Project Research Manager I - Remote

Optum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, data and resources they need to feel their best. Here, you will find a culture guided by inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health optimization on a global scale. Join us in making healthcare work better for everyone through people-led, responsible AI while Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

The Project Research Manager I is a client-facing research operations role within Optum Epidemiology responsible for leading the operational execution of complex real-world evidence, pharmacoepidemiology, and observational research studies for commercially funded projects. This role also provides support on federally funded projects under the direction of the lead Project Director. The Project Research Manager I partners with study sponsors, epidemiologists, research scientists, analysts, vendors, and other stakeholders to ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and in accordance with scientific, contractual, regulatory, and quality requirements.

Unlike a traditional IT or general healthcare project management position, this role is focused on managing research studies in highly regulated scientific environments. The Project Research Manager I brings structure to complex projects and keeps multidisciplinary teams aligned around responsibilities, dependencies, risks, deadlines, and key decisions.

The successful candidate will combine strong project leadership with an understanding of research operations. This individual will be comfortable managing client relationships, study documentation, timelines, project finances, contracts, quality requirements, and cross-functional teams while maintaining the rigor needed to support audit-ready research.

You'll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely * from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges.    

For all hires in the Minneapolis or Washington, D.C. area, you will be required to work in the office a minimum of four days per week.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Project Leadership
  • Lead the day-to-day operational management of complex real-world evidence (RWE), pharmacoepidemiology, and observational research studies from initiation through closeout
  • Develop and maintain detailed project timelines, workplans, budgets, resource allocations, milestones, dependencies, risks, and deliverables
  • Ensure projects are executed in accordance with applicable standard operating procedures (SOPs), contractual commitments, policies, and regulatory requirements
  • Partner with scientific and operational leadership to translate project objectives into actionable plans and facilitate alignment across cross-functional teams
  • Ensure work products follow required SOP processes and meet contractual requirements
  • Identify required internal and external approvals and facilitate study approval submissions in collaboration with the project team
  • Monitor subcontractor activities, deliverables, timelines, performance, compliance, and associated financial commitments
  • Prepare federally mandated reports and plans in collaboration with appropriate team members, including risk management, transition, communication, project management, staffing, monthly progress, subcontractor, data management, quality management, and responsibility plans or charts
  • Support the development and improvement of project management resources, templates, guidelines, and operating practices for the Epidemiology organization
  • Contribute to a working environment that values scientific integrity, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement
• Communication and Stakeholder Management
  • Serve as the primary operational contact for study sponsors, internal research teams, external partners, vendors, and consultants
  • Facilitate external client meetings and internal team meetings, providing clear updates regarding study progress, deliverables, risks, decisions, action items, finances, and upcoming milestones
  • Facilitate communication and decision-making across clients, epidemiologists, analysts, data management professionals, subcontractors, and other project stakeholders
  • Translate complex scientific, analytical, technical, and operational discussions into clear decisions, responsibilities, dependencies, actions, and deadlines
  • Identify and resolve stakeholder concerns and appropriately escalate issues that could affect delivery, quality, budget, compliance, or client expectations
• Quality and Compliance Management
  • Maintain complete, accurate, and audit-ready documentation throughout the study lifecycle
  • Support responses to requests for information, manage SOP deviations when needed, and execute corrective and preventive actions as appropriate
  • Facilitate audits by federal agencies and internal or external audits for commercially funded projects, as needed
  • Monitor adherence to applicable federal requirements, industry guidelines, organizational policies, study protocols, and SOPs
  • Coordinate review and approval processes for project deliverables and help ensure work products meet quality standards, contractual requirements, and client expectations
• Risk Management
  • Proactively identify, document, assess, and monitor operational, financial, quality, regulatory, resource, and timeline risks
  • Develop practical mitigation plans and ensure risk owners understand required actions and deadlines
  • Escalate project risks and issues internally and externally as needed
  • Track issues through resolution and document decisions and outcomes
  • Apply lessons learned from completed work to strengthen processes, planning, and tools
• Financial, Scope, and Contract Management
  • Develop, monitor, and maintain project budgets, forecasts, financial tracking, and reporting throughout the study lifecycle
  • Monitor project scope and identify work that may require a contract amendment, task order, budget adjustment, or other formal change
  • Support the preparation of proposals, project budgets, contract amendments, task orders, and related operational business-development materials
  • Collaborate with Legal, Contracting, Finance, Business Development, and the Grant Administration Office to support client and vendor agreements
  • Initiate and facilitate contracting activities with clients, third-party vendors, consultants, and research partners
  • Communicate potential budget, scope, or contract concerns and support timely resolution
    

You'll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in. 

Required Qualifications:

• 5+ years of client-facing project or program management experience encompassing the full project lifecycle, from initiation through closeout
• 2+ years of experience supporting contracting and the operational business development of proposals and budgets
• 2+ years of experience managing relationships with cross-functional teams and external partners, subcontractors, or vendors
• Experience managing complex projects within clinical research, epidemiology, life sciences research, or a related environment
• Experience developing and maintaining project plans, timelines, budgets, resource plans, risks, and status reporting
• Proficiency with Microsoft Project, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Visio, and Outlook
• Able to travel 10% of the time
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in a related field
• Experience managing real-world evidence, observational research, or pharmacoepidemiology studies
• Experience supporting pharmaceutical, biotechnology, government, or scientific research clients
• Experience with FDA-related projects or other government health and scientific research
• Experience overseeing research projects involving administrative claims or electronic health record data
• Experience preparing or maintaining audit-ready project documentation
• Experience supporting proposals, budgets, contracts, task orders, amendments, or vendor agreements
• Experience managing subcontractors, consultants, external research partners, or vendors
• Experience responding to audits, quality findings, or corrective-action requirements
• Knowledge of federal research expectations, quality requirements, and regulatory reporting
  

*All employees working remotely will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group's Telecommuter Policy

Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to local labor markets, education, work experience, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, we offer benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). No matter where or when you begin a career with us, you'll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives. The salary for this role will range from $72,800 - $130,000 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.

Application Deadline: This will be posted for a minimum of 2 business days or until a sufficient candidate pool has been collected. Job posting may come down early due to volume of applicants.

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and help make the health system work better for everyone. Together, we are shaping the future of healthcare by harnessing technology and innovation to make care simpler to navigate, more affordable and more connected for the people we serve. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcomed, valued, heard and respected, empowering people to bring their authentic selves to work and strengthening our collective impact through diverse talents, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.

UnitedHealth Group and its affiliated brands are an Equal Employment Opportunity employer under applicable law and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

UnitedHealth Group and its affiliated brands are a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.