Lab Administrator

uchicago; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 45,000 - 50,000; Part time

Job summary

The University of Chicago Crown Family School seeks a highly organized Lab Administrator to support grant-funded DISC Lab projects. You will manage databases, coordinate nationwide research efforts, and ensure smooth operations across multiple teams.

Responsibilities include coordinating candidates, onboarding, HR/compliance tasks, budgeting, and communications. Proficiency in MS Word/Excel, SPSS, and Qualtrics is required; hybrid schedule with occasional overtime.

Qualifications

• Education: college or university degree in a related field.
• Work Experience: 2-5 years in a related job discipline.
• Preferred: Bachelor's degree in related field strongly preferred.
• Experience in research project management (1-3 years).
• Experience interacting with children or adolescents (1-3 years).
• Prior administrative duties in applied or clinical settings.

Responsibilities

• Admin duties: manage calendars, scheduling, and electronic file management; prepare agendas; edit lab documents.
• Personnel management: recruit, hire, onboard; manage time sheets; coordinate HR trainings.
• Facilities/IT coordination: manage resources, room reservations, and vendor agreements.
• Communications: oversee lab communications, social media, and newsletters.
• Project support: assist with recruitment, enrollment, data collection instruments.
• Financial: maintain records, prepare monthly reports, manage budgets and incentives.
• Events: plan and coordinate events and presentations; post-event write-ups.
• Web maintenance: update employment, news, staff and project pages.
• Other administrative projects as needed.

Skills

Lab administration

Project management

Communication skills

Data management

MS Word/Excel/PowerPoint

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Tools

SPSS

Qualtrics

Job description

Department

Crown DISC Lab

About the Department

As one of the first schools of social work in the United States, the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice has shaped the field for more than 100 years. As part of the University of Chicago, the Crown Family School shares the University’s core values and distinctive intellectual culture. Crown Family School faculty, staff, and students focus on identifying solutions to complex social problems through research, training, and direct community engagement. Guided by an interdisciplinary tradition, Crown Family School scholars conduct innovative research to address interconnected social challenges such as educational inequality, health disparities, crime and violence, poverty, and child and family welfare—working at multiple scales, from individual to policy-level interventions. More than 10,000 Crown Family School graduates in the US and globally hold leadership positions in academia, at nonprofits, in business, and at governmental agencies. The Crown Family School is the home of three academic centers. These include the Susan and Richard Kiphart Center for Global Health and Social Development, the Kersten Institute for Urban Education, and the Center for Climate, Health, and Society (CHAS). More information may be found at https://crownschool.uchicago.edu/.

Job Summary

The position requires a highly motivated and experienced Lab Administrator for grant-funded research projects within the Development-in-Sociocultural-Context (DISC) Research Lab. The Lab Administrator performs a variety of project management support and administrative duties for multiple federally funded research projects. This position will be responsible for maintaining project databases and coordinating local, state, and nationwide research efforts.

The incumbent must have outstanding organizational and communication skills, project management abilities, and academic writing skills. Mistakes in interpersonal communications could have dire results for this project. The incumbent will be successful based on the cooperation and goodwill of many people. The incumbent must possess a strong work ethic and be able to work collaboratively as well as independently. This position requires knowledge of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SPSS, and Qualtrics.

The position is grant funded, with the term of the assignment continuing for the duration of the initial grant and subsequent grant renewals. While the standard working hours are 20/week, during data collection or high activity points in the project, additional hours may be required. Overtime at time and a half will be applied when more than 40 hours are necessary in a given week.

Responsibilities

• Administrative Duties: Manage all calendaring, scheduling, and electronic file management. Assist director in developing lab meeting agendas and attend all operations team meetings. Copyedit lab documents and presentation slides for grammar, spelling, clarity, and consistent formatting prior to submission or distribution. Provide administrative support for the faculty director of the Kersten Institute of Urban Education as directed.
• Personnel Management: Coordinate with project managers and director to conduct candidate searches as well as recruit, hire, and manage time sheets for temporary staff, student workers, and summer interns. Conduct new hire onboarding—including the collection of CITI human subjects certifications—and office tours. Manage federal work study application process for student employees. Facilitate agreements with independent contractors. Track all expenditures related to hourly employees and independent contractors. Ensure employee compliance with mandatory HR trainings and directives.
• Facilities Management: Coordinate with university facilities management and IT as needed. Manage office resources, room reservations, and catering. Facilitate agreements with independent contractors and vendors associated with data collection. Work with director to execute data use agreements with affiliated researchers and manage access to electronic data files.
• Communications: Manage the lab Communications team and oversee communications strategy including social media, website, lab linktr.ee, and annual family newsletter. Manage the lab shared email inbox, listserv, Teams, and Box.
• Project Support: Assist project manager with the execution of tasks related to research projects, including participant recruitment, enrollment, tracking, consent/assent, and communication as well as fraud checking and data collection tasks. Work with director and project manager to develop, revise, and test data collection instruments.
• Financial Oversight and Reporting: Maintain accurate financial records, coordinate with grant administrators on expenditures, and prepare monthly financial reports using Orbit/Oracle. Process expense reports and invoices. Ensure timely submission of applications and reports, including funding agency correspondence. Manage budget for and distribution of research participant incentives.
• Coordinates events, researches logistics, assists with planning and preparing presentations, event outreach, and post-event write ups.
• Assists with researching funding opportunities, preparing grant proposals, and drafting and/or editing other written materials with moderate guidance.
• Maintains website (including but not limited to: employment page, news page, staff page, project pages, innovation challenge page).
• Assists with other administrative projects as needed and acquire higher level guidance and skills.
• 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 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications: ---

Preferred Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in related field strongly preferred.

Experience:

• 1-3 years experience with research project management, preferably in the field of education, developmental psychology, family studies, or other applied discipline.
• 1-3 years experience interacting with children or adolescents within school, family, or community settings.
• Prior experience with administrative duties within applied or clinical settings.

Preferred Competencies

• Excellent organizational skills and keen attention to detail.
• Ability to balance and prioritize work tasks effectively and on time.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including technical editing skills.
• Communications experience; Canva or other graphic design experience preferred.
• Ability to work with spreadsheets, simple statistical packages (e.g., SPSS), and survey platforms (e.g., Qualtrics).
• Maintain confidentiality and follow university policies regarding data security.
• Working knowledge of policy and practice innovations related to childcare and early education with an eagerness to develop further knowledge in these areas.

Working Conditions

• Hybrid work schedule possible, on-site at the Hyde Park campus in Chicago
• Travel to external stakeholder sites as needed
• During data collection or high activity points in the project, additional hours above 20/week may be required. Overtime at time and a half will be applied when more than 40 hours are necessary in a given week.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)
• Cover letter (required)
• References (when asked)

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

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

Job Family

Administration & Management

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 20

Drug Test Required: No

Health Screen Required: No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required: No

Pay Rate Type: Hourly

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Pay Range: $33.00 - $36.00

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.

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.