Program Manager

Position Summary:

The Program Manager is part of the Anthropology Department in the College of Arts and Science at Vanderbilt University and is responsible for managing the Vanderbilt Institute for Spatial Research (VISR). This position is a term position, for up to one year and may be extended. The Program Manager will work on and supervise diverse geospatial and remote sensing research projects including, but not limited to, topics in earth and environmental science, public health and epidemiology, educational policy, archaeology, civil engineering, economics, political science, sociology, history, archaeology, and anthropology. The Program Manager will manage core financials, including contracts with internal and external entities. The Program Manager will also host occasional informational workshops and assist in logistics for visiting speakers in support of students. The Program Manager reports directly to the Faculty Director and works closely with the Administrative Manager. The position requires a thorough understanding of University policies and procedures. 

About the Work Unit:

The Vanderbilt Institute for Spatial Research (VISR) is a core research facility focused on supporting geospatial research at Vanderbilt University. VISR is housed in the Spatial Analysis Research Laboratory, an advanced geospatial facility with 12 workstations, servers, as well as geophysical and land survey instrumentation. 

Key Functions and Expected Performance:

• Act as primary consultant for developing and aiding in the execution of geospatial research projects
• Work directly with faculty and other entities in formulating appropriate geospatial methodology and aid in the execution of projects
• Work extensively with geospatial and remote sensing software, including QGIS, POSTGIS, ArcGIS. Workflows will incorporate scripting with Python and analysis with R-Statistics, GeoPandas and other open source packages. 
• Develop data pipelines and workflows leveraging AI
• Develop novel AI models for remote sensing applications
• Survey geospatial research and teaching needs on campus
• Recruit new collaborative geospatial projects
• Manage the Spatial Analysis Research Laboratory equipment including hardware and software for workstations, laboratory server, and field equipment
• Act as the basic server administrator and consultant for all laboratory issues, upgrades, equipment, etc.
• Provide mentorship for student spatial research projects
• Assist in logistics for VISR-sponsored workshops, symposia, speakers, and other events.
• Administer licensing and provide support for Vanderbilt’s ArcGIS organization
• Configure and maintain GIS web applications, dashboards and hub sites
• Supervise undergraduate and graduate research assistants on geospatial and geophysical projects
• Serve as field lead and point of contact for geophysical survey projects
• Provide field training for students and assisting with geophysical survey projects
• Liaise with the Tennessee Department of Archeology (TDOA) to report on geophysical survey project findings across the state
• Provide quoting for geospatial and geophysical services
• Perform and maintain accounting records
• Manage financials for the core
• Negotiate annual pricing with sales representatives
• Prepare monthly billing of customers
• Prepare an annual rate workbook
• Represent VISR at annual spatial conferences 
• Participate in quarterly core training
• Collaborate with administrative staff in Anthropology

Supervisory Relationships:

The position has supervisory responsibilities over undergraduate and graduate hourly workers. 

Education and Certifications

• A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education is necessary.

• Master’s degree in a geospatially-related field is preferred.

Experience and Skills:

• At least two years of directly related experience is necessary.

• At least four years of directly related experience is preferred.

• Experience with programming languages, such as Python & R, is necessary.

• Experience with machine learning/AI algorithm use and development is necessary.

• Strong interpersonal communication skills are necessary.

• Ability to use judgement to make administrative and procedural decisions is necessary.

• Ability to perform complex tasks and to prioritize multiple projects and competing deadlines is necessary.

• Ability to analyze and solve problems independently and in a timely manner is necessary.