Senior Research Scientist - Public Health Research - Remote or Hybrid Office

NORC at the University of Chicago is seeking a qualified Senior Research Scientist to support the Public Health Research Department. NORCs Public Health staff work closely with colleagues in Health Sciences and Health Care to offer program, policy, and research solutions. We are committed to building and maintaining long-term relationships among our staff, partners, and sponsors through collaboration, mutual respect, and a commitment to improving health and health care for all people.

NORC recognizes that talented and skilled researchers live throughout the U.S. and actively supports remote work arrangements.

As a condition of employment, all NORC employees and contractors - including those working remotely - must be fully vaccinated (as defined by current CDC guidance) against COVID-19.

The Public Health Research team conducts work on a variety of public health topics including chronic disease prevention and health promotion, rural health, health disparities, and social determinants of health. Our team includes prominent health policy experts, nationally recognized public health researchers with general and specialized expertise in areas such as rural health and tribal issues, skilled methodologists, and leaders in the field of survey design and implementation. Our staff also brings expertise in populations of special interest and the intersection of public health and health care delivery. We offer broad, multidisciplinary experience spanning public health, epidemiology, statistics, policy, developmental psychology, economics, sociology, social work, and political science.

• Serve as task leader with budget responsibilities on complex scientific and or technical components of large projects or a series of smaller project
• Design and conduct quantitative and qualitative research studies and analyses, develop structured interview protocols and content, lead stakeholder interviews, and conduct and direct literature reviews and environmental scans
• Independently draft and manage contract proposals and grant applications, communicating effectively with clients, consultants, and members of the policy and research community
• Participate in and contribute to internal discussions and strategic thinking concerning future research and business development opportunities and the implications of ongoing policy-making for NORC
• Manage contracts and work closely with clients to ensure that contractual requirements (deliverables and timelines) and client expectations are met using the highest standards of quality and collegiality
• Manage multiple project teams of senior, mid-level, and junior staff, both internal to NORC and with external project partners, and bring in experts as needed, to meet client expectations and contractual requirements
• Monitor and oversee the financial and administrative aspects of ongoing projects.

• Masters degree in public health, health policy or related fields (training in an array of social science disciplines will be considered). PhD preferred.
• At least 9 years experience in positions of increasing responsibility in program evaluation, research, survey design or related field including quantitative and qualitative research (or equivalent education) including at least 3 years of project management.
• Experience with the design and execution of social science research and in publishing research results, with a strong career-appropriate record of peer-reviewed technical publications.
• Experience with conducting policy analysis in a government or professional services environment.
• Experience with and knowledge of the principles of quantitative and qualitative research design, data collection, and data analysis.
• Experience with estimating project and proposal costs and managing project budgets.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and aptitude in leading and working with project teams, coordinating multiple projects (including those run by others within NORC).
• Must have experience managing and mentoring staff.
• Occasional travel to NORC offices and client sites may be required.

NORC at the University of Chicago is an objective, non-partisan research institution that delivers reliable data and rigorous analysis to guide critical programmatic, business, and policy decisions. Since 1941, our teams have conducted groundbreaking studies, created and applied innovative methods and tools, and advanced principles of scientific integrity and collaboration. Today, government, corporate, and nonprofit clients around the world partner with us to transform increasingly complex information into useful knowledge.

For over 75 years, NORC has evolved in many ways, moving the needle with research methods, technical applications and groundbreaking research findings. But our tradition of excellence, passion for innovation, and commitment to collegiality have remained constant components of who we are as a brand, and who each of us is as a member of the NORC team. With world-class benefits, a business casual environment, and an emphasis on continuous learning, NORC is a place where people join for the stellar research and analysis work for which were known, and stay for the relationships they form with their colleagues who take pride in the impact their work is making on a global scale.

NORC is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer that values and actively seeks diversity in the workforce. NORC evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other legally- protected characteristics.