Strategic Director of Research Operations & Core Facilities

Biological Sciences Division at the University of Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

The Biological Sciences Division at the University of Chicago invites applications for the OSRF Director of Research Operations. This role leads the daily operations of OSRF and its 20+ core facilities, serving as the primary operational contact for faculty, core directors, and internal stakeholders to ensure efficient facility management and high-quality research support.

You will also support the Associate Dean for Research Resources’ role within the Comprehensive Cancer Center, driving

Qualifications

• Minimum 7+ years of work experience in research administration, project management or operations management.
• Experience in a large academic medical center or research-intensive university preferred.
• Familiarity with core facility operations, facility planning, design, or vivarium management is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the central operational contact for all core facilities and manage cross-facility projects.
• Monitor rates, turnaround times, faculty satisfaction, revenue and cost structure; work with core directors on operational challenges.
• Lead projects including new facility development, master planning, automation and AI adoption, space optimization, and technology implementation.
• Support external engagement, business development, partnerships, and revenue generation in an academic research environment.
• Develop routine reports on core utilizations, gap analyses, and other summaries for leadership review.
• Oversee performance metrics collection and reporting across Cancer Center cores and coordinate with HR, IT, and administration.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in a scientific field

Advanced degree in a scientific field

Tools

IT infrastructure

Software implementations

Technical systems

Job description

The Biological Sciences Division at the University of Chicago invites applications for the OSRF Director of Research Operations. This role leads the daily operations of OSRF and its 20+ core facilities, serving as the primary operational contact for faculty, core directors, and internal stakeholders to ensure efficient facility management and high-quality research support.

You will also support the Associate Dean for Research Resources’ role within the Comprehensive Cancer Center, driving