Visiting Senior Research Specialist and Visiting Research Specialist, Center for Urban Education Leadership, University of Illinois at Chicago

Visiting Senior Research Specialist and Visiting Research Specialist, Center for Urban Education Leadership, University of Illinois at Chicago

The Center for Urban Education Leadership, within the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago, is launching a search for two full-time visiting research positions. The Center for Urban Education Leadership conducts research and policy work in urban school leadership, urban school improvement, and urban school leadership preparation and development.  The Center is connected with the UIC’s nationally-recognized Ed.D. program, which prepares transformational urban school leaders.

The UIC Ed.D. program in Urban Education Leadership has placed over 130 principals in Chicago Public Schools and other high-need urban districts over the past decade, 70% of them as principals.  Evidence of UIC leaders’ impact on schools earned the Council of Great Cities Urban Impact Award in 2012, and the UCEA Exemplary Educational Leadership Preparation Program Award in 2013.

The Center recently received new federal and philanthropic funding to research principal preparation program development and conduct data analysis to assess and improve program quality including UIC principals’ impact on school improvement and how such impact is achieved.

Visiting Senior Research Specialist

This position is a principal contributor in the Center’s ongoing research to investigate the strategies and effectiveness of school leaders in high-need schools. 

Under the direction of the Center Research Director and collaborating with other Center staff members, the Visiting Senior Research Specialist will be responsible for:

• Developing research project goals and objectives along with design of research and data collection methods;
• Developing reviews of literature and evaluating current research developments and opportunities to determine their potential applicability to research priorities of the Center;
• Collaborating in the writing of grant proposals to secure research funding;
• Conducting and coordinating data collection in current research studies;
• Analyzing and interpreting data gathered with mixed methods research designs and refining study design;
• Developing and writing advanced study protocols, measurement, and assessment instruments;
• Assisting with timely completion of research administrative activities including IRB and federal reporting requirements;
• Writing research summaries, reports, and articles that include policy implications of research findings.

Qualifications include a master’s degree in social science or related field, with doctoral level training strongly preferred; minimum of five years of related research experience; candidate must demonstrate advanced knowledge of research principles, concepts, practices and methods, and be highly motivated to work collaboratively with practitioners and researchers on program design as well as research design.  Research and/or professional experience in areas related to urban school improvement and PreK-12 urban school leadership are especially valued.

Applicants should submit a letter of interest, a resume and contact information for 3 references electronically at http://jobs.uic.edu/job-board/job-details?jobID=37903 no later than December 17, 2013.

Visiting Research Specialist

Under the direction of the Center Research Director, the Visiting Research Specialist will be responsible for:

• Collaborating with Principal Investigator and researchers to develop objectives and design of research projects and proposals
• Formulating and conducting research studies and analyses.  Performing complex data collections and study methods.  Analyzing and evaluating research results.
• Replicating, refining and adding new research approaches based on project needs.  Testing, customizing and implementing new methods and procedures.
• Developing and writing advances, comprehensive protocols.
• Monitoring project developments on an ongoing basis.  Proposing and implementing changes as needed.
• Contributing material, preparing results and assisting in the writing of research findings for publications, technical reports, presentations, grants and other documents for publications.

Qualifications include a master’s degree in social science or related field, with doctoral level training strongly preferred; minimum of five years of related research experience; candidate must demonstrate advanced knowledge of research principles, concepts, practices and methods. Research and/or professional experience in areas related to urban school improvement and PreK-12 urban school leadership are especially valued.

Applicants should submit a letter of interest, a resume and contact information for 3 references electronically at http://jobs.uic.edu/job-board/job-details?jobID=37904 no later than December 17, 2013.

The University of Illinois is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.