
• Manage AI-BIOME's annual operating budget.
• Oversee pre- and post-award administration, subawards, procurement, contracts, purchasing, financial reporting, and compliance.
• Coordinate annual reports, NSF reporting requirements, audits, and sponsor communications.
• Work closely with RFCUNY, CUNY, CCNY, ASRC, and partner institutions on financial administration.

Personnel & Human Resources

• Supervise administrative and operational staff.
• Coordinate hiring, onboarding, professional development, and personnel actions.
• Coordinate with PIs and the Science, AI and Data Leads to support recruitment of postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, technical staff, and visiting researchers.
• Develop staff training and performance evaluation processes.

Research Operations & Core Facilities

• Coordinate operational support for AI-BIOME's cloud laboratory infrastructure.
• Work with CCNY and ASRC Core Facility Directors to coordinate laboratory scheduling, user support, shared instrumentation, and technical operations.
• Coordinate implementation of new laboratory capabilities and operational workflows.

Communications, Events & Outreach

• Oversee logistics for workshops, annual meetings, Executive Committee meetings, Advisory Board meetings, and NSF site visits.
• Coordinate internal communications and support public engagement activities.
• Support workforce development and education programming.

Compliance & Quality

• Ensure compliance with sponsor, institutional, regulatory, laboratory safety, cybersecurity, and data management requirements.
• Maintain policies that support efficient, transparent, and reproducible research operations.
• Other duties as assigned.

Work Arrangement

• Work Arrangement: On-Site at CCNY/ASRC campus in the West Harlem Innovation Triangle
• Appointment Type: Full-time, Grant-funded (Renewable based on performance and funding)

Minimum Qualifications

• Advanced degree in public administration, business, science, engineering, higher education administration, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in research administration, operations, or organizational management within a university, research institute, national laboratory, or comparable environment.
• Demonstrated experience managing the operations of large federally funded research programs, centers, institutes, or shared scientific facilities.
• Experience managing complex budgets, grants, contracts, procurement, subawards, and financial reporting.
• Experience with pre- and post-award research administration and familiarity with NSF, NIH, DOE, or other federal sponsor requirements.
• Demonstrated success supervising professional staff and managing multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience coordinating activities across multiple institutions and diverse stakeholder groups.
• Knowledge of human resources, facilities management, information technology, and research compliance within an academic or research environment.
• Excellent organizational, project management, interpersonal, and written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail and meeting deadlines.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and manage confidential information with professionalism and discretion.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting laboratory automation, robotics, cloud laboratories, research computing, scientific software, or digital research infrastructure.
• Experience coordinating shared scientific facilities or core laboratories.
• Experience managing NSF centers, Engineering Research Centers (ERCs), Science and Technology Centers (STCs), DOE user facilities, or other large interdisciplinary research programs.
• Experience organizing external advisory board meetings, federal site visits, and large scientific workshops.
• Experience working with technology transfer, industry partnerships, or innovation programs.
• Commitment to fostering an inclusive, collaborative, and service-oriented research environment.

Pay Range

$85,000 - $95,000