Research Director
: Job Details :

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 EconometricSociety.

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:

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.

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 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

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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.

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