Scientific Program Manager Lead

Company: Arc Institute
Location: Palo Alto
Posted on: April 2, 2026

Job Description:

About Arc Institute Arc Institute is an independent nonprofit research organization at the interface of artificial intelligence and biology, working to accelerate scientific progress and understand the root causes of complex diseases. Founded in 2021 and based in Palo Alto, Arc partners with Stanford University, UC Berkeley, and UC San Francisco. Unlike academia, our scientists have long-term funding and industry-like resources. Unlike industry, they're free to pursue high-risk, long-term research without commercial pressures. Arc's Technology Centers and Core Investigator labs work side by side, integrating experimental and computational biology under one roof to tackle problems neither could solve alone. Our two Institute Initiatives reflect this model in action: Virtual Cell Initiative : Building a full-stack virtual cell model to identify disease mechanisms and nominate drug targets, accelerating the path from biological insight to clinical trials. Alzheimer's Disease Initiative : Mapping the genes, pathways, and environmental factors behind Alzheimer's disease to develop drug candidates that address root causes. More than 300 Arconauts work together at our Palo Alto headquarters, backed by substantial long-term philanthropic funding. About the position We are seeking a Scientific Program Manager Lead to drive and coordinate strategic research initiatives across Arc Institute. This role will be instrumental in orchestrating complex, multi-disciplinary projects that span our Technology Centers encompassing cellular models, mammalian models, genome engineering, multi-omics, computational biology, and machine learning. A defining dimension of this role is the facilitation of cross-functional and cross-institutional collaboration to keep Arc's most complex programs moving. You will lead regular working meetings across Technology Centers, Core Investigator groups, and institute leadership—surfacing and resolving blockers, ensuring effective resource allocation, and maintaining alignment across teams working toward shared scientific goals. As Arc's research programs grow in scope and ambition, this coordination function becomes increasingly critical to execution. The ideal candidate combines deep technical knowledge of biological research with strong program management skills and a track record of driving progress across distributed, interdisciplinary teams. In this role, you will work closely with Technology Center leaders, Core Investigators, and institute leadership to advance Arc's Virtual Cell and Alzheimer's Disease initiatives through structured, proactive program oversight. In this role, you will also shape the strategic direction of Arc's research programs, mentor junior team members, and establish program management frameworks that appropriately support the institute's scale. About you You’re a strategic relationship builder. You understand that scientific progress at the institutional level depends on strong internal and external partnerships. You have deep experience cultivating and managing alliances with academic partners, industry collaborators, and peer institutions—and you know how to structure these relationships so they deliver value for all parties over the long term. You love structuring problems and solutions. You take a strategic view and excel at breaking down complex research initiatives into clear workstreams and deliverables, identifying dependencies, and anticipating potential bottlenecks before anyone else. You have a track record of successfully managing programs from inception to completion across multiple scientific disciplines and institutional boundaries. You’re able to find the razor’s edge between formality and chaos. You know that the path to the biggest discoveries are never linear. So you balance process formality with leaving space for innovation, always with an eye to delivering outstanding results. You’ve developed an intuition for when structure enables and when it constrains—especially in multi-institutional settings where flexibility and clarity must coexist. You are persuasive but tactful. You have a presence that commands respect (including from people more senior/knowledgeable than you) yet bring tact, diplomacy, and fun to your interactions with team members. You’ve built trust and influence across organizational and institutional boundaries throughout your career. You’re energized by learning. You’re a lifelong learner that loves to work at the intersection of biology and technology. You stay current with scientific developments and can connect emerging research trends to operational planning, partnership strategy, and program design. You lead through influence, not authority. You have extensive experience building consensus across diverse scientific groups—both internal and external—managing up effectively, and driving alignment without formal authority. You know how to navigate the unique dynamics of academic-industry hybrid environments and multi-institutional collaborations. You think institutionally. You don’t just manage projects—you see the bigger picture. You proactively identify opportunities to strengthen Arc’s collaborative network, and you champion scalable frameworks for partnership management that benefit research teams across the organization. In this position you will Lead and coordinate major research initiatives that span multiple Technology Centers and external collaborators, ensuring clear communication of objectives, timelines, and dependencies across institutional boundaries Manage Arc’s portfolio of internal and external scientific collaborations and strategic alliances Structure and negotiate collaboration frameworks, ensuring that partnership agreements, governance models, and joint milestones are clearly defined and aligned with Arc’s scientific mission Serve as a primary relationship manager for key partners, building trust, resolving issues, and ensuring that collaborations remain productive and mutually beneficial over time Facilitate regular cross-functional and cross-institutional meetings to drive progress, remove blockers, and ensure effective resource allocation Design and implement institute-wide program management frameworks, project tracking systems, and collaboration processes that scale with organizational growth and an expanding external network Identify opportunities for new strategic partnerships and collaborations that could accelerate Arc’s research programs, and present well-structured recommendations to institute leadership Track and communicate project and partnership progress to stakeholders at multiple levels, from technical teams to institute leadership and founders Serve as a strategic thought partner to Technology Center leaders and Core Investigators on program design, risk mitigation, resource planning, and external collaboration strategy Help foster a culture of innovation, excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement Mentor and develop junior program management staff, building institutional capacity for program management Lead change management efforts as the institute scales, ensuring that evolving processes support rather than hinder scientific discovery and external engagement Requirements PhD degree in Life Sciences or a related field and 8–12 years of experience in program management in a research or translational setting Demonstrated experience managing external scientific collaborations, strategic alliances, or academic-industry partnerships, with a proven ability to structure, navigate, and steward productive long-term relationships Background in one or more relevant biology areas (genome engineering, multi-omics, cellular engineering, etc.) Strong track record of successfully managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects in research environments, balancing competing priorities while maintaining focus on key long-term strategic objectives Track record of building and scaling program management or alliance management functions in fast-growth research organizations Experience with advanced project management tools and methodologies (e.g., Asana, Jira, Smartsheet) Excellent communication skills and are comfortable regularly engaging with a broad range of research scientists, experimentalists, senior management, and external partners Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional and cross-institutional initiatives and building influence without direct authority in matrixed or research-intensive organizations Proven ability to manage and mentor team members, with a track record of developing talent in research operations Preferred Qualifications Experience with computational biology or machine learning projects Background in multiple biology domains Direct experience managing university-industry research partnerships or consortium-level scientific collaborations Familiarity with intellectual property, material transfer agreements, or other legal frameworks common in academic-industry collaborations Change management certification or experience leading organizational transformation initiatives Public speaking and scientific communication experience

Keywords: Arc Institute, Elk Grove , Scientific Program Manager Lead, Science, Research & Development , Palo Alto, California