Position Summary

The Research Project Manager will support research activities in Dr. Lauren Stadler's environmental engineering laboratory in the School of Engineering and Computing. The Stadler Lab conducts research on wastewater-based epidemiology and wastewater environmental microbiology and microbial ecology. Dr. Stadler is a co-lead of the Houston CDC Center of Excellence for the National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS). More information on the Center of Excellence can be found here: https://www.hou-wastewater-epi.org/

The role will involve assisting with laboratory management and project management for wastewater monitoring activities in the lab, while also supporting routine laboratory analyses as needed. This will involve supporting day-to-day laboratory operations; coordinating across research technicians who perform sample receiving, processing, and analysis; communicating with health department partners; helping coordinate research activities surrounding the wastewater monitoring program; and supporting project management tasks such as budgeting, inventory, ordering, and invoicing.

The Research Project Manager will also contribute to routine laboratory analyses that support the lab's wastewater monitoring work, including wastewater sample processing and molecular and microbiological analyses. This work will be performed under the direction of the principal investigator and in accordance with established laboratory protocols, safety requirements, and quality control procedures.

The Research Project Manager will join a team including a full-time Research Technician, several part-time Research Assistants, graduate students, and postdocs working on wastewater monitoring. The position will help ensure that research activities are completed accurately, safely, and in accordance with established protocols. More information about the Stadler Lab can be found here: https://stadler.rice.edu/research

Ideal Candidate Statement

The ideal candidate is a careful, dependable, and detail-oriented research professional who is interested in contributing to an environmental engineering research program with important public health and environmental applications. They will have an interest in environmental microbiology, wastewater-based epidemiology, public health, or related areas, and will be comfortable working in a collaborative lab environment where accuracy, organization, and follow-through are important.

The successful candidate is a leader who works well with others; they will be able to follow established protocols, maintain clear research documentation, handle environmental or biological samples appropriately, and support multiple research activities with consistency and care. They will bring sound judgment, strong communication skills, curiosity, and a collaborative approach to supporting rigorous, reproducible research.

Workplace Requirements

This position is exclusively on-site, requiring all duties to be performed in person at Rice University. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Hiring Range

$56,560 - 60,000

*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

This position is grant-funded. Continued employment is contingent upon funding, satisfactory performance, and continued research need.

Minimum Requirements

Bachelor's degree
1+ years of laboratory or research experience

Skills

Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Strong collaborative, judgment, leadership, negotiation, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills, with attention to detail and a willingness to take initiative
Proficient knowledge of project management, including the ability to predict and evaluate potential risks and create solutions before they arise
Ability to work in a team environment, actively participate, motivate, and follow through as needed
Strong organizational skills to plan and schedule work
Comfort with making independent decisions

Preferences

Advanced degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field, with demonstrated ability to support research activities, contribute to laboratory operations, and assist with research outputs related to wastewater monitoring for public health
Prior experience processing wastewater or environmental samples, performing nucleic acid extractions, and conducting quantitative PCR and/or digital PCR

Essential Functions

Supports wastewater monitoring for infectious disease research and routine analyses
Collects, receives, labels, processes, and stores environmental and laboratory samples according to established protocols
Performs routine laboratory procedures such as sample preparation, media or reagent preparation, pipetting, molecular assays, microbial analyses, and related bench work
Maintains accurate and organized laboratory records, including sample inventories, experimental notes, data logs, and protocol documentation
Supports data organization and preliminary data entry, quality checks, and summary preparation for review by the PI or senior research staff
Assists with field, laboratory, and project logistics, including coordinating supplies, preparing materials, tracking samples, and helping maintain research workflows
Routinely checks inventory of materials and supplies; orders materials, supplies, reagents, and equipment as needed
Prepares expense reports for laboratory purchases; creates and manages invoicing for sample analyses
Operates and maintains basic laboratory equipment and alerts appropriate lab personnel to equipment, supply, or safety concerns
Follows laboratory safety procedures, biosafety requirements, and university research compliance expectations
Leads weekly meetings with the wastewater monitoring team and communicates regularly with the PI, students, and research staff regarding project status, assigned tasks, timelines, and any issues that may affect research progress
Performs all other duties as assigned