Scientific Project Manager

About the employer

The Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center (BBRC) is a research center dedicated to the
prevention of Alzheimer's disease and the study of cognitive functions affected in healthy and
pathological aging. It was founded in 2012 by the Pasqual Maragall Foundation, with the
support of the Pompeu Fabra University and “la Caixa” Foundation.

The mission of the BBRC is to provide innovative solutions to decipher and prevent biological
changes and cognitive dysfunction associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Due to the
aging of the world population, these diseases constitute a global challenge, since, for example,
dementia can reach epidemic levels in 2050, with a forecast of more than 150 million people
affected, if a way to prevent its appearance and development is not found.

The Pasqual Maragall Foundation, the Pompeu Fabra University and “la Caixa” Foundation are
permanent members of the BBRC Board. The center is affiliated and located in the Ciutadella
Campus of the Pompeu Fabra University of Barcelona, in a building inaugurated in 2016. The
BBRC headquarters have excellent technical facilities, including a 3TMR scanner exclusively
dedicated to research, and spaces for conducting Clinical Trials, among others. State-of-the-art
scientific facilities, effective management and continuous high-standard peer-review
evaluation are the BBRC core proceedings to ensure achieving world-class research results.
BBRC is also part of the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB), a large research facility
that hosts several research institutions related to biomedical research, including the Center for
Genomic Regulation (CRG), the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), the
Department of Medicine and Life Sciences of the Pompeu Fabra University (MELIS-UPF), the
Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE, CSIC-UPF), the Barcelona Institute of Global Health
(ISGlobal) and the Barcelona site of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL),
among others, in a multidisciplinary, collaborative and stimulating international environment
in close contact with a clinical setting, thus conducive to translational research.

The BBRC received the HR Excellence in Research award (HRS4R) granted by the European
Commission; a recognition that shows its adherence to the principles of the European Charter
for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Research Staff. The center
offers a stimulating and favorable working environment in accordance with the Charter and
Code, which describe the rights and responsibilities of researchers and their employers, and
contributes to the creation of a transparent, attractive and open ecosystem at the
international level.

About the project
The BBRC has established and sponsors a series of studies aimed at understanding the initial
asymptomatic stages of the Alzhimer’s continuum to understand the natural history of Alzhimer’s and develop and implement novel biomarkers for early diagnosis as well as design
and implement disease prevention trials.

The studies constitute the BBRC’s Core Scientific Assets (CSA). Currently, these studies
include:

• The ALFA (for Alzheimer and Families) parent cohort is composed of nearly 3.000
  cognitively unimpaired participants aged between 45 and 75, most of them first-
  degree descendants of Alzheimer’s disease patients. This cohort was established as a
  research platform to characterize preclinical Alzheimer’s in asymptomatic individuals
  and will serve to untangle the natural history of the disease and to model the
  preclinical stages in order to develop successful trials and interventions to prevent
  Alzheimer’s disease. Within the ALFA programme there are a number of nested studies
  such as the ALFA+ cohort, composed of 420 cognitively unimpaired participants, aged
  between 45 and 65 years at ALFA baseline visit, who have been thoroughly
  characterised from a sociodemographic, clinical, lifestyle, cognitive, genetic and
  biomarker (both fluid and neuroimaging) perspective. Participants are followed every
  3 years: so far we have conducted the study’s baseline visit (V1; 2016-2019) and the
  first follow-up visit (V2; 2019-2022). The second follow-up visit (V3) started in May
  2023 and includes, on the top of the already mentioned variables, recently developed
  digital biomarkers.
• The Beta-AARC (Alzheimer’s At Risk Cohort) study, is composed of more than 230
  participants (55-80 years), who are feeling a decline in their memory or other cognitive
  abilities (Subjective Cognitive Decline, SCD). Its main goal is the early detection of
  blood and digital biomarkers that represent the pathophysiological changes related to
  Alzheimer’s disease in people with SCD (either cognitively unimpaired or with mild
  cognitive impairment). It is a longitudinal study with annual follow-up visits (magnetic
  resonance imaging and lumbar puncture are performed every 2 years). In this cohort
  the baseline visit was completed in August 2024.
• In addition, the BBRC is participating in clinical trials from the pharmaceutical industry
  that test the preventive effect of experimental drugs mostly in the preclinical stage of
  Alzheimer's disease.

BBRC’s research is currently organized into four research groups: (i) Clinical and Risk Factors
for Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group: examines the clinical and biological
processes that precede dementia’s onset, focusing on sleep disorders, vascular factors,
subjective cognitive decline and objective subtle cognitive decline, and aims at establishing
prevention programs; (ii) Biomarkers in Fluids and Translational Neurology Research Group:
focuses on identifying molecular mechanisms of age-related neurodegenerative diseases and
developing biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis; (iii) Neuroimaging Research Group:
uses advanced imaging techniques (positron emission tomography, magnetic imaging
resonance) to explore brain processes in the preclinical stages of Alzheimer’s and healthy
aging, and develops new neuroimaging tools; (iv) Genomics Research Group: conducts
research on the genomics of neurodegeneration and aging, with a focus on pleiotropies and
gene-environment interactions; (v) Brain disorders models: which uses advanced cellular models, such as organoids and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), to understand the molecular mechanisms which control the progression of neurodegeneration; (vi) Biology of Neurodegeneration and Ageing Research Group: that investigates the biological bases that promote the onset and progress of Alzheimer's and other ageing-related diseases. 

Additionally, one new research group is expected to begin their activity in 2025-2026, "Population neuroscience of neurodevelopment and aging". 

In addition, two research facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art technical units and
provide service to the scientific institutional projects while also undertaking the development
of novel biomarkers and analyses: the Neuroimaging Platform and the Fluid Biomarker
Platform.

For more information see: www.fpmaragall.org and www.barcelonabeta.org

About the job

BBRC is looking for a Scientific Project Manager. This is a full-time position and the person
selected will join the Scientific Coordination Unit reporting to the director of the Scientific
Coordination Unit.

The Scientific Project Manager will lead the development and execution of the assigned
research projects, primarily in the fields of Alzheimer’s disease and neurodegenerative
diseases and brain health. BBRC projects are complex due the singularity of the Core Scientific
Assets (Cohort Studies) and the collaborative nature of the BBRC research groups, allowing a
multidisciplinary approach to respond to difficult scientific questions. For these reasons, the
candidate will work closely with the researchers and the research support staff from BBRC’s
facilities and other departments such as Legal or Finances that participate in a collective effort
during the life of the research project. The candidate will be expected to employ all the
necessary strategies to ensure a successful project execution in this singular research
environment. The candidate will be required to have experience in clinical research (neurology
or psychiatry preferred), in scientific writing and in research project management. Experience
in academic research institutions is a plus.

Main Responsibilities:

Project management:

• Coordinating the definition of the project, by compiling the relevant
  information from different actors (scientific relevance, economic budgeting,
  logistic constraints), and preparing the associated materials that are needed for
  internal evaluation and approval of a project proposal.
• Planning and overviewing the execution of the assigned projects.
• Assessing risks and planning strategies for any contingencies related to the
  projects.
• Responsible for the correct management of the projects according to the
  applicable regulation (e.g. data protection, Good Clinical Practice, etc.), under the direction of the Data Protection Officer and experts from other teams ifneeded (from Clinical Operations, Biorepository Unit, etc.)
• Coordinating the communication between all the research groups and departments involved in the assigned projects, via regular follow-up meetings or other channels.
• Acting as main contact person, internally and externally, for the development of the assigned projects.
• Supporting the legal department in the formalization of agreements and contracts and acting as a liaison with the scientific collaborators and industry.
• Support the Research Management Office (Grants and competitive funding), Finance department and the Facilities Core Management team (Internal Assets Management) in the economic project management.
• Write project reports and deliverables, in coordination with the Researchers and the Research Management Office.

Required qualifications:
Qualifications and professional experience:

• Bachelor degree in any field of Health Science or related areas.
• Master of Science or PhD, and Master of Project Management preferred but not required
• Experience in clinical research, preferably in neurology or psychiatry.
• Experience in non-clinical research environments (academia, biotech, pharma)will be valued positively.
• Experience in project management with European Union funding (preferred)
• English required (Proficiency Level-written and spoken).
• Spanish and Catalan preferred.
• Advanced level in Word Office suite.

Personal skills

• Self-initiative
• Must possess strong interpersonal skills and work effectively with a
  multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to think independently and work collaboratively (empathic and focused team-worker).
• Organizational skills: ability to initiate, manage and direct multiple tasks and projects is necessary.
• Demonstrate the ability to solve problems and reach objectives.
• Interest in joining a non-profit organization with a mission of high social impact.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.

We offer

• Starting date: Immediately.    
• Permanent contract.
• Full-time position, 38 hours/week.
• Salary will depend on experience and will be in accordance with BBRC’s salary scales.
• The Foundation offers an extended vacation period and the possibility of benefit from flexible working hours.
• Hybrid work model (on-site + teleworking).

Application process

To apply, please submit a single PDF file containing the following:

1. Cover letter addressed describing research interests and relevant background
2. CV
3. The names of up to three individuals who could provide reference letters. All files or inquiries should be submitted electronically to: talent@barcelonabeta.org

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