Department
 

Schmidt Futures Fellows Program

About the Department
 

The Office of Research is hiring an Assistant Director for the Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellowship program funded by Schmidt Sciences, a philanthropic initiative of Eric and Wendy Schmidt. The Assistant Director will lead the program in several key functions, including faculty leadership support in programmatic activities, development of partnerships across all Divisions and the National Laboratories, coordination of postdoctoral recruitment and hiring across academic departments, and overseeing program staff and the operational infrastructure.

Job Summary
 

The Office of Research is hiring an Assistant Director for the Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellowship program funded by Schmidt Sciences, a philanthropic initiative of Eric and Wendy Schmidt. The Assistant Director will lead the program in several key functions, including faculty leadership support in programmatic activities, development of partnerships across all Divisions and the National Laboratories, coordination of postdoctoral recruitment and hiring across academic departments, and overseeing program staff and the operational infrastructure.

The Assistant Director will work directly with the Faculty Director and Co-Directors to support postdoctoral scholars in their research, outreach and education activities. The position will also report to the Assistant Provost for Research to ensure broad institutional support and coordinated resources for the program from the Office of the Provost.

The Assistant Director will manage recruitment and appointment processes, faculty committees and the Advisory Board, program and events development, and reporting activities. The Assistant Director will oversee 0.25 FTE of a events management specialist who will manage the Program’s events, 0.25 FTE of a communications specialist who will manage the website, newsletter, blog, press releases, etc., and 0.5 FTE open code support specialist. Familiarity with postdoctoral scholar programs, university research structures and requirements, career mentorship in academia is preferable, as well as a background in academic research. This at-will position is wholly or partially funded by contractual grant funding which is renewed under provisions set by the grantor of the contract. Employment will be contingent upon the continued receipt of these grant funds and satisfactory job performance.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with faculty leadership and the Provost Office to plan and develop programmatic activities, timelines, deliverables, and operational frameworks to meet grant objectives.

• Develop and manage budget for the Schmidt program’s activities (communications, website, events, training, etc.).

• Collaborate across Divisions and the Provost Office and the National Laboratories for postdoctoral recruitment, evaluation, and hiring of joint appointments.

• Support faculty outreach and committee membership activities (preparing agendas, tracking Fellows’ progress, preparing reports).

• Develop, monitor, and manage project schedules in collaboration with faculty leadership to ensure work is completed efficiently, making necessary adjustments and directing project resources.

• Manage institutional support with the Provost Office: programming with UChicagoGRAD; seed funding management and joint appointments process with the Office of Research; compute and training with the Research Computing Cluster, etc.

• Work with the Data Science Institute staff to develop synergistic research and training activities.

• Support the Executive Committee functions (agenda, decision implementation, updates).

• Oversee the communications staff activities (website, newsletter, press releases, etc.).

• Proactively disseminate project information to internal and external stakeholders.

• Maintain evaluation metrics of the program.

• Has a deep understanding when interacting with faculty, researchers and staff for committee work or information.

• Sets and communicates program priorities and performance standards and assesses operations using these criteria. Plans and conducts quality assurance reviews and recommends changes as appropriate.

• Analyzes program budgets and recommends or makes budgetary recommendations.

• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

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Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Masters degree.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Demonstrated success in research, scientific and/or academic program management.

• Understanding of higher education and/or nonprofit organizations.

• Experience managing large, complex projects, including budgets.

• Demonstrated ability to solve complex problems, independently troubleshoot, and deliver results in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.

Preferred Competencies

• Work independently, while also demonstrating the ability to work collaboratively with various stakeholders.

• Attention to detail and commitment to excellence.

• Significant experience and demonstrated success working with diverse communities.

• Excellent written and oral communication, including emails, written reports, and slide presentations.

• Handle multiple projects and deadlines while maintaining a high level of work quality.

• Excellent organizational and leadership skills.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)

• Cover Letter (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
 

Administration & Management

Role Impact
 

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status
 

Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

40

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

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