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At Toyota Research Institute (TRI), we’re on a mission to improve the quality of human life. We’re developing new tools and capabilities to amplify the human experience. To lead this transformative shift in mobility, we’ve built a world-class team in Automated Driving, Energy & Materials, Human-Centered AI, Human Interactive Driving, Large Behavior Models, and Robotics.
This temporary role provides critical administrative and coordination support to maintain continuity in the University Research Partnerships (URP) team’s existing workflows during a team member’s extended leave. The Program Coordinator will ensure day-to-day operations, documentation, communications, scheduling, and event planning are executed consistently and reliably while maintaining the high standards expected in a dynamic, high-visibility research program involving top North American universities.
Familiarity with university research administration and academic business operations is essential—including the ability to work effectively with faculty, sponsored programs offices, and decentralized administrative systems.
This person must also be capable of onboarding quickly, asking clarifying questions during the training period, and maintaining a log of decisions, updates, and policy or procedural changes made in the team member’s absence. A key part of this role includes supporting the seamless re-onboarding of the returning team member at the end of the temporary assignment.
Duration
September 29, 2025 – April 16, 2026 (Parental leave coverage from October 13, 2025 through April 9, 2026, with onboarding and handoff time before and after)
Work Location
Hybrid: 2 days/week onsite at Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA. 3 days/week remote
Responsibilities
- Ensure continuity of existing workflows and processes, including communications as primary point of contact, document and logistics management, and coordination of recurring operations.
- Oversee shared URP inboxes to ensure timely triage, resolution, or escalation of critical communications tied to project execution.
- Track and manage records related to contracts and documentation; follow up with university staff, faculty, and internal project liaisons to obtain missing materials such as invoices, reports, or scheduling details.
- Attend BvA reviews and track financial and contracting activity.
- Update shared trackers, internal project summaries, and the URP section of the company’s weekly internal update.
- Maintain a log of new or modified internal policies, procedures, and documentation, and use it to support a smooth re-onboarding process through preparation of clear context and transition materials.
- Ensure timely coordination and follow-up related to publications and IP, helping to prevent delays in review and response cycles.
- Coordinate weekly Publication & IP meetings with internal legal and technical reviewers.
- Track disclosures, publication submissions, and review decisions in IP tracking tools.
- Communicate decisions and next steps to inventors, authors, and Toyota IP stakeholders in a timely manner.
- Maintain the URP publication recognition award tracker and confirm publication status with faculty advisors.
- Schedule and support quarterly Sponsorship Team meetings.
- Track and report on sponsorship decisions and activities.
- Ensure compliance with budget constraints and follow through on documentation and payments.
- Coordinate deliverables with Communications and Talent Acquisition for major events.
- Provide regular written and verbal updates to the Program Director, highlighting urgent deadlines, high-priority decisions, and project progress.
- Assess incoming work to determine what can be independently advanced, what requires Program Director input, and where potential blockers or stakeholder dependencies may impact progress.
- Draft and prepare materials for internal briefings and leadership updates; polish slide decks and communications for clarity and impact.
- Support data entry and cleanup of legacy materials to streamline where information is stored and accessed.
Qualifications
- Experience working with or supporting university faculty, administrators, or sponsored research offices.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to synthesize discussions into clear summaries or next steps.
- Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Ability to identify and coordinate with stakeholders across departments (e.g., EAs, Facilities, Operations)
- Proficiency with Google Workspace (Docs, Slides, Sheets, Calendar) and project/task management tools (e.g., Asana, Slack).
- Ability to independently prioritize tasks and follow through in a dynamic, multi-stakeholder environment.
- Ability to ask thoughtful clarifying questions and document key information during onboarding.
Bonus Qualifications
- Experience supporting research, academic, or legal teams.
- Skill in drafting and refining slide decks for internal and external audiences.
- Willingness to learn and adapt to new tools, workflows, and terminology (e.g., IP tracking, publication workflows).
Please reference this Candidate Privacy Notice to inform you of the categories of personal information that we collect from individuals who inquire about and/or apply to work for Toyota Research Institute, Inc. or its subsidiaries, including Toyota A.I. Ventures GP, L.P., and the purposes for which we use such personal information.
TRI is fueled by a diverse and inclusive community of people with unique backgrounds, education and life experiences. We are dedicated to fostering an innovative and collaborative environment by living the values that are an essential part of our culture. We believe diversity makes us stronger and are proud to provide Equal Employment Opportunity for all, without regard to an applicant’s race, color, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, religion, marital status, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state or local laws.
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment.
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