Graduate Associate Jobs in Detroit, MI (NOW HIRING)

How to Apply
A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.
Job Summary
The Administrative Manager serves as the Michigan Neuroscience Institute's operational manager, ensuring that people, processes, systems, and resources are aligned to support current operations, organizational effectiveness, and future growth across a complex interdisciplinary research enterprise.
Reporting to the Managing Director, the position provides direct supervision of assigned staff while leading the integration of institute-wide administrative and operational functions across business operations, personnel, facilities, technology, research operations, and strategic initiatives.
The position serves as the operational partner supporting Institute leadership and is responsible for developing scalable administrative infrastructure that enables research excellence, organizational effectiveness, and strategic growth.
Responsibilities*
Organizational Scope
The Administrative Manager is responsible for establishing, integrating, and continuously improving the administrative and operational infrastructure supporting the Michigan Neuroscience Institute's research, education, and strategic missions.
The Institute is in an active period of organizational growth and operational transformation. The Administrative Manager is responsible for supporting current operations while developing the scalable operational infrastructure necessary to accommodate continued faculty recruitment, research program expansion, growth in research personnel and trainees, enhancement of shared research infrastructure, and implementation of institute strategic priorities.
Core Operational
The Administrative Manager provides direct supervision, operational leadership, and administrative support for approximately:

• 4 full-time employees and 2 part-time employees (including one contract employee), with responsibility for recruitment, onboarding, coaching, performance management, professional development, workload management, and personnel actions.
• Approximately 30 temporary employees, in addition to student employees, temporary staff, and contract personnel supporting institute operations and special initiatives.
• Provides operational support for 17 core faculty, including Research Professors, Research Associate Professors, and Research Assistant Professors.
• Provides operational support for 9 junior faculty and research scientists, including Research Investigators, Associate Research Scientists, Assistant Research Scientists, and Adjunct Research Investigators.
• Provides operational support for 42 research and technical staff, including laboratory managers, research laboratory specialists, research area specialists, technicians, statisticians, research analysts, clinical research personnel, and information technology professionals.
• Provides operational support for 9 administrative and operational staff supporting executive leadership, finance, communications, and institute administration.
• Provides operational support for 35 postdoctoral fellows affiliated with MNI research programs.
• Provides operational support for 13 Graduate Student Research Assistants (GSRAs) with MNI appointments, in addition to an estimated 40?60 graduate students conducting research within MNI laboratories through affiliated academic departments.
• Approximately 40?60 undergraduate researchers participating in MNI-affiliated laboratories and research programs each academic year.

Institute-Wide Operational Scope
Beyond the Institute's core operations, the Administrative Manager coordinates institute-wide operations supporting an interdisciplinary neuroscience community that includes approximately:

• 170 affiliated faculty
• 159 affiliated research laboratories
• More than 30 academic departments
• Six schools and colleges

The position also provides operational oversight and coordination for approximately 30,000 assignable square feet of research and administrative space distributed across the Biomedical Science Research Building (BSRB), North Campus Research Complex (NCRC), and Medical Science II. Responsibilities include space planning, facilities coordination, laboratory and office moves, renovations, access management, research infrastructure readiness, equipment installation, and coordination with Facilities, Health Information Technology & Services (HITS), Human Resources, Procurement, Research Administration, Finance, and other institutional partners.
The Administrative Manager is responsible for developing and maintaining the operational infrastructure that enables the Institute to effectively support its faculty, trainees, research personnel, administrative staff, strategic initiatives, and future organizational growth within a complex, highly matrixed academic research environment.
Organizational Growth
The Michigan Neuroscience Institute is in an active period of organizational growth and operational evolution. The Institute anticipates continued expansion through faculty recruitment, growth in research personnel and trainees, enhancement of shared research infrastructure and CORE capabilities, implementation of strategic initiatives, and continued development of interdisciplinary research programs.
The Administrative Manager is responsible for developing and maintaining the operational infrastructure necessary to support this growth. The position provides the operational leadership and administrative integration necessary to support continued organizational growth while ensuring the Institute's administrative infrastructure evolves in alignment with its research, educational, and strategic priorities.
Key Responsibilities
Operational Leadership and Management

• Provide leadership and oversight for institute operational functions and administrative infrastructure.
• Develop and implement operational strategies that support institute priorities and long-term objectives.
• Advise institute leadership regarding operational risks, opportunities, resource requirements, and organizational effectiveness.
• Develop and monitor operational performance measures, service standards, workflows, and accountability mechanisms.
• Lead operational improvement initiatives that enhance efficiency, effectiveness, scalability, and service quality.
• Oversee implementation of approved organizational and strategic initiatives.

Administrative and Business Operations

• Direct day-to-day institute operations and ensure coordination across administrative, research, and operational support functions.
• Develop and implement policies, procedures, and business practices that support efficient and effective institute operations.
• Monitor operational performance and identify opportunities to improve service delivery, workflow efficiency, and resource utilization.
• Develop recommendations regarding operational resources, organizational effectiveness, and continuous process improvement.
• Coordinate operational planning associated with faculty recruitment, institute growth, infrastructure expansion, and strategic initiatives.

Research Operations Support

• Provide operational leadership supporting institute research activities and research infrastructure.
• Coordinate institute-wide operational support for faculty, trainees, laboratories, and shared research resources.
• Identify and resolve operational barriers affecting research productivity and institute effectiveness.
• Partner with Research Administration, Finance, Human Resources, Facilities, Health Information Technology & Services (HITS), Procurement, and other institutional stakeholders to support efficient research operations.
• Support planning, implementation, and continuous improvement of research infrastructure, shared resources, and operational capabilities.

Facilities, Space, and Infrastructure Management

• Oversee facilities and space-related operations across the Institute.
• Provide operational oversight of approximately 30,000 assignable square feet of research and administrative space across the Biomedical Science Research Building (BSRB), North Campus Research Complex (NCRC), and Medical Science II.
• Coordinate space planning, renovations, moves, access management, infrastructure readiness, and facilities-related projects.
• Develop recommendations regarding space utilization, infrastructure investments, and long-range space planning.
• Serve as the Institute's primary operational liaison for facilities and infrastructure matters.
• Ensure operational readiness supporting faculty recruitment, research growth, and strategic initiatives.

Technology and Operational Systems Oversight

• Provide operational oversight of institute technology resources and services.
• Serve as the primary operational liaison with Health Information Technology & Services (HITS), vendors, and institutional technology partners.
• Coordinate operational planning related to technology infrastructure, access management, equipment deployment, inventories, and continuity of operations.
• Monitor technology-related operational performance and facilitate resolution of issues affecting institute operations.
• Maintain operational documentation, technology inventories, and vendor service relationships.

Personnel and Workforce Operations

• Oversee onboarding, offboarding, workforce transitions, and personnel-related administrative processes for faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows, trainees, visitors, temporary employees, and student employees.
• Partner with Medical School Human Resources and institutional stakeholders to support workforce planning and personnel operations.
• Develop and maintain operational processes supporting personnel administration, organizational effectiveness, and regulatory compliance.
• Ensure personnel-related workflows are coordinated, documented, and consistently executed.

Strategic Initiatives and Organizational Implementation

• Lead operational implementation of strategic initiatives approved by institute leadership.
• Develop operational plans and implementation strategies supporting institute growth, organizational redesign, shared research infrastructure, and future operational capabilities.
• Coordinate complex cross-functional initiatives involving faculty, staff, trainees, departments, schools, and institutional partners.
• Monitor implementation progress and ensure achievement of operational milestones, deliverables, and objectives.
• Develop recommendations regarding future operational capabilities, organizational effectiveness, and resource requirements.
• Support implementation of MNI's future-state operating model and long-range strategic priorities.

Financial and Resource Management

• Participate in operational budget planning, resource allocation, and long-range operational planning discussions.
• Monitor operational expenditures associated with facilities, infrastructure, equipment, vendor services, technology, and operational initiatives.
• Develop business cases and operational recommendations supporting strategic investments and organizational priorities.
• Ensure operational resources are aligned with institute priorities, operational needs, and long-term objectives.

Leadership and Supervision

• Directly supervise assigned staff, including recruitment, onboarding, coaching, performance management, professional development, and personnel actions.
• Establish priorities, allocate work, monitor performance, and ensure delivery of high-quality operational services.
• Promote employee engagement, professional development, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Build organizational capacity through workforce planning, succession planning, and development of a collaborative, service-oriented culture.

Required Qualifications*

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, healthcare administration, public administration, higher education administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and progressively responsible experience.
• Demonstrated experience in healthcare administration, academic administration, research administration, business operations, or a similarly complex organizational environment.
• Experience coordinating or managing administrative and operational functions across multiple functional areas.
• Demonstrated experience supervising professional and/or administrative staff.
• Demonstrated ability to develop collaborative working relationships with faculty, leadership, administrators, and institutional partners.
• Strong organizational, communication, analytical, project management, and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, exercise sound judgment, and effectively implement operational improvements and organizational change.
• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and other business systems used to support administrative operations.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise independent judgment, establish priorities, and effectively manage operations within a complex, matrixed organization.

Desired Qualifications*

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, healthcare administration, public administration, higher education administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and progressively responsible experience.
• Demonstrated experience in healthcare administration, academic administration, research administration, business operations, or a similarly complex organizational environment.
• Experience coordinating or managing administrative and operational functions acr