Why science needs project managers more than ever

For a long time, science was all about curiosity and working on your own terms. People were more concerned with whatever grabbed their interest. But things are a lot different now. Modern research projects are huge, often involving multiple teams from different nationalities, which need proper plan and funding to succeed. That’s why a bit of structure is actually required to deliver these research endeavours.

Today’s research is all about teamwork and nothing ground-breaking happens without collaboration. One experiment might bring together several scientists, analysts and external partners in a very complicated funding landscape. You can’t just hope it’ll all work out, you need coordination, management and a way to track impacts. And that’s what project managers do. They gather people, set deadlines and clear goals so scientists can actually focus on the science. Even simple things like tracking clear milestones, discussing risks, or running regular check-ins provide delivery assurance to funders.

Of course, science can be very unpredictable. You can’t guarantee when a big discovery will happen or achieve results by a certain date. This is especially true for marine research, as well as ocean based expeditions and observations, where things like weather, equipment failure, or changing sea conditions can easily affect the plan. That’s why project management in a research environment is different.

In my work with scientists, my goal is not to remove uncertainty but to make space for it. That means staying flexible, allowing data collection or observations to fail when or if they must and investing time in exploring data that may not yet be reliable. In addition, it’s also about shielding the team from pointless administrative headaches. Project management, done right, gives curiosity room to breathe.

Beyond planning and coordination, communication is another critical challenge. Scientists, executives and funders often talk past each other. Scientists care about data, methods and publications. Funders want impact. Leaders worry about risk and strategy. With everyone speaking their own language, it’s easy for messages to get lost and for frustration to grow.

An efficient project manager bridges those gaps and turn technical updates or ambiguous outputs and deliverables into stories that actually mean something. We help sponsors or Principal Investigators see why the numbers matter. We remind teams that having some structure isn’t just about setting rules or applying robust governance processes, rather, it helps build trust, keeps everyone accountable and improves the chances of delivering results and getting future funding. When everyone understands their role and goals, teamwork becomes much easier.

And look, scientists want real proof, they believe in evidence. So the best way to show project management works is to use their language: data. When a plan helps a team hit a grant deadline, that’s evidence. When reflecting and learning from what went wrong keeps the next experiment on track, that’s evidence too. Small wins add up, and soon people see project management as essential, not just another needless job function.

At the end of the day, what I’ve come to understand is that project management in science works best as a partnership. It’s not about telling scientists how to do their jobs; it’s about making sure they can do their best work and keep doing it. That means being curious about their world and the uncertainty that comes with delivering impactful science. If you respect that, the tools, methods and structure you bring don’t feel like a burden. They just become part of how great science happens. In the end, delivering science isn’t just about making great discoveries, but about making them real, useful and impactful. As research gets more complex, project managers are the quiet force that turns ambition into results and raw potential into real progress. And that’s why science needs project managers more than ever.