Sr. Research Specialist

About the Department

To transform mental health through compassionate, innovative interdisciplinary care, pioneering research, and the education of future leaders dedicated to advancing the well-being of individuals, families, and their communities.

About the Role

The Sr. Research Specialist serves as the department's lead for project coordination and operational planning, overseeing the organization, prioritization, and execution of initiatives across multiple teams. This role provides leadership in establishing project management standards, coordinating timelines, monitoring progress, and ensuring organizational priorities remain on track. Acting as a central resource for cross-functional collaboration, the Research Specialist promotes consistency, accountability, and effective communication across projects while supporting strategic departmental goals. As the project management function expands, this role is expected to provide guidance and direction to Project Managers and help shape the department's project management infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the departmental lead for coordinating complex projects and strategic initiatives across multiple teams, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and timelines.
• Develop, implement, and maintain standardized project management processes, tools, templates, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to promote consistency and operational excellence.
• Provide functional leadership, guidance, and project management support to team members, fostering collaboration, accountability, and adoption of best practices.
• Coordinate cross-functional efforts among operational, research, education, and technology teams to ensure effective communication, resource alignment, and successful project execution.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive project plans, timelines, milestones, and tracking mechanisms, proactively identifying risks and implementing solutions to keep initiatives on schedule.
• Monitor project performance, prepare reports and dashboards, and provide leadership with regular updates, recommendations, and analysis to support strategic decision-making.
• Facilitate project meetings, document action items, and ensure timely completion of follow-up activities.
• Lead the development, review, and continuous improvement of departmental workflows, methodologies, and operational procedures, adapting existing processes to meet evolving organizational needs.
• Independently analyze and resolve complex operational and project-related challenges by recommending and implementing process improvements and innovative solutions.
• Apply subject matter expertise and industry best practices to support the design, implementation, and evaluation of departmental initiatives and research-related activities.
• Serve as a central resource for project coordination, promoting collaboration across teams and ensuring initiatives are executed efficiently and consistently.
• Support organizational initiatives beyond core responsibilities, including operational planning, event coordination, communications, and other strategic projects as assigned.
• Provide expertise to researchers on compliance of research activities with institutional, state, and federal regulatory policies, procedures, directives, and mandates.
• Provide expertise to researchers and research support staff. Oversee activities related to data collection and analysis.
• Lead the establishment of new laboratories and provide assistance with purchasing new laboratory equipment; ensuring efficient operation of laboratory, including overseeing maintenance and repair of laboratory equipment.
• Improve financial, personnel, planning, compliance, and other administrative aspects of research projects. Collaborate with other researchers on long-range plans for research projects.
• Lead, investigate, modify, and apply new procedures, techniques, or applications of technology. Establish goals and operating procedures, practices, and guidelines.
• Perform other related work as needed.

Requirements

• Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in a related field.
• Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Qualifications

Preferred Experience

• Experience coordinating programs, trainings, or projects strongly preferred.

Preferred Skills and Knowledge

• Knowledge in computational methods and statistical tools for the analysis of large-scale neural data.
• Knowledge of research regulatory policies and procedures.
• Experience with Microsoft Office 365 and project management tools (e.g., Planner, Asana, Trello).

Preferred Competencies

• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Excellent communication and coaching abilities.
• Strategic thinker who can balance innovation with consistency.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365.
• Prior leadership experience.
• Organizational skills.
• Verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.

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.

Pay

$80,000.00 - $120,000.00 per year.

Schedule

• Scheduled weekly hours: 40
• FLSA Status: Exempt