Lab Manager

The School of Humanities and Sciences (H&S) is the foundation of a liberal arts education at Stanford, encompassing 24 departments and 25 interdisciplinary programs. H&S is home to fundamental and applied research, where free, open, and critical inquiry is pursued across disciplines.

About the role

The Social Interaction Lab, directed by Prof. Robert Hawkins in Stanford's Department of Linguistics, studies the cognitive and social foundations of human communication and conversation, combining behavioral experiments with computational modeling. The lab runs a high volume of concurrent human-subjects research projects.

This is a hybrid position based on the Stanford campus, with a minimum of 3 days per week on site. May require occasional evenings/weekends to accommodate participant scheduling and study sessions. This is a 100% FTE, one-year fixed-term (9/1/2026 – 8/31/2027), non-exempt (hourly) position.

The Lab Manager will co-manage lab operations alongside the current lab manager, splitting responsibilities across the lab's growing project portfolio. This role is essential to core lab operations and requires sound judgment, strong organizational skills, and the ability to work closely with the PI, graduate students, and research staff.

Responsibilities

• Prepare correspondence, documents, and reports.
• Maintain and file forms and documents, including consent forms and master subject logs.
• Assist with the screening, recruiting, and obtaining consent of study participants.
• Perform telephone or in-person interviews to gather data, as needed.
• Schedule and/or call subjects for appointments.
• Prepare, distribute, administer, and process questionnaires and tests; score test measurements and questionnaires; and code data for computer entry.
• Perform quantitative review of forms, tests, and other measurements for completeness and accuracy.
• Prepare data for input into statistical databases by typing, editing, and organizing data.
• Apply formulas and calculations to research data using basic statistical programs.
• Review and verify accuracy of database information and assist in making necessary corrections according to specific guidelines.
• Order and maintain equipment and supplies.
• Process study compensation payments and thank-you letters to subjects upon completion of trial activities.
• Assist with post-study activities, as needed.
• Onboard and supervise undergraduate research assistants.
• Manage IRB protocol and compliance.

Requirements

• Two-year college degree and one year of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of experience, education, and training.

Qualifications

• General understanding of scientific theory and methods.
• General computer skills and ability to quickly learn and master computer programs.
• Ability to work under deadlines with general guidance.
• Excellent organizational skills and demonstrated ability to complete detailed work accurately.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work with human study participants.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience with human-subjects research administration and/or IRB compliance.
• Experience coordinating participant recruitment and scheduling (e.g., SONA, Prolific, or similar platforms).
• Experience supervising or mentoring undergraduate research assistants.
• Comfortable managing multiple concurrent projects and shifting priorities.
• Bachelor's degree in the cognitive sciences, or a mathematical or computational field.

Pay

The budgeted base salary range for this position is $33.00 to $36.50 per hour.