Sr Research Associate

Job Description

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Job Title: Sr Research Associate

Posting Start Date: 8/31/26

Work Arrangement: Onsite

Current UC employees must apply internally via SuccessFactors

Next Lives at the University of Cincinnati

Founded in 1819, the University of Cincinnati ranks among the nation's best urban public research universities. Home to more than 53,600 students, 12,000 faculty and staff, and over 360,000 living alumni, UC, a Carnegie 1 institution, combines research prowess with a physical setting The New York Times has called "the most ambitious campus design program in the country." UC's momentum has never been stronger as the anchor of the Cincinnati Innovation District, the oldest cooperative education (co-op) program in the country with students earning $94 million annually through paid experiences, an academic health system, and as a member of the Big 12 Conference. The university contributes $10.6 billion in economic impact to the city and $22.7 billion to the state of Ohio. At UC, next is all of us. Learn more at uc.edu.

UC is a mission-driven organization where we are committed to student success and positively transforming the community through scholarship and service. We thrive on innovation, making an impact, and fostering an environment where staff and faculty are key contributors to UC's success.

About The University of Cincinnati Institute for Policy Research (UCIPR)

The University of Cincinnati Institute for Policy Research (UCIPR) is a unit of the University of Cincinnati Office of the Provost. The Institute conducts applied research studies in disciplines of public policy, social sciences, behavioral sciences, and public health. The UCIPR's capabilities incorporate rigorous social and behavioral research techniques with extensive experience conducting complex, large-scale surveys (web, telephone, in-person), program evaluation and community needs assessment, interviews and focus groups, and data analytics and visualization.

Job Overview

The UCIPR is seeking a Senior Research Associate to support the Institute's applied research activities, including survey research, public policy research, and program evaluation. The Senior Research Associate will work with University and external partners to identify research priorities, develop study objectives, and design, conduct, and communicate research findings.

The position will lead research projects from study design through reporting, including stakeholder engagement, data collection, analysis, and dissemination. Responsibilities also include proposal and grant development and submission, including study design, methodology development, budget preparation, and proposal writing.

Additional responsibilities may include advising research partners on study design and survey methods, supervising and mentoring staff, undergraduate and graduate students, and supporting other Institute research activities.

Essential Functions

• Coordinate research studies in the disciplines of life sciences, social sciences, environmental sciences, or public health.
• Make independent contributions to projects and studies based on professional training and experience.
• Perform statistical and graphical analysis of data, interpret data and assist in judging validity of data.
• Independently decide how to solve issues/problems and rely upon their own resources to resolve the issue.
• Contribute to the collective team effort.
• May establish test controls, criteria and research standards.
• May design of complex data processing systems to analyze research data.
• Accomplish assigned results for project/studies, or for significant aspects of larger, complex assignments.
• Serve as a seasoned level researcher and may act as a mentor to junior-level research staff.
• May provide direct and/or indirect supervision to exempt and non-exempt staff (i.e., hiring/firing, performance evaluations, disciplinary action, approve time off, etc.).
• Perform related duties based on departmental need. This job description can be changed at any time.

Minimum Requirements

• Experience using research, statistical analysis, survey, and data visualization tools (examples include SPSS, SAS, R, Qualtrics, RedCAP, WinCati/Sensus Web, Power BI, Tableau)
• Must have the ability to work as part of a dynamic team
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills
• Excellent written and oral communication
• Basic proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) and general office computer skills

Required Education

Master's degree in the social sciences, survey research, program evaluation, public policy, political science, psychology, sociology, education, public health or a related field is required; PhD strongly ideal.

Required Experience

Three (3) to five (5) years experience (including advanced degree coursework) leading applied research projects including: direct contributions to a sustained program of externally funded research, including experience identifying funding opportunities, developing proposals, securing awards, and overseeing funded projects; development of surveys and interview/focus group protocols; implementation of complex survey designs and incorporation of complex sample designs in analysis and/or experience in assessment, monitoring and evaluation; direct supervision of project staff and/or undergraduate and graduate students.

Additional Qualifications Considered

Advanced degree

Physical Requirements/Work Environment

• Office environment/no specific unusual physical or environmental demands.

Compensation and Benefits

UC offers an exceptional benefits package designed to support your well-being, financial security, and work-life balance. (UC Benefits) Eligibility may vary by position and FTE status. Highlights include:

Comprehensive Tuition Remission

UC provides tuition remission for you and your eligible dependents, covering tuition costs for nearly all undergraduate and graduate programs offered by the university.

Robust Retirement Plans

As a UC employee, you won't contribute to Social Security (except Medicare). Instead, you'll choose between state pension plans (OPERS, STRS) or an Alternative Retirement Plan (ARP), with UC contributing 14-18% of your salary based on position.

Real Work-Life Balance

UC prioritizes work-life balance with a generous time-off policy, including:

Vacation and sick time

11 paid holidays and additional end-of-year paid time off (Winter Season Days)

6 weeks of paid parental leave for new parents

Additional Benefits Include:

• Competitive salary based on experience
• Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision, prescription)
• Flexible spending accounts & wellness programs
• Professional development & mentorship opportunities

To learn more about why UC is a great place to work, please visit our Careers Page.

UC is an E-Verify employer. If hired into this position, you will be required to provide satisfactory proof of employment eligibility by providing acceptable, original forms of identification for employment verification via the Federal I-9 employment verification process. Click here for a list of acceptable documents.

Important: To apply you must create a profile and submit a complete job application through the UC applicant portal. We are unable to consider "easy apply" applications submitted via other websites. For questions about the UC recruiting process or to request accommodations with the application, please contact UC HR at jobs@uc.edu.

Equal Opportunity Employer. Building a workplace where all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment, including Individuals with Disabilities and Protected Veterans.

REQ: 103987

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