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Program Operations Analyst

University of Chicago

Chicago, ILOnsitePosted 15 days ago$60,000 - $85,000
Full TimeMid LevelProgram / Project ManagementAcademic
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Summary

The Program Operations Analyst supports the development and operation of innovative biomedical data and software platforms that researchers rely on to advance cancer genomics. Reporting to the co-Principal Investigator and working in close partnership with the technical leads, the role contributes to planning, delivery, and communication across scientific, engineering, and operational teams, and serves as a point of contact for external partners.

Job description

Day to day, this position involves helping shape project and roadmap plans, identifying dependencies and risks, and keeping data and software releases on track. It also includes bringing the right people together and turning information into clear reports and proposals, in coordination with the Center's business operations and finance teams where needed.

Responsibilities

  • Support team planning for roadmaps and priorities, helping anticipate the dependencies and risks that shape the work ahead.
  • Coordinate project meetings and collaborations, including scheduling meetings upon request, proactively identifying when discussions or cross-team coordination are needed to move work forward, and tracking decisions and action items through follow-up and completion.
  • Participate in data and software release processes, including release planning, tracking progress, helping resolve blockers, assessing schedule impacts, and communicating status, risks, and potential delays in a timely manner to teams and partners.
  • Assist with project documentation and reporting on activities, risks, and deliverables, including hardware asset tracking.
  • Help prepare proposals and other program materials, working with technical teams as well as business operations and finance.
  • Serve as a point of contact for external inquiries, triaging requests, finding answers, and drafting clear, thoughtful updates.
  • Gain hands-on experience with the software development lifecycle and a broad familiarity with cancer genomics and how shared data accelerates research, with opportunities to contribute to increasingly complex and meaningful work as skills develop.
  • Coordinates events, researches logistics, assists with planning and preparing presentations, event outreach, and post-event write ups.
  • Assists with researching funding opportunities, preparing grant proposals, and drafting and/or editing other written materials with moderate guidance.
  • Assists with other administrative projects as needed and acquire higher level guidance and skills.
  • 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

  • Experience working in or alongside software development teams, in roles such as developer, product, QA, technical support, or data, and familiarity with how software is built and released.
  • Experience working with customers, users, or partners, such as in customer service, technical support, or customer success roles, understanding their needs and finding solutions.
  • Experience coordinating projects, events, or programs, including planning timelines, working through obstacles, and supporting decision-making.
  • Experience improving how teams stay organized and synthesizing information into clear, actionable reports.
  • Experience with complex fields or systems, such as science, healthcare, technology, finance, or engineering, and figuring out unfamiliar concepts and processes.
  • Exposure to biology, genetics, cancer biology, or a related science, through coursework or professional experience.

Preferred Competencies

  • Shows curiosity and a desire to learn, quickly grasping new concepts in cancer genomics, research, and technology, adopting new software and tools with ease, asking insightful questions, and seeking knowledge beyond the tasks at hand.
  • Applies analytical and problem-solving skills with a bias toward action, helping to bring structure to ambiguous situations, identifying gaps or risks, and working with the team to develop practical solutions.
  • Develops an understanding of how the program's parts connect, including contracts, timelines, teams, and deliverables, and contributes ideas to improve processes that support the team's work.
  • Stays highly organized and detail-oriented, tracking moving pieces, adapting to changing priorities, following up on outstanding items, closing the loop on tasks, and catching errors before they become problems.
  • Helps organize and facilitate meetings, supporting focused discussions and ensuring decisions, owners, and next steps are captured and followed through, while recognizing when additional coordination is needed to move work forward.
  • Communicates clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing, delivering effective updates, raising risks, blockers, and potential delays early, and tailoring messages to different audiences.
  • Works effectively both independently and as part of a team, collaborating with scientists, engineers, and administrators and readily supporting colleagues when needed.
  • Serves as a dependable contact for external collaborators and partners, building trust through consistent follow-through.
  • Exercises sound judgment, learning when to act on their own and when to seek guidance, and handles confidential information with integrity and discretion.
  • Seeks increasing responsibility and ownership, acts on feedback, learns from mistakes, and demonstrates continuous growth and improvement.

Requirements

  • College or university degree in related field
  • 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline
  • Experience working in or alongside software development teams
  • Experience working with customers, users, or partners
  • Experience coordinating projects, events, or programs
  • Experience improving how teams stay organized and synthesizing information into clear, actionable reports
  • Experience with complex fields or systems such as science, healthcare, technology, finance, or engineering
  • Exposure to biology, genetics, cancer biology, or a related science

Benefits

  • Health insurance
  • Retirement plan
  • 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.

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