Research Director, Social Action Lab

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Research Director, Social Action Lab

Job Profile Title

Director C, Research

Job Description Summary

The Social Action Lab at the University of Pennsylvania is seeking a Research Director to provide strategic, scientific, and operational leadership for a portfolio of community-engaged research and public health initiatives in the United States. The Lab focuses on developing, implementing, and evaluating interventions that address pressing social and health challenges, with particular emphasis on cross-sector collaboration, rural health, and integration with local services and public health systems.

This position requires living in the broad Appalachian region where several of our projects are located. The successful candidate will lead and coordinate cross-institutional and cross-organizational initiatives involving academic collaborators, community-based organizations, external partners, rural communities, and local and state public health departments. The Research Director will be responsible for setting direction, building partnerships, overseeing implementation across multiple stakeholders, ensuring alignment across organizations, and advancing the Lab’s research, public health, and translational impact.

The Research Director will work closely with the Principal Investigator and senior leadership of the lab to develop new initiatives, execute complex ongoing projects, support grant development, contribute to scientific publications, mentor teams, and strengthen the Lab’s partnerships with public health and community-serving organizations. The ideal candidate will bring substantial leadership experience in public health, community-engaged research, implementation science, rural health, or related fields, with demonstrated ability to integrate research initiatives with local services and public health infrastructure.

This position is funded by grants and is contingent upon continued funding.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and scientific leadership for research and public health initiatives with particular attention to rural areas. Collaborate with the team to establish priorities, identify growth opportunities, and ensure that research efforts align with community needs and public health goals.
• Oversee the planning, implementation, evaluation, and daily management of complex projects. This includes coordinating timelines, communications, accountability systems, budgets, compliance, and operational improvements to ensure high-quality execution.
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with academic institutions, community organizations, public health departments, and other stakeholders. Represent the Lab at external meetings, facilitate meaningful engagement with partners, and identify new collaboration and funding opportunities, parti