RESEARCH PROGRAM LEADER

Position Summary:

The Suthana Lab seeks an experienced Research Program Leader to oversee operations of a nationally recognized human neuroscience and neurotechnology research program. This role supports complex, multi-site clinical and translational research involving intracranial neural recordings, invasive neuromodulation, wearable sensing, and real-world behavioral paradigms. The Senior Lab Manager serves as the primary authority for laboratory operations, financial and grant management, regulatory compliance, and personnel supervision, working closely with the Principal Investigator, clinicians, engineers, and institutional partners. The position requires scientific expertise, operational leadership, and independent responsibility for managing large NIH-funded research portfolios involving human subjects and vulnerable patient populations.

Effort Allocation (Estimated):

Financial Management & Operations - 35%; Regulatory Oversight (IRB/FDA/Compliance) - 20%; Laboratory Operations - 30%; Personnel Supervision - 15%

Key Responsibilities:

Financial Management & Grant Administration (35%):

Manage approximately $3-6 million annually in active research funding from NIH and other sponsors. Oversee pre- and post-award grant management, including budgets, subcontracts, rebudgeting, forecasting, and reporting. Serve as primary liaison with Duke Sponsored Programs and departmental finance offices. Monitor expenditures, approve research-related costs, and ensure financial compliance across multi-institutional collaborations.

Regulatory Oversight & Compliance (20%):

Serve as the regulatory lead for all human subjects research. Manage IRB submissions, renewals, amendments, and adverse event reporting. Oversee compliance for studies involving vulnerable populations, including patients with epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and PTSD. Coordinate FDA-related documentation where applicable and ensure compliance with NIH, FDA, and Duke policies. Lead preparation for audits and maintain complete regulatory records across concurrent protocols.

Laboratory & Scientific Operations (30%):

Direct the day-to-day execution of complex human neuroscience experiments involving intracranial EEG and deep brain stimulation, multimodal wearable sensing (motion capture, eye tracking, physiology, pupillometry), and real-world, ambulatory, and sleep-based experimental protocols. Coordinate longitudinal research involving patients undergoing invasive neural recording and/or stimulation as part of their clinical care. Oversee laboratory infrastructure, equipment procurement, maintenance, and deployment of advanced neurotechnology platforms. Ensure rigorous data integrity, standardized workflows, and reproducibility across studies. Contribute intellectually to experimental design, protocol optimization, and methodological development in collaboration with PIs, clinicians, and engineers.

Personnel Supervision & Leadership (15%):

Directly supervise staff, including coordinators and engineers, and provide functional oversight of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Lead hiring, onboarding, training, task delegation, and performance evaluation. Mentor team members in research execution and regulatory processes. Coordinate interdisciplinary teams and support long-term lab planning.

Required Qualifications:

Master's degree (minimum) in biology, neuroscience, biomedical engineering, physiology, or a related technical field. Five or more years of experience managing complex human neuroscience or clinical research programs involving implanted neural devices. Direct experience with intracranial EEG and/or deep brain stimulation in patient populations such as epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and PTSD. Demonstrated leadership in NIH-funded, multi-site research programs, including financial and operational management. Proven experience managing IRB and FDA regulatory workflows, including renewals, amendments, and audits. Strong background in wearable sensing technologies and multimodal data integration. Exceptional organizational, communication, and project management skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience integrating wearable sensor data with intracranial recordings in real-world or lab. Experience with closed-loop neuromodulation systems or patient-interactive protocols. Familiarity with clinical trial workflows in academic medical center environments.

Position Details:

This is a full-time position with high visibility within a nationally recognized translational neuroscience program. The role carries significant independent responsibility for operations, finances, compliance, and personnel supervision. Salary and title will be commensurate with qualifications and experienc

Anticipated Pay Range:

Duke University provides an annual base salary range for this position as USD $76,811.00 to USD $130,576.00. Duke University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position; candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills; internal peer equity; as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.

Your total compensation goes beyond the dollars on your paycheck. Duke provides comprehensive and competitive medical and dental care programs, generous retirement benefits, and a wide array of family- friendly and cultural programs to eligible team members. Learn more at: https://hr.duke.edu/benefits/

Completion of a Bachelor's degree

Work requires a minimum of four years of research experience (e.g.,research, clinical, interaction with study population, program coordination). A Master's degree may substitute for two years of related experience.

Work requires a minimum of four years of research experience (e.g., research, clinical, interaction with study population, program coordination). A Master's degree may substitute for two years of related experience.