Add Health Research Project Director

Posting Information

Posting Information

Department Carolina Population Center-631100 Career Area Research Professionals Posting Open Date 07/16/2026 Application Deadline 07/30/2026 Open Until Filled No Position Type Permanent Staff (EHRA NF) Working Title Add Health Research Project Director Appointment Type EHRA Non-Faculty Research Position Number 20077394 Vacancy ID NF0009899 Full Time/Part Time Full-Time Permanent FTE 1 Hours per week 40 Position Location North Carolina, US Hiring Range $90,000 - $110,000 dependent on qualifications Proposed Start Date 08/10/2026

Position Information

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Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit

Since 1966, researchers at the Carolina Population Center have pioneered data collection and research techniques that move population science forward by emphasizing life course approaches, longitudinal surveys, the integration of biological measurement into social surveys, and attention to context and environment. We are also at the forefront of creating interdisciplinary training programs that integrate approaches from the social and biological sciences, building research capacity and training the next generation of scholars. Our faculty fellows address pressing research questions about population dynamics, fertility, health, mortality, migration, and the environment. Faculty come from multiple disciplines, benefitting from the cross-pollination of ideas. Our dedicated research and programming staff support fellows at every stage of project development, from conception through data collection or acquisition, analysis and dissemination, and project administration. https://www.cpc.unc.edu/about/

Position Summary

The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), housed and administered at the Carolina Population Center (CPC) is the largest, most comprehensive nationally representative longitudinal study of adolescents ever undertaken. Over the 32 year long and continuing project, Add Health has and continues to collect rich demographic, social, familial, behavioral, psychosocial, cognitive, and health survey data from participants and their parents; a vast array of contextual data from participants' schools, neighborhoods, and geographies of residence; and in-home physical and biological data from participants, including genetic markers, blood-based assays, anthropometric measures, and medications.

The Add Health Research Project Director will provide leadership, financial and administrative management for the home exam field operations of the Add Health research project that has an approximate budget of $20 million. S/he will oversee the biological portion of a nationwide original data collection effort performed by a major subcontractor and work very closely with three biological laboratories. S/he will assist with keeping track of the 18,000-person cohort by developing retention plans and timelines. S/he will coordinate development of questionnaire materials and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for data and specimen collection. S/he will work with data staff on the transfer of sensitive information across subcontracting partners to ensure study participant information is accurately and securely transferred. The Add Health Research Project Director will work closely with the Add Health research team including experts in sociology, epidemiology, and data collection management on the project's biological day-to-day research activities involving data collection and field operations and coordinate field activities across the subcontractors and data staff.

The position will oversee regulatory compliance activities for the project, including IRB submissions, amendments, renewals, reliance agreements between coordinating sites and subcontractors, Promptly Reportable Incidents (PRI), and NIH RPPR reporting. The Add Health Research Project Director will work across multiple institutions and coordinating sites to ensure compliance with UNC and federal guidelines and implement corrective actions, staff training, and interviewer guidance as needed to support compliance and data quality.

This position will directly supervise multiple project staff, including an Assistant Project Manager, the Retention Coordinator, the Medical Outcomes Coordinator, and the Biospecimen Coordinator. Supervision responsibilities will include assigning and monitoring work, managing timelines and deliverables, supporting staff training, and ensuring effective coordination across project teams and external partners.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

Master's or Bachelor's and 0-2 years' experience; or will accept a combination of related education and experience in substitution.

Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

• Demonstrated experience managing and prioritizing responsibilities across multiple concurrent projects and project components, ensuring alignment of timelines, resources, and deliverables across teams.
• Proven ability to plan, direct, and execute project activities across multiple functional areas, ensuring deliverables are completed on time and within scope.
• Outstanding organizational and management skills as well as excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Must be motivated and take initiative.
• Must be able to anticipate and solve problems.
• Must show the ability to work independently along with a demonstrated ability to work and collaborate within and across teams both inside and outside the organization.

Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

• Minimum of one year of experience in managing or directing a complex research project is desirable, preferably within a university setting.
• Experience with field operations for major data collection efforts, especially those involving collection of biological specimens highly desirable.
• Experience using statistical packages (e.g., SAS, Stata) to run descriptive statistics.

Special Physical/Mental Requirements Campus Security Authority Responsibilities

Not Applicable.

Special Instructions Quick Link https://unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/322535

Posting Contact Information

Department Contact Name and Title Dawn Andres Department Contact Telephone or Email dsandres@email.unc.edu Office of Human Resources Contact Information

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the Office of Human Resources at (919) 843-2300 or send an email to employment@unc.edu

Please note: The Office of Human Resources will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

• Curriculum Vitae / Resume
• Cover Letter
• List of References

Optional Documents

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• • Please select the response below that describes your level of education that best or mostly closely satisfies the education requirements for this position.
• Bachelor's degree in required discipline(s) listed or related field
• Bachelor's degree in any field/discipline
• Master's degree or Doctorate degree in required discipline(s) listed or related field
• Master's degree or Doctorate degree in any field/discipline
• None of the above