Senior Research Specialist

Hiring Department: Psychiatry

Location: Chicago, IL USA

Requisition ID: 1043622

Salary: $75,000.00-$95,000.00; Commensurate with experience.

About the University of Illinois Chicago

UIC is among the nation’s preeminent urban public research universities, a Carnegie RU/VH research institution, and the largest university in Chicago. UIC serves over 34,000 students, comprising one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation and is designated as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI), an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPSI) and a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI).

Through its 16 colleges, UIC produces nationally and internationally recognized multidisciplinary academic programs in concert with civic, corporate and community partners worldwide, including a full complement of health sciences colleges. By emphasizing cutting-edge and transformational research along with a commitment to the success of all students, UIC embodies the dynamic, vibrant and engaged urban university. Recent “Best Colleges” rankings published by U.S.

News & World Report, found UIC climbed up in its rankings among top public schools in the nation and among all national universities. UIC has over 300,000 alumni, and is one of the largest employers in the city of Chicago.

Position Summary

The Senior Research Specialist (SRS) is a principal contributor in developing specific research project requirements and is responsible for all aspects of the project from development through delivery. They will perform complex study and data collection methods and may coordinate and direct the work and research tasks of lower-level research staff. The SRS will work closely with the Urban Youth Trauma Center's (UYTC) trauma-informed care dissemination, implementation, and evaluation projects, leading evaluation design, data management, analysis, outcome monitoring, and reporting.

This position integrates the evaluation of UYTC's workforce training and partner implementation activities with the evaluation of outreach, screening, prevention, and treatment services delivered through UIC and community-based programs.

Duties & Responsibilities

• General Duties
• Develop objectives and design of research and data collection procedures. Conceptualize, initiate and execute research goals for project.
• Conduct and coordinate advanced research studies. Analyze and interpret data and results and refine study design.
• Develop and write advanced study protocols.
• Evaluate current developments and research findings to determine their potential applicability to research projects.
• Replicate, refine and add/develop new research approaches based on project needs. Advise on new direction for research based on study results.
• Monitor project developments on an ongoing basis and implement changes as needed.
• Prepare, organize and communicate research results. Write papers, grants, and other documents for publication based on research findings.
• Author and co-author articles for publication and present at scientific symposia and conferences.
• May act as supervisor or team lead in directing and coordinating the work of lower-level staff. Guide, train and advise lower-level researchers and students on techniques, methods and procedures.
• Plan, assign and review work of staff to ensure that group objectives are met. Hire, train, develop and manage staff to ensure that a qualified staff exists to meet group objectives.
• Evaluation Design and Project Monitoring
• Develop and implement evaluation plans, instruments, procedures, and time lines aligned with each project's approved goals. Apply implementation frameworks appropriate to funded programs, including EPIS and RE-AIM, and translate findings into actionable program improvements.
• Assess training reach, provider learning and practice change, implementation fidelity, workforce capacity, partner collaboration, and service recipient outcomes at participating sites. Assess outreach and care access, screening and assessment, service engagement, treatment outcomes, fidelity, and youth and caregiver feedback.
• Data Collection and Management
• Lead collection, tracking, processing, and management of provider and service recipient evaluation data at UIC and partner sites. Establish assessment schedules, data dictionaries, quality checks, secure access procedures, and documentation for reproducible analysis.
• Oversee REDCap and other UIC-approved data systems; resolve missing or inconsistent data and maintain grant, site, and protocol identifiers. Coordinate participant incentives, eligibility tracking, distribution records, and reconciliation with authorized staff.
• Analysis, Reporting, and Scholarship
• Analyze and interpret quantitative and qualitative findings, including outcomes over time and differences across protocols and settings. Provide regular progress summaries and timely feedback to Co-Directors, clinicians, implementation champions, and partner organizations.
• Lead evaluation contributions to quarterly, annual, and final reports; prepare, validate and submit required SAMHSA and NCTSN performance data. Contribute to manuscripts, presentations, grant applications, and dissemination products, with authorship reflecting contributions.
• Training, Implementation Support, and Research Supervision
• Provide evaluation consultation and training to UIC and partner staff on assessment procedures, measurement-based care, fidelity monitoring, and interpretation of results. Support evaluation across UYTC protocols, including STRONG Families, TST-SA, Hip-Hop H.E.A.L.S.!, YVPE, and BEACON.
• Oversee protocol training, consultation, supervision of program implementation, and fidelity review within the specialist's qualifications. Coordinate clinical supervision with appropriately credentialed supervisors.
• Guide research staff, volunteers, and trainees in evaluation methods; assign and review evaluation tasks, monitor data quality, and establish written procedures. Coordinate research and evaluation documentation with investigators, including IRB Submissions and amendments when applicable, confidentiality protections, and approved data sharing.
• Perform other related duties and participate in special projects as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in social science or related field required.

A minimum of 5 years related research experience.

Possesses and applies advanced knowledge of research principles, concepts, practices and methods.

Preferred Qualifications

Master's or doctoral degree in psychology, public health, social work, or related field.

Demonstrated ability to organize concurrent projects, train research personnel, protect confidential information, and collaborate respectfully with diverse youth, families, providers, and community partners.

Demonstrated experience with REDCap and statistical software such as R, SPSS, SAS, or Stata; qualitative or mixed methods; longitudinal outcomes; implementation science; and SAMHSA or NCTSN reporting.

Demonstrated experience delivering training, providing implementation consultation, supporting caregiver program, and assisting in supervising research staff.

Working proficiency (reading, writing, speaking) in Spanish language (native or acquired).

Benefits and Compensation:

The previously determined salary range for this position is $75,000.00-$95,000.00.

We strive to provide a competitive salary, considering factors such as available market data, internal equity, candidate experience and qualifications. The final salary will be determined through a thorough assessment of these elements.

This position is intended to be eligible for benefits. This includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, a Retirement Plan, Paid time Off, and Tuition waivers for employees and dependents.

Please visit our department website at www.psych.uic.edu. Applicants must apply online at http://jobs.uic.edu and reference Job Requisition 1043622 and submit a CV, cover letter, and three names of references by 11/27/2026. The application review process will start after posting close date and will continue until the position is filled. The start date is flexible.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

The university provides accommodations to applicants and employees. Request an Accommodation

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.