Job Description Research Scientist/Engineer – Principal (IPD Director of Strategic Development) Job Description: The Director of Strategic Development of the Institute for Protein Design (IPD) at the University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine serves a senior leadership role integral to navigating and guiding the complex landscape of strategic research activities at the institute.
The Director of Strategic Development will serve as a nexus between external and internal facing priorities for the institute and lead on developing strategies, partnerships, and fundraising. The Director of Strategic Development will be part of the IPD leadership team and work alongside and in collaboration with the Assistant Director of Administration who is focused on day-to-day administration and operations, and the Director of Translational Research focused on corporate and downstream translational research.
About the Institute for Protein Design:
The IPD drives innovation in protein science to a Director of Strategic Development address critical challenges in medicine, technology, and sustainability. Based in the Department of Biochemistry at the UW School of Medicine, the IPD was founded in 2012 by HHMI Investigator and UW Medicine biochemistry professor David Baker who was awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for computational protein design. Today, the IPD comprises over 260 members and contains four faculty labs, specialized core research teams, an experienced operations team, and a translational research program that has produced 10 Seattle-area spinout companies to date. Located within one of the largest and most innovative public research universities, the IPD is the world’s leading protein design center and a destination for scientists eager to join the protein design revolution. Researchers at the IPD are pioneering artificial intelligence (AI) tools for biomolecular design and applying them to create new medicines, vaccines, nanomaterials, enzymes, and more. The institute is supported by diversified sources of funding including grants from private foundations, federal and industry sponsored research grants, philanthropic gifts, and the State of Washington. Learn more at ipd.uw.edu.
Position Description:
The IPD is organized within the Department of Biochemistry, and as such, the IPD Director of Strategic Development reports to the Chair of the Department of Biochemistry; the position includes operational reporting to the IPD Governance Board which is chaired by the CEO of UW Medicine and Dean of the School of Medicine. The Director of Strategic Development is responsible for executing the strategic scientific vision of the IPD. These responsibilities fall into five major categories: fundraising, strategic planning, operational alignment, and the management of external and internal institutional partnerships. The Director of Strategic Development is responsible for planning, directing, and controlling the strategic research, business development, and fundraising activities for government, private, and foundation sponsored research activities at the IPD (40% effort). The Director of Strategic Development also develops strategic research plans, oversees their implementation, and ensures continued performance of the institute (30% effort). In collaboration with the Assistant Director of IPD Administration, the Director of Translational Research, and the Department of Biochemistry, the Director of Strategic Development is additionally responsible for overseeing multi-million-dollar funding streams from government and foundation sponsored projects and donations (30% effort). Decisions made by the Director of Strategic Development have a significant impact on the successful operations of the IPD, and as such is a key position for the Department, School, and University. Position Complexities: The Director of Strategic Development will make strategic and operational decisions and collaboratively implement policies and procedures within the IPD, including for situations that have a high level of complexity and where precedent may not exist. This will require the Director of Strategic Development to draw on knowledge of policies, practices, funding sources, and other past experiences. Director of Strategic Development must resourcefully manage various interest groups within and outside of the university and will be required to apply new approaches, methods, and techniques learned from prior leadership experience or created based on the IPD’s strategic goals.
Position Purpose: This role effectively leads and manages all strategic government and foundation funding for the IPD, comprising over $40M in annual expenditures. Job Characteristics: As a senior member of the IPD leadership team, the Director of Strategic Development must demonstrate effective technical and administrative judgment, strategic foresight, and innovative ability. The Director of Strategic Development is responsible for driving high-impact research development, grant strategy, external relationships, partnership growth, and cross-institute alignment. This role collaborates with the Director of Translational Research on commercialization strategy, translational investigator development, and postdoctoral fellowship programs. This position has frequent interactions with key financial contributors, scientific collaborators, members of the IPD External Advisory Board, and leadership positions within the Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, and other UW offices. Job Responsibilities: The Director of Strategic Development will participate in strategic planning for the continued development and evolution of the Institute for Protein Design.
Representative elements of the Director of Discovery’s duties and responsibilities include the following:
1) Plan, develop, and execute strategic initiatives aligned with the IPD’s mission to ensure the long-term scientific excellence, stability, growth, and impact of the institute through the establishment, implementation, and achievement of external and internal goals and milestones.
2) Explore, cultivate, develop, manage, and expand external relationships with federal agencies, philanthropic foundations, individual donors, private organizations, and collaborators through coordination with UW Advancement, the IPD External Advisory Board, and the IPD Founding Director. Maintain regular communication with potential collaborators and explore mutually beneficial opportunities.
3) Plan, develop, secure, and direct new project initiatives and grant developments for multi-million dollar funding streams, with a focus on government, foundation, and private funding sources.
4) Serve as a Principal Investigator, MPI, or Co-Investigator on awarded sponsored research grants and contracts.
5) Develop, coordinate, manage, and expand internal relationships within and between UW, the IPD, the Department of Biochemistry, and our governing bodies to ensure the IPD remains a premier research unit at the forefront of protein design and the myriad research fields it can transform.
6) Collaborate within the IPD Leadership to organize IPD Governance Board and External Advisory Board meetings.
7) Work with IPD faculty members to develop and execute short- and long-term strategic initiatives that strengthen and expand on our synergies, strengths, and new opportunities to broaden our impact.
8) Work with the IPD Director of Communications to ensure strong communication across different topical areas, including direction and development of the Institute media outreach and public relations, and oversight of the institute’s website and social media.
9) Contribute to recruiting key personnel for the Institute by acting as a senior member of the interview team for Institute staff. Articulate strategic plans in conjunction with other key members of the staff.
10) Facilitate strategic review sessions with cores and scientific and administrative teams at the Institute to set objectives, monitor and evaluate progress, and understand resource needs. Help devise plans to meet resource needs, weighing potential impact across the Institute.
11) Oversee development of background research, strategic progress reports, and other metrics to be presented to key IPD stakeholders.
12) Ensure that strategic goals, research, and management are aligned and facilitate communication between the various IPD teams accordingly. Create and facilitate execution of management plans that ensure timely deliverables, appropriate staffing, ample connections with the right dissemination channels, and the inclusion of key individuals and organizations.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Ph.D. in Biochemistry or related field, or M.D., and 5-8 years of management-level experience in biotechnology or a foundation, or as a faculty member at a university or institution of higher learning. A combination of education and experience may substitute for the stated requirements. Postdoctoral research experience is preferable.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS Demonstrated experience in scientific and strategic planning, business planning, development, and project management. Demonstrated experience in managing basic and/or translational research and fostering the development of business plans for focused research organizations. Supervisory and management experience in either corporate, foundation, or academic settings. Demonstrated experience working in large, diverse environments. Strong communication skills (written and verbal). Ability to communicate in an amiable, yet effective manner. Skilled in appropriate use of diplomacy when communicating with Deans, Chairs or other faculty, and members of the UW and broader research community. General understanding of research administration and the grant application process. Demonstrated ability to maintain harmonious working relationships and effectively address complex and sensitive issues throughout a spectrum of constituents. Ability to work independently with a high degree of reliability, accuracy and productivity. Demonstrated scientific initiative. Preferred Level: Experience in both academic and biopharma environments is preferred. Working Conditions: The responsibilities of this position require that the incumbent maintain a flexible work schedule and be available to work early mornings through late in the evening. Meetings and time-sensitive projects may require the incumbent to work well past six or seven in the evening and might include weekends and holidays. Stringent deadlines are imposed by outside entities when reports and grants need to be filed with little or no opportunity to extend deadlines. The work-load will be consistently high and might be severely affected by grant deadlines, end of year closing, budget cycles, and other institutional and external factors. Compensation, Benefits and Position Details Pay Range Minimum: $216,000.00 annual Pay Range Maximum: $234,999.96 annual Other Compensation: - Benefits: For information about benefits for this position, visit https://www.washington.edu/jobs/benefits-for-uw-staff/ Shift: First Shift (United States of America) Temporary or Regular? This is a regular position FTE (Full-Time Equivalent): 100.00% Union/Bargaining Unit: Not Applicable About the UW Working at the University of Washington provides a unique opportunity to change lives – on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees bring their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to building stronger minds and a healthier world. In return, they enjoy outstanding benefits, opportunities for professional growth and the chance to work in an environment known for its diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.
