Research Assistant/Associate (Survey Research Operations Manager)

Wayne State University; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care

Dental

Vision

Retirement plan

Tuition assistance

Vacation & sick leave

Long-term disability

Long-term care insurance

FSA

Job summary

Wayne State University is seeking an experienced Survey Research Operations Manager to oversee large-scale multi-mode surveys at our Detroit campus. You will translate study designs into practical data collection plans and manage timelines, recruitment, and incentives across mail, web, phone, and in-person modes.

You will supervise staff, coordinate with external partners, ensure ADA compliance, and produce clean datasets with analyses and reports for Center leadership.

Qualifications

• Degree in social science research with coursework in methods.
• 2–5 years experience managing survey operations in academic setting.
• Excellent command of English; bilingual in Spanish or Arabic a plus.
• Strong knowledge of social science research methods and data collection procedures.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.
• Proficiency with data processing software and statistics.

Responsibilities

• Report to the Center Director and Managing Director daily.
• Translate study designs into practical data collection plans (sampling, recruitment, incentives).
• Develop and update project workplans; manage timelines and field activities.
• Coordinate with state agencies for ADA compliance of survey materials.
• Oversee printing houses and external partners; ensure quality control.
• Prepare samples and rebalancing for several surveys; manage follow-ups.
• Monitor CATI lab samples; oversee data collection progress.
• Produce clean survey datasets and conduct statistical analyses; create reports.
• Provide regular updates to the survey team and Center leadership.
• Oversee deployment across mail, web, phone, and in-person modes to maximize reach.
• Implement QA/QC, ensure data integrity and IRB compliance.
• Assist in hiring, training, and supervising survey staff; support quality control.
• Assist in grant proposals and literature reviews; plan data collection procedures.
• Assist in preparing articles for refereed journals.

Skills

Project management

Data analysis

Communication

Multitasking

Education

Master’s degree preferred

Ph.D. in progress preferred

Degree in social science research

Tools

SAS

SPSS

Excel

Access

DBase

Remark

CATI programming

Job description

Research Assistant/Associate (Survey Research Operations Manager)

Wayne State University is searching for an experienced Survey Research Operations Manager to oversee the logistics and processes for implementing large-scale multi-mode surveys at its Detroit campus location.

Wayne State is a premier, public, urban research university located in Detroit, Michigan, offering a rich, high-quality education to students from all backgrounds. Our deep-rooted commitment to excellence, collaboration, integrity, diversity, and inclusion creates exceptional educational opportunities which prepare students for success in a global society.

Responsibilities

• Report to the Center Director and the Center’s Managing Director on a day-to-day basis, providing ongoing updates as requested.
• Collaborate with researchers to translate study designs into practical data collection plans, including sampling, recruitment, and incentive administration.
• Project management: develop and update project workplans, manage timelines, and oversee daily activities for data collection efforts.
• Coordinate with state agencies to ensure ADA compliance of survey materials, including non-English versions.
• Coordinate with external partners, including printing/mailing houses and directory providers, and provide leadership at the printing house to ensure quality control.
• Work with lead researchers to prepare samples across several surveys, including cohort rebalancing and creating lists for target reminders and follow‑up efforts.
• Coordinate with the CATI lab to monitor phone samples on an ongoing basis.
• Manage the technology and systems needed for processing data and tracking progress (e.g., SPSS, Excel, Access, SQL, OMR software such as Remark).
• Produce clean survey datasets across all modes, conduct statistical analysis, and create data summary files and reports.
• Provide regular updates to the survey team and Center leadership.
• Data collection oversight: manage the deployment and execution of various survey modes (mail, web, phone, in‑person) to maximize response rates and reach diverse populations.
• Quality assurance and quality control: implement quality control measures, ensure data integrity and compliance with IRB protocols, and monitor data collection progress to increase response rates.
• Staff management: assist in hiring, training, and supervising survey research staff (interviewers, student assistants, support staff) and provide ongoing support and quality control.
• Initiate grant proposals in the areas of survey research and/or program evaluation, including identifying funding sources and RFPs, conducting literature reviews, developing research questions, designing methods, and planning data collection procedures.
• Assist in the preparation of articles for consideration in refereed journals on an ongoing basis.

Qualifications

• A degree in social science research (e.g., political science, public administration, demography, education, geography, psychology, public health, social work, sociology, survey methodology, statistics, or urban studies) with coursework in research methods is required; a Master’s degree or Ph.D. in progress is highly preferred.
• 2–5 years of solid experience managing operations of surveys or similar processes in an academic setting.
• Excellent command of the English language, both written and spoken; bilingual in Spanish or Arabic is a plus.
• Strong working knowledge of social science research methods and experience managing primary data collection procedures (mail surveys, CATI lab, web-based surveys, in‑person interviews, focus groups, etc.).
• Ability to manage several projects simultaneously, prioritize and plan work activities while meeting deadlines.
• Strong organizational and time‑management skills.
• Proficient with software necessary to convert and process data (SAS, SPSS, Excel, Access, DBase, Remark); computer programming capability, including CATI programming software, is an advantage; experience in statistical analyses is a plus.
• Supervision skills and experience, including effective recruitment strategies and performance assessment.
• Flexible, adaptable, professional, and resourceful style; able to work independently and as a team player.
• Strong diplomatic, written, and oral communication skills.

Annual competitive salary range: $65,000 to $85,000 based on training and professional experience. Benefits include health care, dental, vision, life insurance, retirement savings plan, tuition assistance, vacation and illness hours, long‑term disability, long‑term care insurance, and flexible spending accounts.

Required application materials: resume/CV, writing samples (including survey reports), transcript of highest degree (unofficial acceptable), and at least three references.

Wayne State welcomes applications from persons with disabilities and veterans. Wayne State is an equal‑opportunity employer.