of Research

Research Operations Manager

The section of Pediatric Infectious Disease provides comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care for children suffering from a wide variety of infectious diseases. Infectious disease specialists are experts in diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. This position will oversee research operations for two distinct, high-impact units: ECHO-Chicago and Lilly Cheng-Immergluck's Lab. ECHO-Chicago (Extension for Community Health Outcomes) is the longest-running urban Project ECHO program in the world. It leverages existing assets by bringing together community health centers (CHCs) and academic medical centers for collaborative, curriculum-based, case-based learning. Lilly Cheng-Immergluck's lab undertakes data science and epidemiological research to advance knowledge about prevention of infectious diseases including RSV, staphylococcal skin and soft tissue infections, and invasive pneumococcal disease; mission of the work of this multi-disciplinary team is to explore the intersection of public health epidemiology and primary prevention care models with the goal to improve health outcomes of populations at greatest risk for vaccine preventable condition. Her lab uses spatial statistical models, geographic information system tools, bioinformatics, and artificial intelligence to predict communities most at risk for existing and emerging infectious diseases. This position will play a key role in the Vaccine Center of Excellence which advances public health via research, advocacy and education of providers and the community served by UChicago; community based participatory research and engagement are cornerstones of this Center's work.

The Research Operations Manager will provide comprehensive oversight of research operations for both ECHO-Chicago and Lilly Cheng-Immergluck's Lab. In this capacity, the Research Operations Manager develops operational plans for executing research and evaluation work that aligns with distinct strategic goals, regulatory requirements, and research mandates of each program. Responsibilities include overseeing project protocols, including research design and data management and analysis, and staff supervision. The Research Operations Manager will maintain operational workflows while identifying opportunities for resource optimization and administrative efficiency. The ideal candidate brings extensive experience in strategic planning, managing diverse research portfolios, regulatory affairs, data management and analysis, and people management. This at-will position is partially funded by extramural funds (e.g., grant, gift, endowment) which are renewed under provisions set by the grantor of the funds. Employment will be contingent upon the continued receipt of these funds and satisfactory job performance.

Responsibilities

• Leads the operational management of research portfolios, including strategizing workflows to maximize efficiency across educational and research domains.
• Drives strategic research planning by refining optimal team structures and developing operating procedures to meet evolving team needs.
• Directs the implementation of multiple research studies, managing recruitment, retention, data analysis, dissemination, and risk management strategies.
• Manages ECHO-Chicago data infrastructure, including the oversight of study data and REDCap databases.
• Designs and executes analytic plans for ECHO-Chicago program evaluation and data analysis, utilizing a mixed-methods approach.
• Works closely with Dr. Immergluck to develop of research grant proposals including assisting with writing, working with collaborators to complete needed documents, and liaising with the grant management team to ensure materials are complete for internal review and final submission.
• Oversees the development and research protocols across the two programs and submits materials, when applicable, to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) for review.
• Collaborates with the awards and legal teams to develop and execute essential research agreements, including Data Use Agreements (DUAs) and Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs), as needed.
• Facilitates interdisciplinary teams, ensuring high-quality data collection and protocol compliance across both internal and external partner networks.
• Serves as the primary liaison for research partner engagement, managing relationships with community organizations, academic institutions, and healthcare partners.
• Supervises junior research staff and students and mentors operational program staff in supporting research/evaluation activities; there is a heavy emphasis on working with staff and students from various disciplines which align with the mission of the two programs. Provides role-specific training and professional development support and establishes advisory structures to foster staff morale and professional growth within each team.
• Uses subject matter and best practices knowledge to perform lab and/or research-related duties and tasks. Works independently to assist with project design.
• Solves complex problems relating to the administration of projects, including planning new procedures, adapting existing procedures to the needs of the project, and making significant contributions to methodology.
• Guides data collection, evaluation and analysis. Designs and manages databases. Writes reports, articles and manuscripts.
• Presents research findings at meetings and conferences, as well as to funding agencies. Conducts literature reviews. Develop and maintain liaisons and effective working relations with groups and individuals, agencies, and the public to encourage cooperative management strategies or to develop information and interpret findings.
• 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.

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Master's degree (MPH, MS) in public health, epidemiology, or health services research strongly preferred.

Experience:

• At least 2 years of experience in mixed-method data analysis strongly preferred.
• At least 2 years of experience interfacing with clinical providers, academic partners, and /or community-based organizations and residents in a research context strongly preferred.
• At least 2 years of experience with community-based participatory research (CBPR) and implementation science frameworks strongly preferred.
• At least 2 years of experience in contributing to the development of grant proposals strongly preferred.

Preferred Competencies

• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage cross-sector collaborations strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience using quantitative analysis tools (SPSS, STATA, R, and SAS) and qualitative software (NVIVO, Dedoose, Atlas.ti) strongly preferred.
• Advanced knowledge of REDCap and Microsoft Office programs (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) strongly preferred.
• Proficiency in design and visualization tools (Canva, GIS (ESRI products and QGIS)) strongly preferred.
• Ability to develop organizational structures and workflows for high-functioning teams strongly preferred.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated application of problem-solving skills in the development of evaluation plans, research design methods, and interpretation of quantitative and qualitative data strongly preferred.
• Considerable on-the-job experience ensuring regulatory compliance for research activities strongly preferred.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to articulate research findings to both technical and lay audiences strongly preferred.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)
• Cover letter (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family: Research

Role Impact: Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40

Pay Rate Type: Salary

​FLSA Status: Exempt

​Pay Range: $70,000.00 - $90,000.00

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.

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