Associate Director of Research, Boniuk Institute for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance
The Boniuk Institute for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance is pleased to be hiring an associate director of research. The associate director of research will be responsible for helping spearhead the development of a new research arm through the Boniuk Institute and overseeing research through the Boniuk Institute and the Religion and Public Life Program, in addition to other programs and centers housed in the Boniuk Institute. The person who fills this position will direct and supervise research grants, research agreements, and projects that deal with topics such as global religious pluralism and religion and inequality. The ideal candidate will be a Master’s or PhD-level researcher who is a specialist in some of the following research areas: religious pluralism, religious tolerance, religion and race, and/or religion and gender. The candidate should have a track record of publication, experience managing externally funded research projects, and experience managing complex teams. As one of four directors, the ideal candidate will be a key part of the leadership team of the Boniuk Institute, working closely with the outreach, operations, and academic program arms of the Boniuk Institute in light of a new strategic plan, which makes research central to the Institute’s mission. This position will be based in Houston, Texas at Rice University and be partially remote. The candidate should expect to work a minimum of two days in the office per week. The expected hiring range is between 100-110K depending on research experience.
Requirements
· PhD preferred; at least Master’s degree required.
· 5 years of related experience in a combination of research administration and/or research experience; in lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education, above and beyond what is required may be substituted.
· Skills Required
o Excellent collaborative, judgement, leadership, negotiation, problem solving, and critical thinking skills with attention to details and willingness to take initiative and lead teams.
o Excellent project management skills.
o Proven ability to create, monitor, and adhere to budgets.
o High proficiency and comprehensive knowledge of project management including the proven ability to predict and evaluate potential risks and to create solutions before they arise.
o Ability to translate research to broader audiences.
o Ability to collect, organize, and manage large amounts of data.
o Knowledge of statistical software, such as SPSS/SAS/R, preferred.
o Knowledge of qualitative analysis software, such as Atlas.ti or Nvivo, preferred.
Essential Functions
· Collaborates with faculty, University leadership, and Institute leadership to develop, set, and execute the strategic research goals and objectives of the Institute and its Director.
· Fosters the development of interdisciplinary research nurturing collaborative research programs to connect individuals and researchers at other institutions at the city, national, and international level.
· Responsible for research budget forecasting, in collaboration with the senior research administrator of finance.
· Creates, oversees, and supervises others in maintaining and communicating with research respondents across multiple projects.
· Identifies, qualifies, and develops potential funding sources.
- Coordinates with the associate director of academic programs in fundraising for major programs and applying for grants for the Institute-based centers that focus on religious tolerance.
· Collaborates with the outreach arm of the Boniuk Institute to translate research.
- Maintains human subject protocols for research projects and ensures compliance, including the protection of subject confidentiality.
- Supervises others in maintaining systems for tracking research project-related presentations, publications, and other outputs.
- Prepares (or supervises others in writing) technical reports for sponsoring agencies and performs other project-related writing tasks, as needed.
· Identifies and assists with writing of research grants.
· Identifies and assists with identifying opportunities for research funding.
· If desired, will have the opportunity to also directly contribute to research and publish from data.
· Performs all other duties as assigned.
Additional Functions
· Oversees and contributes to the day-to-day activities of the project and research office functions. This includes overseeing and mentoring research project staff, project development, data collection, and data analysis defined by research grant/project timelines and within the agreed budget.
· Works with survey firms to coordinate survey activities and manage data collected; the primary point of contact for project survey firms and contracted personnel for research projects.
Preferences
PhD
Please apply if you are interested:
Applications due March 23rd, 2023