Research Professional, HOPE LAB and RF-CDR Labs

University of Chicago

University of Chicago

Chicago, IL, USA
USD 51k-55k / year
Posted on May 29, 2025

Department

Booth CDR: Operations - White


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 Roman Family Center for Decision Research (RF-CDR) is devoted to the study of how individuals form judgments and make decisions. Researchers at the RF-CDR examine the processes by which intuition, reasoning, and social interaction produce beliefs, judgments, and choices. The Lab Research Professional provides managerial and administrative support within the HOPE LAB led by Professors Levine and Risen, as well as within the RFCDR Labs’ research operations, supporting faculty members, research professionals, and PhD candidates with their research. This is a 1 -2 year position, with the ideal candidate being one who is interested in gaining a few years of post-baccalaureate research and professional experience before pursuing graduate study in the behavioral sciences.

Responsibilities

  • Manages the oversight of data collection for human behavioral research projects conducted by Professors Levine and Risen and their collaborators, as well as for the broader RF-CDR Labs, with 50% of work specifically focused on supporting the HOPE LAB. Serves as research project manager for studies, managing the full life-cycle of each experiment from research request submission, to data collection, through final delivery of collected data, across RFCDR Lab and partner sites.
  • Assists in coordinating with external research partners, and in creating new research partnerships when necessary to develop data-collection opportunities for Professors Risen and Levine, and other HOPE LAB members. Develops methods for recruitment of research participants with more specialized samples as needed, including attending professional conferences and events, reaching out to local business to run studies, setting up field sites, conducting research online, etc. Assists in creating recruitment materials and in updating the HOPE LAB website to promote research projects and partnerships.
  • Provides support to faculty and graduate student researchers to help create, optimize and troubleshoot research study materials, communicating research study development and management updates with faculty members and their research teams in a timely manner. Manages IRB protocol submissions, preregistration materials, and creates survey instruments in Qualtrics as well as with other platforms and technologies as needed, and in consultation with the RF-CDR programmers as needed.
  • Oversees research assistants, including hiring, training, managing, and approving hours, as well as providing ongoing oversight of research assistant interaction and data collection with study participants.
  • Maintains current training in research ethics, including the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program), and supports training and oversight of research ethics with research assistants as they engage with participants and collect data.
  • Manages and analyzes datasets, entering, coding, and providing descriptive and statistical analysis of data as needed. Produces analytical and data visualization reports when required. Adheres to Center standards of data security and integrity as a trusted and conscientious research professional.
  • Provides support in optimizing research operations in the RFCDR Labs, by maintaining and reviewing operational records for the Labs and supporting ongoing operational initiatives, and conducting and presenting data analysis as needed from these records, such as for quarterly meetings.
  • Assists with procurement and management of inventory and related accounting. Maintains and tracks all materials, equipment, logs, and any other items required to conduct HOPE LAB research projects carried out in the CDR Labs. Assists with procurement of study-related supplies and materials, and manages expenses using UChicago ePayment and GEMS online systems. Assists with other accounting for HOPE LAB members as needed.
  • Assists in research and preparation of materials related to course development and delivery for Professors Risen and Levine, along with other teaching support as needed.
  • Provides organizational support for meetings. Organizes, schedules, and manages catering, and attends lab meetings and related events for the HOPE LAB. Attends and assists in managing RFCDR Center and Labs team meetings.
  • Assists the RFCDR Administrative Office on projects and events as needed.
  • Maintains technical and administrative support for a research project.
  • Analyzes and maintains data and/or specimens. Conducts literature reviews. Assists with preparation of reports, manuscripts and other documents.
  • 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 < 2 years of work experience in a related job discipline.


Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in the areas of psychology, organizational behavior, marketing, other behavioral science discipline.
  • Master’s degree.

Experience:

  • A minimum one year of experience in supporting and conducting in-person and/or online experimental research, including experience with common tools of online and in-person research (Qualtrics, etc.).

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

  • Conducting statistical analyses using SPSS, R and/or STATA.
  • Proficient in content creation tools for recruitment materials, including Canva and/or Adobe, and creating and maintaining websites in wordpress.
  • Demonstrated proficiency with MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook)

Preferred Competencies

  • Demonstrated familiarity with social science research.
  • Understand and synthesize research in the behavioral and social sciences, including a familiarity with peer-reviewed academic research.
  • Work independently with little supervision; possess a self-motivated disposition; identify opportunities for improvement and recommend effective changes, all while achieving key objectives.
  • Excellent strategic planning, critical thinking, attention to detail, organizational and analytical skills. Handle multiple detailed tasks/projects simultaneously and meet strict deadlines even when interruptions occur. Good time management skills, and attention to detail.
  • Outstanding verbal, written, and presentation skills across all methods of communication, such as in-person, email, and phone.
  • Demonstrated ability to work effectively and diplomatically with colleagues, as well as with students, faculty and corporate contacts.
  • 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

Individual Contributor


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

$51,000.00 - $55,000.00

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.

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu. Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.