Job Summary

The mission of the Pennsylvania Fabric Discovery Center (PA FDC) housed within Drexel’s Center for Functional Fabrics (CFF) is to advance the design and manufacturing of integrated textile systems that will transform the way we work, live, and interact with the world. The PA FDC’s vision is to help lead innovation and fuel economic expansion in advanced manufacturing of functional fabrics across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and more generally across the entire country. The PA FDC is a transdisciplinary center where teams from academia and industry work together to address the grand challenges of advanced manufacturing, digital fabrication, modeling, design, and rapid prototyping.

This in turn will lead to the pilot production of new products that will stimulate the creation of a new industry: textiles that see, hear, emit, and transmit. Reporting to the PA FDC @ CFF Director this position serves as a part of the Innovation Team. Candidates for the R&D Program Manager role should be highly motivated with experience in project management in an R&D or manufacturing setting, preferably focusing on textiles. This position works in transdisciplinary teams consisting of, but not limited to, industrial designers, material scientists, computer scientists, engineers, sociologists, and commercial partners for the development of the next generation of textiles with enhanced functionality.

PA FDC has a strong business base focused on advanced R&D, often funded by US government R&D organizations in long term programs that rely on quality planning, oversight, and requirements management. We require a team member with strong informational and project organizational skills as well as personal dedication to the details necessary for success in our many projects. This position will be responsible for the entire program management process of initiation, planning, execution, monitoring/controlling, and closure including, but not limited to, project tasks, schedules, and resource allocation, in consultation with Center leadership and project team.

Essential Functions

• Project initiation, planning, execution, monitoring/controlling, and closure.
  • Develop project plans, schedules, and other related documents for proposed projects.
  • Organize tasks in collaboration with leadership and other team members or according to contractual guidance and to assign work to the appropriate skills.
  • Collect information related to task timelines and dependencies supportive of a quality schedule for project execution.
  • Manage cross functional program resources.
  • Coordinate and facilitate effective project and team meetings.
  • Prepare and present at project and other work-related meetings.
  • Coordinate with center operations staff and Drexel central offices to meet project objectives and keep programs on track.
  • Interact with stakeholders on matters related to tasks, resources and schedules in coordination with program management.
  • Clear reporting of project progress, issues, opportunities, and risks with recommendations for action, as necessary.
  • Support teams and leadership with clear communication and risk management practices.
  • Oversee project close out

• Center project management process improvement.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or the equivalent combination of education and work experience.
  • Please review the  Equivalency Chart for additional information.
• Seven (7) years related professional experience
• 5 years of experience in program or project management.
• Experience leading highly creative transdisciplinary or cross-functional teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills supportive of a multidisciplinary work environment.
• Communicates well with project stakeholders and various cross-functional groups.
• Able to effectively and concisely present to senior leadership.
• Proficiency in MS Office

Preferred Qualifications

• Certification in program or project management like Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), Project Management Professional (PMP), Program Management Professional (PgMP).
• Experience in the technologies, techniques, and tools of textile manufacturing or research processes.
• Experience with O365 applications including Sharepoint for knowledge management.
• Experience and comfort with project management platforms such as MS Project or Asana.
• Experience with execution of federally funded R&D projects.

Physical Requirements

• Typically sitting at a desk/table
• Typically standing, walking
• Lifting demands ≤ 25lbs
• Typically bending, crouching, stooping

Location

• University City – Philadelphia, PA

Additional Information

This position is classified as exempt, grade L. Compensation for this grade ranges from $62,630 - $93,950.  Please note that the offered rate for this position typically aligns with the minimum to midrange of this grade, but it can vary based on the successful candidate’s qualifications and experience, department budget, and an internal equity review. 

We encourage you to explore Drexel's Professional Staff salary structure and Compensation Guidelines & Policies for more details on our compensation framework.

You can also find valuable information about our benefits in the Benefits Brochure.

Special Instructions to the Applicant

Please make sure you upload your CV/resume and cover letter when submitting your application.

A review of applicants will begin once a suitable candidate pool is identified.