Principal Technical Program Manager, Science

The Team

CZI supports the science and technology that will make it possible to help scientists cure, prevent, or manage all diseases by the end of this century. While this may seem like an audacious goal, in the last 100 years, biomedical science has made tremendous strides in understanding biological systems, advancing human health, and treating disease. 

Achieving our mission will only be possible if scientists are able to better understand human biology. To that end, we have identified four grand challenges that will unlock the mysteries of the cell and how cells interact within systems — paving the way for new discoveries that will change medicine in the decades that follow:

• Building an AI-based virtual cell model to predict and understand cellular behavior
• Developing state-of-the-art imaging systems to observe living cells in action
• Instrumenting tissues to better understand inflammation, a key driver of many diseases
• Engineering and harnessing the immune system for early detection, prevention, and treatment of disease

CZI’s work in science includes grantmaking programs, open-source software development, and close collaboration with the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Network. The CZ Biohub Network includes the San Francisco, Chicago, and New York Biohubs as well as the Chan Zuckerberg Imaging Institute. CZI also collaborates with institutional partners like the Kempner Institute for the Study of Natural & Artificial Intelligence at Harvard University. Join us in accelerating science.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced Principal Technical Program Manager to report to the Vice President of Imaging Science and support cross-functional teams in the planning, execution, and delivery of ambitious imaging science and technology projects. The ideal candidate will combine strong technical knowledge with exceptional program management skills to guide complex initiatives from conception to scalable implementation.

This role will play a key part in developing innovative technologies and ensuring they are positioned for broad impact — including successful translation and adoption across academic research institutions and commercial industry settings. The Technical Program Manager will shape the execution required to scale scientific tools and platforms in a way that supports CZI Imaging Institute’s mission to democratize access and maximize global scientific benefit.

This on-site position will be based in San Francisco, CA.

What You'll Do

• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams in the planning, execution, and scaling of complex imaging technology projects that bridge scientific discovery and translational application, with direct alignment to biological use cases.
• Lead cross-functional project planning with a focus on transitioning prototype technologies into scalable, reproducible tools that can be adopted across diverse academic and commercial environments.
• Develop comprehensive project roadmaps including scope, scale-up strategy, timelines, resource allocation, risk assessments, commercialization pathways, and budgets.
• Manage cross-platform integration and execution across hardware, software, probes, and data science teams, ensuring readiness for broader deployment.
• Track impact metrics including publications, platform performance, and adoption metrics across both research and industry ecosystems.
• Proactively identify scalability bottlenecks and dependencies, and implement mitigation plans to enable sustainable, widespread technology use.
• Serve as a liaison between scientific researchers, productization teams, and industry collaborators to ensure successful technology transfer and scaling pathways.
• Communicate project milestones and risks clearly to stakeholders across technical and non-technical domains.

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in bioengineering, imaging sciences, computational engineering, or a related technical field; Master’s or PhD preferred.
• 12+ years of experience managing complex technical programs with demonstrated success in scaling scientific technologies from early-stage research through to operational deployment across academia and/or industry, preferably in imaging technology or related fields.
• Strong understanding of biological imaging systems, computational tools, and integrated hardware/software platforms, with awareness of translational science challenges.
• Demonstrated experience driving the adoption of novel technologies across diverse environments, including managing validation pipelines, documentation, user training, and feedback loops.
• Proven track record in coordinating partnerships or consortia that span academic institutions, biotech, and/or commercial organizations.
• Experience implementing programmatic strategies that enable sustainable growth and technology scalability.
• Excellent systems thinking, with the ability to bridge scientific innovation with practical implementation and stakeholder alignment.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to influence and align diverse technical and non-technical partners around scale-up strategies.
• Experience with regulatory, intellectual property, or licensing considerations in the context of technology transfer is a plus.

Compensation

The Redwood City, CA base pay range for this role is $200,000.00 - $300,000.00. New hires are typically hired into the lower portion of the range, enabling employee growth in the range over time. Actual placement in range is based on job-related skills and experience, as evaluated throughout the interview process. 

Benefits for the Whole You 

We’re thankful to have an incredible team behind our work. To honor their commitment, we offer a wide range of benefits to support the people who make all we do possible. 

• CZI provides a generous employer match on employee 401(k) contributions to support planning for the future.
• Annual benefit for employees that can be used most meaningfully for them and their families, such as housing, student loan repayment, childcare, commuter costs, or other life needs.
• CZI Life of Service Gifts are awarded to employees to “live the mission” and support the causes closest to them.
• Paid time off to volunteer at an organization of your choice. 
• Funding for select family-forming benefits. 
• Relocation support for employees who need assistance moving to the Bay Area
• And more!

If you’re interested in a role but your previous experience doesn’t perfectly align with each qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to apply as you may be the perfect fit for this or another role.

Explore our work modes, benefits, and interview process at www.chanzuckerberg.com/careers.

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