A natural sciences manager may supervise employees in a research laboratory.
A natural science manager is responsible for planning and implementing scientific activities and investigations. They handle the scientific side of the business, including obtaining funding, writing proposals, managing employees, and deciding project goals and priorities. Natural science managers first spend time as scientists in their chosen field before moving on to lead research groups and plan projects. Employed by research institutions, government and private companies, most large scientific companies need a scientific director.
Most scientific research is not the business of a scientist. Funding, laboratory space, equipment, and staff must be coordinated and planned for research to begin. This is the job of a natural science manager. Goals and priorities are set before a project or experiment begins, and a life sciences manager makes sure everything goes as planned. If something happens that disrupts the schedule, the manager steps in to find solutions that work for everyone in the lab or research group.
When working in a university or non-profit research environment, one way to find funding for projects is by receiving grants. These grants are provided by a variety of sources, including government and private funds. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis and there may be multiple projects competing for the same funding source. Natural science administrators are often responsible for writing proposals in an attempt to receive grants.
Hiring, supervising, and training employees on a laboratory or research project is a large part of a natural sciences manager’s job. They are responsible for fellow scientists and other people such as administrative staff and service employees. Delegating tasks and roles between individuals within the research group is another responsibility of the natural sciences manager.
In a private company, a director of natural sciences plays much the same role as a research institution. One difference is that instead of focusing on obtaining funding, they work to communicate business goals and objectives to scientists. In turn, they also convey the needs of the scientific department to senior management, acting as advocates for the research group.
Reaching out to the public and communicating between different departments and divisions is another responsibility of the life sciences manager. They attend college board meetings and visit businesses. Science administrators obtain any required approvals for an experiment and stay informed of any potential government regulations that may affect their projects.