Civic Science Fellow

About the role

The Office of Research is seeking an accomplished, early-career researcher as a Civic Science Fellow. The 18-month position begins in September 2026 and concludes in February 2028. This position is fully grant-funded.

Responsibilities

• Reviews the existing practices of community engaged research and its impact across private and public universities by conducting a listening and landscape-learning phase at the University of Chicago and other major research universities.
• Maps out the goals of community engaged research for academics, community partners, and policymakers to determine where these goals are aligned and where they are conflicting.
• Establishes community engaged research metrics of impact across an academic discipline, community partners, and policy-makers.
• Develops a comprehensive framework for addressing misaligned goals and measuring the impact of academic-public partnerships.
• Convenes a group of faculty, community leaders, and policymakers to seek input regarding the development of the framework.
• Utilizes feedback to revise the framework.
• Produces multiple work products, specifically:
  • a cross-disciplinary Impact Blueprint that maps how UChicago’s research, data assets, civic partnerships, and policy touchpoints can align toward improved chronic health and social outcomes across the southside of Chicago;
  • a metrics framework that reconciles differing disciplinary definitions of impact;
  • a guide for trust-building and reciprocal engagement with partners who have varied incentives and timelines;
  • a decision-support roadmap for sequencing community and research priorities;
  • public-facing tools or visualizations that articulate University civic impact in accessible ways.
• Utilizes inclusive, equitable approaches to science engagement and decision-making, working effectively with underrepresented communities.

Qualifications

• Education: A PhD in social sciences, public policy, or another related field.
• Experience: Prior experience in solving complex, multi-faceted challenges. Background in community engaged research. Demonstrated ability to convene and work with faculty, community leaders, and policymakers for input, feedback, and framework revision. Demonstrated involvement in civic science, participatory research, or university-community partnerships. Background working with underrepresented communities, incorporating equitable and inclusive approaches to science engagement and decision-making processes.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency with data collection, analysis, and synthesis, including stakeholder interviews, survey design, focus groups, and metrics development. Developing and utilizing metrics for evaluating research impact across academic, community, and policy domains.

Benefits

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.