Manager of Research Operations

About The Department

BSD PED – Pediatric Infectious Diseases – ECHO. The section of Pediatric Infectious Disease provides comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care for children suffering from a wide variety of infectious diseases. Infectious disease specialists are experts in diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. This position will oversee research operations for two distinct, high‑impact units: ECHO‑Chicago and Lilly Cheng‑Immergluck’s Lab. ECHO‑Chicago (Extension for Community Health Outcomes) is the longest‑running urban Project ECHO program in the world.

It leverages existing assets by bringing together community health centers (CHCs) and academic medical centers for collaborative, curriculum‑based, case‑based learning. Lilly Cheng‑Immergluck’s lab undertakes data science and epidemiological research to advance knowledge about prevention of infectious diseases including RSV, staphylococcal skin and soft tissue infections, and invasive pneumococcal disease. The mission of this multi‑disciplinary team is to explore the intersection of public health epidemiology and primary prevention care models with the goal to improve health outcomes of populations at greatest risk for vaccine‑preventable conditions.

The lab uses spatial statistical models, geographic information system tools, bioinformatics, and artificial intelligence to predict communities most at risk for existing and emerging infectious diseases. This position will play a key role in the Vaccine Center of Excellence which advances public health via research, advocacy and education of providers and the community served by UChicago; community‑based participatory research and engagement are cornerstone of this Center’s work.

The Research Operations Manager will provide comprehensive oversight of research operations for both ECHO‑Chicago and Lilly Cheng‑Immergluck’s Lab. In this capacity, the Manager develops operational plans for executing research and evaluation work that aligns with distinct strategic goals, regulatory requirements, and research mandates of each program. Responsibilities include overseeing project protocols, including research design and data management and analysis, and staff supervision.

The Manager will maintain operational workflows while identifying opportunities for resource optimization and administrative efficiency. The ideal candidate brings extensive experience in strategic planning, managing diverse research portfolios, regulatory affairs, data management and analysis, and people management. This at‑will position is partially funded by extramural funds (e.g., grant, gift, endowment) which are renewed under provisions set by the grantor. Employment will be contingent upon the continued receipt of these funds and satisfactory job performance.

• Leads the operational management of research portfolios, including strategizing workflows to maximize efficiency across educational and research domains.
• Drives strategic research planning by refining optimal team structures and developing operating procedures to meet evolving team needs.
• Directs the implementation of multiple research studies, managing recruitment, retention, data analysis, dissemination, and risk management strategies.
• Manages ECHO‑Chicago data infrastructure, including the oversight of study data and REDCap databases.
• Designs and executes analytic plans for ECHO‑Chicago program evaluation and data analysis, utilizing a mixed‑methods approach.
• Works closely with Dr. Immergluck to develop research grant proposals including assisting with writing, working with collaborators to complete needed documents, and liaising with the grant management team to ensure materials are complete for internal review and final submission.
• Oversees the development and research protocols across the two programs and submits materials, when applicable, to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) for review.
• Collaborates with the awards and legal teams to develop and execute essential research agreements, including Data Use Agreements (DUAs) and Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs), as needed.
• Facilitates interdisciplinary teams, ensuring…