Research Scientist Navigator

About the role

The Research Scientist Navigator is located within the Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute Office of Research Development and facilitates research across the research enterprise.

Responsibilities

• Serves as a central resource for investigators to provide expertise, guidance, and support for investigator research programs.
• Provides navigation through institutional practices, policies, and workflow.
• Maintains a working knowledge of institutional research administration and scientific service areas, committees, and best practices.
• Facilitates the advancement of investigator-initiated research by linking investigators with relevant internal and external resources, tools, and collaborators.
• Advises investigators on the logistics of conducting research, refer investigators to other research navigators within Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (NUCATS) when indicated and to appropriate Manne Research Institute, Lurie Children’s, and Northwestern University core services, labs, and programs.
• Affords investigators assistance in identifying and solving research design, implementation, and execution problems and provides expert advice on the logistics of conducting research, interfacing with people and resources on behalf of the investigator when appropriate.
• Conducts outreach, relationship development and coordination with other research support areas at Lurie Children’s as well as NU and other NUCATS-affiliated partners including Northwestern Medicine, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, and external entities pertinent to child health research.
• Performs initial evaluation of research requests and connects research teams to research support.
• Manages coordination of resources to investigators in a predictable and organized manner.
• Ensures successful referral to consultant resources through management of processes that not only link Navigator Program clients with resources to meet their needs, but also ensure subsequent evaluation of successful engagement with the referred resource.
• Develops new, and reinforces existing, connections to the research enterprise community through attendance of conferences, seminars, workshops, and networking events.
• Creates and implements systems to track and evaluate consultations provided by the Navigator Program.
• Tracks and reports on outcomes of research institute initiatives, including scientific peer review, internal grant awards, and trainee programs.
• Develops and manages continuous improvement activities to evaluate both service needs and the effectiveness of program services.
• Oversees development of program marketing strategies with Research Education and Research Communications teams.
• Develops and implements strategies to raise awareness of services and to increase utilization of all research services.
• Leads efforts to communicate with the research community, including its affiliated partners, to ensure that researchers have engagement with program services and are educated about the existence of resources, services, and the Navigator Program.
• Provides job functions adhering to service principles with customer service focus on innovation, service excellence and teamwork to provide the highest quality research support to research community.
• Performs other job duties as assigned.

Requirements

• An advanced degree (such as a master’s or equivalent) is preferred, along with at least two years of relevant research experience.
• Candidates with a bachelor’s degree may also be considered if they have substantial hands-on research experience.
• Prior experience working in basic, clinical, or population research, and/or experience in research administration and research navigation.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and the desire to work very closely with scientifically dynamic personnel are essential.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to prepare accurate, concise reports.
• Demonstrated experience in relationship database design and management.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Teams required.
• Strong analytical, technical, quality improvement, program assessment, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong focus on flexibility, ability to quickly adapt to unique challenges and respond appropriately.

Qualifications

• PhD: Pharmacology (Required)

Skills

• Knowledge of institutional research administration and scientific service areas, committees, and best practices.
• Ability to navigate institutional practices, policies, and workflow.
• Experience in relationship database design and management.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Teams.
• Strong analytical, technical, quality improvement, program assessment, and problem-solving skills.
• Flexibility, ability to quickly adapt to unique challenges and respond appropriately.

Benefits

At Lurie Children’s, we offer a comprehensive rewards package that may include differentials for some hourly employees, leadership incentives for select roles, health and retirement benefits, and wellbeing programs. For more details on other compensation, consult your recruiter or click the following link to learn more about our benefits.

• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• Employer paid group term life and disability
• Employer contribution toward Health Savings Account
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Paid Time Off (PTO), Paid Holidays and Paid Parental Leave
• 403(b) with a 5% employer match
• Voluntary Benefits
• Supplemental Life, AD&D and Disability
• Critical Illness, Accident and Hospital Indemnity coverage
• Tuition assistance
• Student loan servicing and support
• Adoption benefits
• Backup Childcare and Eldercare
• Employee Assistance Program, and other specialized behavioral health services and resources for employees and family members
• Discount on services at Lurie Children’s facilities
• Discount purchasing program

Pay

Pay Range: $83,200.00-$137,280.00

Salary: At Lurie Children’s, we are committed to competitive and fair compensation aligned with market rates and internal equity, reflecting individual contributions, experience, and expertise. The pay range for this job indicates minimum and maximum targets for the position. Ranges are regularly reviewed to stay aligned with market conditions. In addition to base salary, Lurie Children’s offer a comprehensive rewards package that may include differentials for some hourly employees, leadership incentives for select roles, health and retirement benefits, and wellbeing programs.