Principal Program Manager, Research

Who We Are:

Calico (Calico Life Sciences LLC) is an Alphabet-founded research and development company whose mission is to harness advanced technologies and model systems to increase our understanding of the biology that controls human aging. Calico will use that knowledge to devise interventions that enable people to lead longer and healthier lives. Calico’s highly innovative technology labs, its commitment to curiosity-driven discovery science and, with academic and industry partners, its vibrant drug-development pipeline, together create an inspiring and exciting place to catalyze and enable medical breakthroughs.

Position Description:

Calico seeks a Principal Program Manager to closely collaborate with and support senior research leaders, including the CSO, Head of Research, and Head of Human Biology and Genetics, to facilitate new administrative initiatives and our innovative programs. The Principal Program Manager will be involved in the planning and execution of upcoming projects and research programs. The Principal Program Manager will work collaboratively with the Finance and Program Management teams to track ongoing activities and develop processes and systems for forecasting and prioritization. Projects will include implementation of new project review committees, implementation of cross functional collaborations, and other corporate initiatives. The Principal Program Manager will be expected to develop an understanding of existing and upcoming projects and will be responsible for identifying dependencies between projects and individuals involved to ensure alignment on expectations, deadlines, resourcing, and budgeting; and to facilitate clear communication among the relevant stakeholders. The Principal Program Manager will coordinate with other Project Managers to ensure efficient operations across all divisions of the company. The successful candidate will be able to effectively balance a high-level strategic view across Research programs with meticulous attention to detail of individual projects. The Principal Program Manager will report directly to the CSO.

Responsibilities:

• Work with and facilitate new review committees to ensure strategic fit and feasibility of new research project proposals
• Assist in the planning and implementation of therapeutics area strategies and organizational structures to advance our basic and translational research programs
• Help in logistics and organizational tasks for multiple large scope organizational initiatives and assist in the development and management of project plans
• Monitor timelines for projects including, but not limited to, strategic initiatives, corporate goals, sponsored research collaborations, and other internal and external research efforts as needed
• Facilitate and document team meetings to enable cross-functional communication, decision-making, and alignment with stakeholders
• Assist and schedule regular meetings with stakeholders to assess the states of ongoing projects, identify and help with removing roadblocks
• Maintain current lists of projected issues/challenges and proactively suggest solutions
• In collaboration with the Finance and Program Management teams, assist and/or contribute to the development of processes and tools to enable planning, prioritization, and execution of projects across the Research organization
• In collaboration with the Finance and Program Management teams, help ensure accountability for the tracking and budgetary oversight of shared research resource models, such as genetically engineered mouse strains or large equipment

Position Requirements:

• A minimum of a PhD in a life science discipline and 5 – 7 years of project management experience in a biotech/pharma and/or academic research environment
• Understanding of basic cellular and organismal physiology and a broad understanding of experimental methodologies for drug development and basic research
• A broad interest and excitement about basic and translational research at the intersection of aging, drug development, computation, and experimental methods
• Proficiency with project management software tools, methodologies, and best practices, including experience with Smartsheet, Google applications, and basic AI tools preferred
• Experience facilitating and documenting team meetings to enable cross-functional communication, decision-making, and alignment with stakeholders while managing project scope, deliverables, risks, and resources
• Outstanding organization and planning skills to effectively manage competing priorities, resources, and activities within and across a diverse portfolio of projects and programs
• Strong interpersonal skills to build and maintain positive working relationships with cross-functional stakeholders
• Ability to effectively communicate complex information, issues, and potential solutions across the organization, including leadership and collaborators
• Ability to foster partnerships and effective collaboration within and across teams
• Ability to design and implement medium-to-large-scale process improvements
• Detail-oriented mindset with excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Must be willing to work onsite at least four days per week

The estimated base salary range for this role is $188,000 - $200,000. Actual pay will be based on a number of factors including experience and qualifications. This position is also eligible for two annual cash bonuses.