Job Description

The Research Manager is the operational backbone of Prayoga’s research enterprise — freeing our scientists to focus entirely on science by owning everything else: administration, procurement, finance, and stakeholder management. 

Key Responsibilities

Research Operations

• Own project schedules, milestones, risks and interdependencies across all active programmes 
• Run operating rhythms — weekly stand-ups, monthly reviews, quarterly Board updates 
• Maintain a live project tracker covering status, blockers and spend vs. budget 
• Oversee lab operations: instrument calibration, consumables, safety compliance and record-keeping 

Resource Planning

• Translate scientific plans into operational plans (people, time, instruments, budget) 
• Forecast annual headcount, capex and opex; prepare the research operations budget 
• Allocate resources dynamically as projects evolve 
• Manage recruitment, onboarding and performance logistics for research staff and interns 

Operational Effectiveness

• Continuously improve systems — lab booking, sample tracking, expense approvals, publications workflow 
• Use technology to enable efficient workflows and processes across the research enterprise 
• Define and track operational KPIs (time-to-procure, grant cycle time, lab utilisation) 

Funding Agencies

• Primary operational contact for philanthropic, governmental and multilateral funders 
• Manage the full grant lifecycle: identifying calls, budget preparation, proposal coordination, reporting, close-out 
• Maintain a forward-looking funding pipeline and deadline calendar 

Contract Research (Industry)

• Identify and onboard industry partners for contract research consistent with Prayoga’s charitable objects 
• Lead scope definition, pricing, contracting and delivery management 
• Ensure commercial work remains incidental to mission and complies with Sections 2(15), 11(4) and 11(4A) of the Income-tax Act 

Vendor Management

• Own the vendor ecosystem: instruments, consumables, analytical services, IT 
• Empanel vendors, negotiate rates and SLAs; maintain a preferred-vendor list 
• Run end-to-end procurement — specifications, quotations, POs, delivery, payment, performance reviews 
• Maintain vendor compliance documentation (GST, PAN, TDS, KYC) 

Qualifications & Experience

Essential

• Master’s in science, engineering or a research-adjacent discipline (or equivalent professional qualification) 
• 8+ years of relevant experience, including 4+ years in a research, R&D or lab setting 
• Demonstrated management of concurrent projects, budgets and cross-functional stakeholders 
• Direct experience in at least one of: grant management, contract research, or lab operations 
• Proficiency with project-management and collaboration tools 
• Strong familiarity with technology — comfortable adopting and championing digital tools across research operations 
• Excellent written and spoken English; Kannada/Hindi proficiency a plus 

Desirable

• PhD or equivalent research exposure 
• Familiarity with Indian grant frameworks (ANRF, DST, DBT, ICSSR) and CSR-funded research 
• Working knowledge of Indian tax provisions for charitable trusts (Sections 11, 12A, 80G) 

Key Competencies

• Systems thinking — sees how parts fit together and where friction accumulates 
• Organisational rigour — documentation and follow-through on every commitment 
• Stakeholder range — equally at ease with scientists, donors, vendors and the Executive Chairman 
• Commercial judgment — negotiates without losing sight of the charitable mandate 
• Financial literacy — reads a budget, grant report and vendor invoice with equal ease 
• Quiet enabler — finds satisfaction in making others’ work possible 
• Integrity — absolute reliability with funds, contracts and confidential data 

How Success Is Measured

• Measurable reduction in scientist time spent on non-research tasks within 12 months 
• Research projects delivered on scope, on time and within budget 
• Healthy, multi-year funding pipeline with improving conversion rates 
• Reductions in time-to-procure, grant-submission cycle time and open compliance items 
• Clean statutory and grant audits; no material findings 
• Positive feedback from scientist leads on operational support 

What Prayoga Offers

• A mission-driven workplace at the frontier of scientific research, with access to high-end research labs and cutting-edge instrumentation 
• Direct collaboration with experienced scientists and policy thinkers, and exposure to India’s national scientific research ecosystem 
• Genuine scope — you will shape the operating system of Prayoga’s research enterprise 

How to Apply

Send your CV and a one-page cover note to  

careers@prayoga.org.in with subject line “Research Manager — [Your Name]”.

Please include names and contact details of two professional references. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.