Assistant Director of Research Operations

Department UL Inclusive Economy Lab About the Department We partner with policymakers, community-based organizations and others to identify their most urgent and pressing challenges, co-generate evidence about what works, and translate findings into policy changes that end intergenerational poverty. By identifying barriers to social mobility and racial equity and highlighting the programs and policies that have the most positive impact, our work aims to create greater economic opportunity. We specialize in evaluating programs with the potential to improve lives in three main areas: ● College and Career Success ● Basic Needs ● Quality Jobs Job Summary The job manages academic, research, clinical or administrative programs. Responsibilities Develop and maintain clear guidelines for how research teams create, organize, store, and access research knowledge and resources, including building out and maintaining the organizational wiki. Centralize and streamline IEL's existing research repository, ensuring that prior work and methodological resources are easy to reference. Build and manage best practices for onboarding new research team members to IEL's previously published research, so that institutional knowledge transfers effectively as the team grows. Manage and work with the Scientific Director to refine project selection. This includes ensuring the completeness and timeliness of materials shared with LOT, following up on next steps for provisionally approved projects, and providing new project updates at staff meetings. Support the Scientific Director in formalizing the onboarding of new affiliates. Identify potential new affiliates as the Lab builds out new bodies of work, with specific focus on engaging Booth faculty as appropriate. Maintain list of current research affiliates and ensure external and internal communication is up to date. Support planning and execution of the IEL affiliate speaker series, working closely with the Scientific Director. Identify areas for Affiliate Research engagement with the Lab outside of project work. Develop and manage annual 360 feedback process for research affiliates. Support the scientific director in launching an academic conference focused on applied policy research Identify areas to expand the Lab’s visibility with academic audiences Lead the design and execution of IEL's internal program evaluation curriculum to build RM team capacity in causal inference and impact evaluation methods Manage lab-wide research learning and trainings, including topic planning, speaker coordination, and content development, working closely with the Scientific Director. This includes taking ownership of training Tuesdays and research training components of Town Hall meetings. Identify research-related training gaps across the team and develop programming to address them. Support the Director of Analytics in launching an internal AI working group across the Lab Develop practical guidance, tools, and standards for incorporating AI responsibly into research workflows, from literature reviews to coding to writing. Launch and support pilots aimed at increasing the efficiency of our work without compromising research quality, rigor, and integrity. Work closely with the Scientific Director and Qualitative Research Director to support development of a protocol for mixed methods research Help the lab navigate its integration into Rustandy and Booth by developing clear frameworks and expectations around Rustandy-driven, non-IEL projects that IEL staff will support. Field inquiries for research support from Booth faculty and scope our involvement, identifying relevant staff support in collaboration with the DOA and DRM and provide direct research support as necessary/appropriate. Establish norms, intake processes, and documentation standards that allow both streams of work to coexist productively. Develops and communicates program priorities and performance standards and assesses operations using these criteria. Plans and conducts quality assurance reviews and recommends changes as appropriate. Has a deep understanding when interacting with faculty, researchers and staff for committee work or information Performs other related work as needed Minimum Qualifications Education: Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field. Work Experience: Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline. Certifications: --- Preferred Qualifications Education: Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in public policy, social science, economics, education, or a related field is a plus. Will consider applicants with equivalent professional or lived experience. Experience: Five or more years of experience in applied research, policy, or research operations, with demonstrated ability to manage complex, cross-functional projects independently. Experience in a research coordination, program management, or chief-of-staff-type role, ideally within a university, think tank, or policy research organization. Strong working knowledge of program evaluation methods, including randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental designs, and the ability to communicate methodological concepts to diverse audiences. Demonstrated ability to design and deliver training or capacity-building programs, particularly related to research methods or evidence use. Experience developing knowledge management systems, research repositories, or institutional learning infrastructure. Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to synthesize complex information and translate it into clear guidance, documentation, and presentations. Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills; comfort working across teams and in a matrixed organizational structure. Genuine commitment to racial equity and economic inclusion, with experience working in or alongside communities affected by poverty, segregation, or disinvestment. First generation college students and those with lived experience in communities experiencing poverty and disinvestment are encouraged to apply. Preferred Competencies Experience supporting or coordinating academic affiliates, visiting scholars, or research fellows. Prior experience planning academic convenings, workshops, or speaker series. Familiarity with administrative data partnerships, IRB processes, or research compliance. Interest in and experience with responsible AI use in research or policy contexts. Experience in workforce development, housing stability, education, or social safety net policy areas. Application Documents Resume (required) Cover Letter (preferred) The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions. When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application. Job Family Administration & Management Role Impact Individual Contributor Scheduled Weekly Hours 37.5 Drug Test Required No Health Screen Required No Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required No Pay Rate Type Salary FLSA Status Exempt Pay Range $89,250.00 - $115,500.00 The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting. Benefits Eligible Yes The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook. Posting Statement The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination. Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call View phone number on click.appcast.io or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form. All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position. The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637. The University of Chicago is an urban research university that has driven new ways of thinking since 1890. Our commitment to free and open inquiry draws inspired scholars to our global campuses, where ideas are born that challenge and change the world. We empower individuals to challenge conventional thinking in pursuit of original ideas. Students in the College develop critical, analytic, and writing skills in our rigorous, interdisciplinary core curriculum. Through graduate programs, students test their ideas with UChicago scholars, and become the next generation of leaders in academia, industry, nonprofits, and government. To learn more about the university click here