Research Project Manager Jobs in Berkeley, CA (NOW HIRING)

Job Description
Under the general direction of the Director, Major Capital Projects, the Project Manager is responsible for delivering comprehensive project management services for complex capital design and construction projects. This role ensures that projects are completed on schedule, within budget, and in alignment with quality standards and client programmatic needs. Major Capital Projects are defined as new construction and substantial alterations, extensions, or improvements to existing structures with an estimated total project cost exceeding $70 million.
The Project Manager supports large-scale, high-impact projects within world-class research facilities and associated administrative and support spaces. The incumbent operates in a highly complex, technical environment and collaborates with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
In this role, the Project Manager leads and coordinates defined components of large Major Capital Projects under the direction of senior leadership, while independently managing sub-projects. Responsibilities include overseeing all phases of project delivery from concept through closeout, including planning, budgeting, procurement, design coordination, construction oversight, and project turnover. For sub-projects within the Major Capital Projects program ranging from $5 million to $10 million, the Project Manager independently plans, organizes, and oversees all design and construction efforts. The incumbent manages consultants and contractors, supports regulatory compliance and safety, monitors performance, and escalates complex issues as needed. The role also includes contributing to cost estimating, constructability review, and stakeholder communication, while coordinating assigned project resources.
Key Responsibilities

• Lead procurement processes and administer contracts for architects, engineers, consultants, contractors, and subcontractors.
• Coordinate and align activities among clients, faculty, researchers, facilities staff, and external stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with applicable building codes, safety standards, and regulatory requirements in coordination with state and local agencies.
• Collaborate with UCSF Real Estate and Communications teams to support internal campus communications and external community outreach.
• Provide conceptual cost estimates and feasibility analysis during early project phases.
• Review design documents for constructability and recommend cost-effective and efficient solutions.
• Oversee construction activities, including coordination with inspectors and project teams.
• Lead project closeout processes, including documentation, turnover, and financial reconciliation.
• Coordinate and oversee Assistant Project Managers and staff augmentation consultants, as assigned.

This position operates in a dynamic campus environment involving active construction sites, research facilities, and administrative settings. The role may require site visits and coordination across multiple campus locations. The Project Manager is expected to uphold Campus Design & Construction standards, contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, and support the successful delivery of the Major Capital Projects program.
Department Description
The organization of UCSF Real Estate is focused on the development, planning, delivery, and management of physical space for UCSF. Key responsibilities include a unified approach to oversee the active UCSF growth planned on a multi-site campus and to manage the complex metropolitan environments affecting capital assets and projects and efforts to align municipal challenges with maximum effectiveness in support of the UCSF mission.
UCSF Real Estate is an integrated unit that enables the alignment of development, planning, design, construction, and management of facilities and a lease portfolio of 1M square feet across UCSF. Services are provided through the following departments: Building Permit Services, Campus Design and Construction, Campus Planning, Construction Contract Administration, Health Design and Construction, Health Major Capital Projects, Real Estate Services, Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland Capital Program Management and support through Business Intelligence, and Finance, Administration and Operations.
The UCSF Health, Design & Construction is responsible for providing comprehensive capital project delivery services to the inpatient, ambulatory and hospital administrative units on the Parnassus, Mt Zion, Mission Bay, and satellite campuses in San Francisco and throughout the greater Bay Area. Project types include infrastructure & technology upgrades, renovations and upgrades of diagnostic, imaging and treatment facilities, full floor renovations of inpatient units and remodels of clinical, administrative and outpatient facilities.
The Health Design & Construction group is responsible and accountable to assure projects are delivered on time and within budget, that the design solutions are appropriate, that public contracting laws and codes are respected, safety of patients and staff is maintained, and that all furnishings, equipment, IT support is in place and active when the project is delivered. All of this must be done with a minimum of disruption to the clinical activities. The current program is $400M and consists of more than 100 projects.
The combined UCSF Campus and Health organizations include approximately 198 UCSF and 38 contract personnel; operating/recharge budgets of more than $52.2M per year; current year capital project expenditures of $900M; and oversight and responsibility for > $9.7B long-range capital development.
Skills

• Develop and maintain project schedules, resources and budgets.
• Maintain project schedule and budget projections for monthly cash flow reports.
• Develop, execute and monitor vendor contracts.
• Manage project risks associated with schedule, scope and budget.
• Review and approve invoices, including pay applications for accuracy and completeness.
• Develop, monitoring and completion of project closeout strategy.
• Maintain a strong team culture of accountability and integrity on the projects they manage.
• Identify gaps and work with supervisors to correct.
• Implement LEAN processes to ensure reliability in projects.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with affiliate representatives, management and other departments within UCSF.
• Ensure their teams maintain a culture of high collaboration, accountability, trust and integrity.
• Collaborate effectively with other HD&C staff including but not limited to Assistant PMs, Project Management Assistants, Capital Equipment Manager, architects, signage and wayfinding manager, FF&E coordinators, etc.
• Support Senior PM or other HD&C leadership in managing projects with a high level of technicality or across a large program of projects.

Position will work at all UCSF Health locations in San Francisco. All Real Estate staff are required to be on-site, in-person, no less than 4 full days per week, although project activities may require beyond that requirement. The PM is required to be responsive to the project needs and demands based on phases on the project and construction activities.
Responsibilities
of time
Essential Function (Yes/No)
Key Responsibilities
(To be completed by Supervisor)
30
Y
Incumbent shall have the temperament, skill, and experience to handle simultaneous projects, or scopes of work within a major project, ranging from $5,000 to $70,000,000. The incumbent will be responsible for achieving overall project success through the completion of multiple projects within scope, budget, and schedule requirements.

• As an experienced professional, manages a full range of design, construction and improvement projects, or components of these projects, for health care facilities including, but not limited to, acute inpatient, outpatient and clinical research facilities, or academic facilities including but not limited to, research labs, specialized research equipment facilities, classroom space, office, housing, infrastructure, and support spaces.
• Develops project plans and analysis. Reviews proposals and contracts. Prepares studies, analysis, and quality reviews.
• Develop, manage, and lead a team comprised of project staff, consultants, and contractors to execute projects from the conceptual stage through commissioning, turn-over, and close-out in a way consistent with the policies of the UC Office of the President, UCSF, and the Design & Construction Department.
• Manages project setbacks, mitigates complications, and develops viable solutions.

30
Y
Coordinates facilities improvement projects for owned and leased properties. Coordinates property and facilities management services. Provides construction oversight.
Provides project cost estimates and develops preliminary budget. Coordinates purchasing, delivery and installation schedules.

• Develop and maintain all necessary management processes and controls for budget, schedule, and project issues; plans for and obtains approvals in a timely fashion (EIR, Regents, Steering Committee, Client, etc.).
• Establish and manage detailed project budgets and controls for the management of commitments and expenditures; manage reallocations between project line items and projects to achieve "bottom line" financial performance.
• Performs code analysis and provides OSHPD and/or appropriate building and fire code oversite. Assists with review and approval of regulatory requirements.
• Hires architectural / engineering firms to develop project requirement definitions, design criteria, and preparing layouts and detail drawings and manages the services of the architects and engineers.
• Reviews cost estimates, establishes project schedule and budget and reviews with clients.
• Develop and maintain all necessary management processes and controls for budget, schedule, and project issues; plans for and obtains approvals in a timely fashion (EIR, Regents, Steering Committee, Client, etc.).
• Ensures project is properly closed out in accordance with defined project closeout protocols.

10
Y
Creates project in project management software application, including systematic reporting and updating of project status as required by Design & Construction Management, including budget and schedule.

• Responsible for generating monthly financial, progress and exception reports; managing the selection and contracting for consultants and contractors, coordination with UCOP, as necessary, and within the requirements of OP/UCSF procedures.

15
Y
Coordination with Key Stakeholders

• Responsible for producing risk mitigation, progress, and other reports
• Determines all appropriate approving agencies for the project and develops/executes a plan for addressing each.
• Coordinates/leads all activities necessary for all discretionary approvals.
• Coordinates legal department reviews of all owner agreements and risk management issues; manages all aspects, approvals, and reporting; maintains departmental compliance with all regulatory/accreditation requirements
• Implements policies and procedures that direct and support the provision of services within regulatory guidelines.
• Responsible for communicating and keeping the Design & Construction leadership informed of significant issues or changes well in advance.
• Leads inter-disciplinary coordination with all internal UCSF stakeholders including Facilities Management, IT, Environmental Health and Safety, Regulatory, and project clients.

5
Y
Technical and Management Resource
Researches, analyzes, and makes recommendations in collaboration with Environmental Health and Safety, Information Technology Services, and Facilities Management.

• Manages and leads special engineering or technical studies performed by outside consultants, defines objective, solicits technical proposals, evaluates proposals, selects consultants, manages consultant directs their activities ( responds to external surveys (e.g.,10 year Capital Plan, Facilities Infrastructure List); prepares proposal to acquire space for FM functions; and coordinates and provides technical assistance in the preparation of insurance claims.

5
Y
Integrated Project Delivery and Continuous Improvement
Responsible for leading project teams in the implementation of Integrated Project Delivery processes in addition to all traditional project management processes and procedures. The applicant is expected to be a leader in continuous improvement.
5
Y
Performs organizational, departmental, and administrative activities not relating to projects, including serving on committees representing department or unit.

• Participate in departmental and organizational business process improvement initiatives as directed by the Design & Construction leadership. This shall include but limited to teaching, leading and participating in Kaizen events and attending training workshops as directed by departmental leadership

100%
(To update total %, enter the amount of time in whole numbers (without the % symbol - e.g., 15, 20) then highlight the total sum (e.g., 1%) at the bottom of the column and press F9. The total sum should add up to 100%.)
Qualifications
Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in architecture, Engineering, Planning or in a related field 3-5 years of experience in managing all phases of capital projects; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong project management skills to effectively manage multiphase projects or project components within an occupied academic medical center or academic research facility.
• Knowledge of applicable building codes and / or regulatory requirements including, but not limited to, Title 24, OSHPD and the Americans with Disabi