Director, Mindworks

Department

Booth CDR: Operations

About the Department

The University of Chicago Booth School of Business is the second-oldest business school in the U.S. and second to none when it comes to influencing business education and business practices. Since 1898, the school has produced ideas and leaders that shape the world of business. Their rigorous, discipline-based approach to business education transforms students into confident, effective, respected business leaders prepared to face the toughest challenges.

Chicago Booth has the finest set of facilities of any business school in the world. Each of the four campuses (two in Chicago, one in London, and one in Hong Kong) reflects the architectural traditions of its environs while offering a state-of-the-art learning environment.

Chicago Booth is proud to claim:

• an unmatched faculty.
• degree and open enrollment programs offered on three continents.
• a global body of nearly 56,000 accomplished alumni.
• strong and growing corporate relationships that provide a wealth of lifelong career opportunities.

As part of the world-renowned University of Chicago, Chicago Booth shares the University's core values that shape the distinctive intellectual culture. At Booth, they constantly question and test ideas, and seek proof. This extraordinarily effective approach to business leads to new ideas and innovative solutions. Seven of the Booth faculty members have won Nobel Prizes for these ideas - the first business school to achieve this accomplishment. For more information about the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, please visit: http://www.chicagobooth.edu/.

Job Summary

The Director of Mindworks leads operations of the RF-CDR Mindworks Lab, including management of lab managers, research professionals, and research assistants who carry out research operations at Mindworks, and providing supervision of the on-site operations, systems, and facilities that support RF-CDR research. The Director oversees project management and operational procedures for all research conducted in the lab by RF-CDR-affiliated faculty, graduate students, and research professionals. They also design visitor experience content and train all research staff on Mindworks visitor engagement and contribute to Mindworks exhibit content and materials. The Director also provides budgetary and accounting support, and designs and supervises programs and events to support RF-CDR Lab operations, engagement, and recruitment, and will manage and collaborate with research professionals who design and deliver programs and events at Mindworks.

Responsibilities

• Directs the daily operations of Mindworks. Coordinates with the Labs Services Director in designing all procedures, tools, and operations of Mindworks, and adjusting and refining these operations when required. Assists the RF-CDR Labs Services Director in leading the RF-CDR management team during weekly meetings to revise and develop Mindworks Lab policies and procedures in order to facilitate efficient and effective research operations and recruitment of participants.
• Supervises the full execution of all faculty, research professional, and graduate student research projects in the RF-CDR Labs. This includes project management oversight for all procedures and operations for the full lifecycle of research studies carried out through the RF-CDR Labs.
• Leads search and hiring decisions for part-time and full-time Lab staffing needs, and manages and determines seasonal staffing needs of Mindworks, ensuring that operations are carried out efficiently and effectively.
• Oversees management of Mindworks staff, including the design and delivery of research team training materials and training events, coaching, and performance feedback and professional development meetings for Lab team members. Assists the RF-CDR Labs Services Director in designing and delivering training, retreat, and professional development events for the full RF-CDR Labs team.
• Remains up to date with Institutional Review Board policy and ethical guidelines in human subjects research, as well as state-of-the art methods and tools in behavioral science research. Provides support and best-practice recommendations to RF-CDR researchers related to these guidelines and policies. Oversees SBS-IRB training requirements for Mindworks staff.
• Designs visitor experience content and trains research staff on Mindworks visitor engagement, and professional and ethical practices in conducting research with Mindworks visitors. Oversees content of current exhibits in Mindworks and provides guidance on the design of future exhibits and demonstrations as necessary. Works with the Labs Services Director in developing and delivering interactive educational research opportunities, events, and programs presented by the RF-CDR Labs, in support of research initiatives and outreach.
• Designs and oversees communication and reporting methods related to research progress and operations at Mindworks, between lab managers, researchers, research assistants, and staff. Oversees the RF-CDR Lab reporting to researchers and internal progress data collection and reporting. Coordinates with the Labs Director in producing quarterly reports of lab accomplishments and activities for the RF-CDR community.
• Assists in managing the budget and accounting for Mindworks, in consultation with Labs Director and Budget and Accounting office personnel, including internal billing chargebacks to researchers. Maintains and oversees facilities and equipment in the RF-CDR Labs, including procurement. Ensures that Mindworks research equipment and supplies are well-maintained. Oversees maintenance of the equipment and facilities in the RF-CDR Labs, in consultation with RF-CDR Application Developers, IT, and facilities staff when necessary. Reconciles research expenses using UChicago Oracle and GEMS online systems, and in coordination with Budget and Accounting staff.
• Promotes the RF-CDR's research initiatives through building and maintaining strong partnerships across UChicago, as well as with local civic and community organizations. Coordinates with partner organizations through which the RF-CDR can promote Mindworks and carry out field research initiatives, exploring creative avenues for collaboration. Interfaces with cultural and business leaders in Chicago to promote Mindworks.
• Supports development of outreach and advertising ideas and publicity methods for recruiting participants into Mindworks research, in coordination with RF-CDR Director of Communications and Labs Services Director. With the Lab Services Director, assists in managing recruitment of Mindworks visitors into the RF-CDR Virtual Lab, and oversees the operations and procedures of engaging participants across both lab operations, as well as overseeing staff who manage the intersection of Mindworks and Virtual Lab operations.
• Manages research professionals and support staff involved with planning, monitoring, and compliance aspects of research projects. Advises other researchers on long-range plans for research projects.
• Develops goals and operating procedures, practices, and guidelines for research activity based on department strategy.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

• --

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Master's degree in the area of psychology, business, organizational behavior, or marketing.

Experience:

• Behavioral research design and research methods, and in conducting computer, web-based, and interpersonal interaction-based experiments.
• Managing a team of research staff, with demonstrated successful leadership and mentorship.
• Hiring, coaching, managing others performance.
• Managing budgets and accounting procedures.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Demonstrated proficiency with MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook), and with common tools of behavioral science research (Qualtrics) and statistical analysis (R, SPSS, SAS).
• Programming and technical skills related to conducting computer and web-based research.

Preferred Competencies

• Iidentify opportunities for improvement and recommend effective changes for complex research structures and processes, all while achieving key objectives for research operations.
• Outstanding verbal, written, and presentation skills, as well as organizational skills.
• Work independently with little supervision; possess a self-motivated disposition; identify opportunities for improvement and recommend effective changes, all while achieving key objectives resulting in desired outcomes.
• Excellent strategic planning, critical thinking, analytical, and persuasion skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively and diplomatically with colleagues, as well as with students, faculty and corporate contacts in a multitude of communication methods such as in person, email, and phone.
• Professional demeanor, including tact, discretion, and a customer service-oriented approach.

Working Conditions

• This position is expected to work in the office.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Research

Role Impact

People Manager

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Range

$100,000.00 - $120,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University's good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

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.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

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