Research Project Manager

Department

Crown DISC Lab

About the Department

As one of the first schools of social work in the United States, the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice has shaped the field for more than 100 years. As part of the University of Chicago, the Crown Family School shares the University's core values and distinctive intellectual culture. Crown Family School faculty, staff and students focus on identifying solutions to complex problems through the integration of research, training, and direct community engagement. Guided by an interdisciplinary tradition, Crown Family School scholars conduct innovative research to address interconnected social challenges such as educational inequality, health disparities, crime and violence, poverty, and child and family welfare—working at multiple scales, from individual to policy-level interventions.

More than 8,000 Crown Family School graduates in the US and globally hold leadership positions in academia, at nonprofits, and at governmental agencies The Crown Family School is the home of several academic centers. These include the Susan and Richard Kiphart Center for Global Health and Social Development, the Urban Education Institute (UEI), , the Center for Health Administration Studies, the Smart Decarceration Project, and the Employment Instability, Family Well-being, and Social Policy Network (EINet). More information may be found at https://crownschool.uchicago.edu/.

Job Summary

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Project Manager for grant-funded research projects within the Development-in-Sociocultural-Context (DISC) Research Lab. As the Project Manager, you will perform a variety of project management support and data collection duties for multiple federally funded research projects. This position will be responsible for maintaining project databases and coordinating local, state, and nationwide research efforts.

The applicant must have outstanding organizational and communication skills, project management abilities, and academic writing skills. Mistakes in interpersonal communications could have dire results for this project. To produce products, we will need to rely on the cooperation and good will of many people. The person filling this position will need to communicate the importance of their voluntary participation, willingness of the project to accommodate their schedules and gratitude for their involvement. Mistakes along these lines could be irreparable. The ideal candidate should possess a strong work ethic and be able to work collaboratively as well as independently. This position requires knowledge of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SPSS, and Qualtrics.

The position is grant funded, with the term of the assignment continuing for the duration of the initial grant and subsequent grant renewals. While the standard working hours are 20/week, during data collection or high activity points in the project, additional hours may be required. Overtime at time and a half will be applied when more than 40 hours are necessary in a given week.

Responsibilities

• Financial and Administrative Oversight - maintains accurate financial records, coordinates with grant administrators on expenditures, and prepares financial reports for funders. Manages office resources, including calendars, supplies, and electronic files. Supervises temporary staff and student workers as needed.
• Project Coordination and Reporting - develops timelines, delegates responsibilities, and tracks progress toward research goals. Ensures timely submission of applications and reports, including IRB and funding agency correspondence.
• Research Implementation and Data Management - oversees data-related tasks to ensure procedural consistency survey administration through data cleaning. Compiles and analyzes data for reports directed at participants, school districts, and the academic community. Coordinates with Principal Investigators and research leadership on IRB applications and compliance.
• Participant Recruitment and Communication - serves as the primary research contact, managing communication between Principal Investigators, research partners, and stakeholders. Handles participant recruitment, consent/assent, reimbursement, and retention processes.
• Applies research principles and relevant subject matter knowledge relevant to administer a research project. With a moderate level of direction, manages lab and/or research-related duties and tasks. Helps develop, design and conduct research projects according to plan.
• Supports data collection and analytical needs of research projects. Conducts literature reviews and helps write reports and manuscripts. Ensures project compliance with different policies, procedures, directives, and mandates.
• Takes responsibility for the following non