Program Manager, AI for Weather
University of Chicago
Summary
The University of Chicago's Human-Centered Weather Forecasting (HCWF) initiative and AI for Climate Initiative (AICE) seek a Program Manager to manage the day-to-day execution and strategic coordination of the group's portfolio of research and industry-facing programs. This portfolio currently includes engagements with foundations and industry leaders, constituting an interdisciplinary, multi-institutional effort focused on AI weather and sub-seasonal-to-seasonal forecasting for the tropics. This role will work closely with faculty leads and reports to the Director of AI for Weather to ensure programs are delivered on time, on budget, and in a manner that supports the group's scientific and policy goals. Specifically, the Program Manager serves as the primary program-management point of contact across the group's active initiatives.
Job description
Responsibilities
- Coordinates action items and participants for scientific meetings requiring sufficient technical fluency in AI weather forecasting topics.
- Leads project management for one or more flagship efforts.
- Coordinates industry and government stakeholder engagement, including planning and executing multi-institutional convenings that require in-depth cross-partner logistics.
- Scopes new project areas, partnerships, and conference opportunities, and manages industry follow-up.
- Executes budget-related tasks and makes budgetary recommendations in coordination with the group's finance/budget lead.
- Supports proposal development and drafts reports for grants and funders.
- Oversees the group's communications and provides support on administrative matters directly tied to lead program work.
- Sets and communicates program priorities and performance standards and assesses operations using these criteria.
- Plans and conducts quality assurance reviews and recommends changes as appropriate.
- Has moderate/high levels of interactions with faculty, researchers and staff for committee work or information.
- Performs other related work as needed.
Minimum Qualifications
Education: Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field. Work Experience: Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
Preferred Qualifications
Education: Advanced degree (M.S. or higher) in a related scientific, environmental, or policy field. Experience: Experience in science policy, international program coordination, or ocean/climate/atmospheric science contexts. Experience contributing to program budgets.
Preferred Competencies
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience drafting reports, briefings, or proposals for varied audiences, including public communications work.
- Demonstrated experience coordinating multi-institutional or interagency stakeholders, including funders, government partners, and/or international collaborators.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives independently in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.
- Familiarity with the grant lifecycle, from proposal development through reporting.
- Exposure to AI, climate, or weather-forecasting research environments.
Working Conditions
This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement, aligning with the project team’s needs. The role may involve extended time working at a computer and engagement with teams working across several time zones.
Requirements
- College or university degree in a related field
- 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Experience drafting reports, briefings, or proposals for varied audiences
- Demonstrated experience coordinating multi-institutional or interagency stakeholders
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives independently
- Familiarity with the grant lifecycle, from proposal development through reporting
Benefits
- Health Benefits
- Retirement Benefits
- Paid Time Off
Company overview
The University of Chicago is a world-renowned private research university founded in 1890 and located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. As a premier academic institution, it operates one of the most comprehensive biomedical research enterprises in the United States through its Biological Sciences Division, which includes over 1,100 faculty members across 10 basic science and 14 clinical departments. The university manages extensive research infrastructure including the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center, multiple specialized research institutes, and maintains affiliations with Argonne National Laboratory and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. With research funding exceeding $450 million annually and more than 3,300 patents filed since 1987, the institution is a global leader in scientific discovery and innovation. The Biological Sciences Division alone supports over 500 research-active faculty who secure an average of $588,000 in NIH funding per principal investigator, focusing on areas including cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular metabolism, neuroscience, and evolutionary biology. The university's commitment to interdisciplinary research and its unique position as manager of national laboratories creates unparalleled opportunities for translational research and scientific advancement.