Department: Education & Social Policy
Salary/Grade: EXS/5

Job Summary:

This position manages daily operations, research, and administrative activities for the Contexts of Adolescent Stress and Thriving (COAST) Lab with P.I. Dr. Emma Adam. The COAST lab examines how everyday stress affects adolescents' health, behavior, academic achievement, and emotional development. Work will include overseeing and assisting with all aspects of the lab's research activities, including administering participant recruitment, and overseeing in-person and questionnaire-based data collection, supervision of undergraduate research assistants, purchasing supplies and equipment, data management and basic data analysis, assisting with literature reviews and manuscript preparation, and budget management. Effective communication and detail-oriented organization under minimal supervision are required.

Manages daily operations of lab activities including study teams involving multidisciplinary teams of colleagues, sponsors, and other external project stakeholders. Interacts with research participants and oversees data collection. Assigns work and supervises study staff. Develops, implements, and administers budgets, grants, and administrative procedures. Co-authors scientific papers for presentation and publication and helps coordinate writing, submission, and administration of grants. Helps ensure that all lab activities are completed by strictly following Good Clinical Practices (GCP), and all current local, state, and federal laws, regulations, guidance, policy, and procedure developed by the NU Institutional Review Board (IRB), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), and the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH).

Expected hiring range $50,000-$63,000

Specific Responsibilities:

Technical

• Coordinates collection, processing and analysis of data.
• Manages technical operations of the lab.
• Organizes and plans research studies in consultation with the PI to ensure project objectives are attained.
• Oversees and guides lab staff in review of results and recommendation or changes to protocols to improve validity and accuracy.

Administrative

• Assists with long-term strategic planning of lab activities in consultation with PI.
• Participates in hiring procedures for lab personnel and undergraduate research assistants.
• Oversees and manages maintenance, analysis, and evaluation of data that will be used in grant submissions, presentations, and publications.
• Trains, directs, assigns duties to, and supervises lab undergraduates and students, typically a team between 5-15 lab members.
• Ensures that information is entered correctly into databases.
• Assists PI and team in reviewing, analyzing, interpreting, summarizing, formatting, editing, and preparing tables, charts, graphs, progress and final reports, etc.
• Coordinates between sponsoring agencies, collaborating organizations, and/or other research and/or educational institutions.
• Ensures research regulations are adhered to, including that IRB approvals are in place.

Finance

• Manages lab budget and inventory, including purchasing of supplies and services ensuring that they are necessary, reasonable, and project-related.
• Orders and maintains inventory of lab supplies.
• Manages participant payment for ongoing studies.
• Distributes intra-departmental charges and reimbursements.
• Negotiates with vendors, obtains quotes, and arranges demos of large equipment.

Minimum Qualifications

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in a major in a social or health-related field; OR appropriate combination or education and experience and 6 year's research study or other relevant experience required;
• OR successful completion or a full course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a master's or higher degree in a major such as a social or health science-related field; OR appropriate combination of education and experience and 4 year's research study or other relevant experience.
• Must complete NU's IRB CITI training and re-certify every 3 years.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with online questionnaires (e.g., Qualtrics)
• Prior research experience
• Experience with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Experience with statistical software (e.g.. SPSS, R, STATA)
• Data management skills
• High level of computer and technological literacy
• Rapid learner of new software and technologies
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to display attention to detail
• Ability to work effectively under time pressure
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Ability to be a team player

Target hiring range for this position will be between $50,000-$63,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at to learn more.

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Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Click for information on EEO is the Law.

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