SCIENTIFIC PROJECT MANAGER (ILSI US and Canada)

Scientific Project Manager

ILSI U.S. and Canada (https://ilsiuscanada.org/)

Imagine a career where your scientific knowledge and expertise cross paths with your leadership skills. A space where your passion for research and innovation is leveraged to create real-world impact in nutrition, food safety, and sustainability. Picture yourself at the intersection of academia, industry, government, and NGOs, collaborating with global thought leaders to resolve pre-competitive scientific challenges. If this resonates with your aspirations, ILSI is your next professional destination.

ILSI U.S. and Canada is a member of the ILSI Federation (https://ilsi.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Intro-to-ILSI-and-ILSI-US-and-Canada-Booklet_2025.pdf), a globally recognized nonprofit organization committed to leveraging science to enhance human health, ensure environmental safety, and create a sustainable future. We collaborate with the brightest minds from various sectors worldwide to identify and mitigate scientific issues of global concern. With entities established worldwide, our organization is dedicated to fostering public-private partnerships in science and bridging knowledge gaps for the betterment of global health.

We have recently initiated a groundbreaking research program in the U.S. and Canada aimed at tackling key issues in nutrition, food safety, and sustainability that directly influence public health. Our ambitious research portfolio, coupled with forward-thinking governance and funding models, is poised to make us a frontrunner in the sphere of influential scientific research.

As we continue to grow our scientific portfolio both nationally and internationally, we are looking for a scientist ready to evolve their leadership and management skills. If you are enthusiastic about fostering innovative and rigorous scientific collaborations and pooling resources from diverse stakeholders, you might be the ILSI U.S. and Canada Project Manager we're seeking.

As part of our team, you will collaborate closely with our team members to ensure efficient management of our scientific projects. This is your chance to work alongside internationally recognized scientists and make a significant impact on global scientific challenges. You will also actively seek grants, stay updated on funding trends, and prepare compelling proposals to secure funding aligned with ILSI's mission. Collaboration with stakeholders, managing the grant-seeking process, and ensuring compliance will be crucial in securing financial resources to support ILSI's programs and advance scientific research for public health.

Based in our Washington, D.C. office, this hybrid role reports directly to the ILSI Global/ILSI U.S. and Canada Executive Director. Candidates should be within commuting distance for in-person meetings and collaborations.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with committees and stakeholders from government, academia, and industry to identify and pursue innovative research and funding opportunities.
• Provide scientific, administrative, and management support to collaborative scientific committees throughout all phases of project lifecycle.
• Lead and facilitate meetings with committees and team members in order to support project and portfolio development.
• Work with committee members and scientists to design and execute scientific research programs, publications, workshops, and training initiatives.
• Develop and oversee budgets, timelines, and workplans, ensuring that tasks are completed on schedule and within budget.
• Present project proposals to secure funding and support for ongoing and new initiatives. *Please note that this position requires occasional travel to conferences to support scientific networking and fundraising efforts.
• Commitment to ILSI's Principles for Scientific Integrity (https://ilsi.org/about/principles-for-scientific-integrity/) and Mandatory Policies (https://ilsi.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/ILSI-Mandatory-Policies.pdf).

Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s degree or Ph.D., with a minimum of 3 years of project management experience in food science fields such as nutrition, food and water safety, sustainability, food technologies, or a closely related scientific discipline.
• Excellent facilitation skills with the ability to engage groups both virtually and in person.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, exceptional management, and organizational abilities.
• Experience in the grant seeking, writing, and management process, including successful track record of securing funding through grants.
• A record of publications in peer-reviewed journals.
• Openness to explore topics beyond your immediate field of expertise.
• Strong passion for nutrition and public health research.
• Self-motivated, adaptable, and able to make informed decisions independently.

Individuals interested in applying for this position should send their resume or CV with a cover letter to Careers@ilsi.org. In your cover letter, please include a few sentences explaining why you believe you would be a great fit for the ILSI U.S. and Canada team, drawing on the information provided in ILSI's brochure found here: https://ilsi.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Intro-to-ILSI-and-ILSI-US-and-Canada-Booklet_2025.pdf.

Salary range: $85,000-$95,000. Placement within the salary range depends on relevant, proven qualifications, experience, and skills. Starting salaries take into account internal structure alignment and provide room for growth potential within the role based on demonstrated performance. We offer health, vision, and dental insurance, along with additional benefits to support our employees' well-being and work-life balance.

Principals only, please. Unsolicited resumes from third-party agencies will not be considered. Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

About ILSI

To achieve its mission, ILSI brings together scientists from government, academia, and the life sciences industry. Participation of scientists from multiple sectors in addressing public health issues, together with the requirement that all ILSI activities must be directed to and carried out in an objective manner for the benefit of public health, is a fundamental aspect of ILSI's identity. ILSI's commitment to multisector participation is reflected in ILSI's bylaw provisions regarding the Board of Trustees, whose membership is set at an odd number, of whom at least half must be public sector trustees, with the remainder being private sector trustees.

Every project ILSI undertakes has a primary public purpose and benefit. Unlike trade associations, ILSI does not lobby or express explicit positions on legislation.

ILSI specializes in convening scientists from the public and private sectors to collaborate in a neutral forum to address critical and emerging pre-competitive scientific issues. This convening of intellectual expertise and pooling of financial resources ensures that only quality, impactful science is pursued.

Across the global ILSI network, our leadership is comprised of some of the world's most esteemed scientists from dozens of governments and non-governmental agencies, universities, and large and small food and life sciences companies.

Scientific integrity is critical to developing sound science for public good. ILSI's policies and model of pooling experts, experience, and funding helps to manage bias in scientific discovery because no single interest dominates. Through ILSI North America's Assembly on Scientific Integrity, ILSI has been a recognized leader in this space for over a decade, developing and publishing its eight core principles of scientific integrity in 2009 and publishing guidelines on public-private partnerships in 2012.

Learn more about us at www.ILSI.org and www.ilsiuscanada.org.