Research Director

Department
 

SSD: Economics - Staff and Temporary Employees

About the Department
 

For over a century, the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics has been recognized as one of the world's leading centers for economic research and education. The Department's faculty has received numerous awards, including more Nobel Prize laureates and John Bates Clark medalists in economics than any other university. Among our faculty are many members of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Econometric Society.

Job Summary
 

The Research Director will report directly to Assistant Professor Anne Karing, overseeing her research portfolio. They will manage operational aspects of research projects, including hiring, finances, fundraising, contracting, and liaising with data collection partners in study locations. Additionally, the director will contribute to research methodologies and assist the Principal Investigators (PIs) in publishing and disseminating findings. The position may require some travel.

The director’s research portfolio includes policy-relevant projects conducted across several countries at the intersection of health, development, and behavioral economics. Projects include:

Assessing the impact of at-scale signaling incentives and reminders to increase the uptake of the malaria vaccine in Sierra Leone.
Exploring the intersection between formal and informal health markets in Sierra Leone.
Studying the role of pharmacies and market structures in antimicrobial resistance in Kenya.
Exploring new projects examining the potential crowd-out effects of incentives in health.

Responsibilities

• Supports the design of studies and related instruments, in particular, research related to vaccination incentives.

• Reviews Institutional Review Board (IRB) applications and ensures all projects have updated ethical approval.

• Assists research assistants in addressing complex problems related to project administration, including planning and adapting procedures and making significant contributions to methodologies.

• Contributes to the writing of manuscripts, reports, presentations, and pre-analysis plans.

• Oversees the organizational planning and implementation of all research projects.

• Writes grant applications and proposals. Manages project expenditures and reports the status of project budgets to the PI monthly. Collaborates with the Grants Manager to adhere to budget guidelines.

• Manages liaisons with implementation and data collection partners to ensure the operational and financial health of projects. May travel to overseas locations to support project development and setup. Develops and maintains effective working relations with groups, individuals, agencies, and the public to encourage cooperative management strategies or to develop and interpret findings. Scopes and engages with potential research partners in study locations.

• Hires, trains, and supervises research personnel, including predoctoral research assistants, field research assistants, and student research assistants.

• 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.

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Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Master’s degree in economics, public policy, or related field.

• Coursework in economics, econometrics, or statistics.

• Coursework in development economics or international development.

Experience:

• Working knowledge in research and evaluation of international development, with proven analytical, quantitative, and management skills.

• Background working in a low-or middle- income country.

• Involvement working in Sub-Saharan African countries.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Proficient in Stata, Python, MATLAB and/or R.

Preferred Competencies

• Demonstrated project management skills, including attention to operational and research detail and managing multiple projects efficiently.

• Work both independently, in a self-directed manner, and as a team member.

• Strong analytical skills.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce clear written materials geared toward technical and non-technical audiences.

• Mature, self-directed individual with the ability to balance multiple tasks and prioritize effectively in a fast-paced working environment.

• Strong interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity to effectively work with global teams across cultures, work styles, and time zones.

• Excellent organizational skills and high attention to detail.

• Strong interest in development economics.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (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

FLSA Status
 

Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

37.5

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, 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.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

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.

 

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