Research Director, Industry Contracts & Health Programs

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Research Director, Industry Contracts & Health Programs

Position Details

Compensation: $120,000- $180,000 annually, commensurate with experience.

Position Type/

Schedule:

Full-time, exempt. Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.

- 5:00 p.m. Occasional weekend work and work-related travel may be required based on operational needs. This position is fully on-site; remote work is not available.

Work Location: Illinois Tech, Michael Paul Galvin Tower, 10 West 35th Street, Chicago, IL 60616. Limited travel may be required to the Institute for Food Safety and Health (IFSH), 6502 S. Archer Rd., Bedford Park, IL 60501, based on operational and research needs.

Work Authorization: Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Illinois Tech is unable to sponsor or assume sponsorship of an employment-based visa for this position.

Summary

The Institute for Food Safety and Health (IFSH) Research Director, Industry Contracts & Health Programs provides scientific and operational leadership in alignment with the IFSH Center for Nutrition Research strategic initiatives and research portfolio. This includes externally funded projects, faculty collaborations, and developing new revenue streams to support program goals and deliverables.

The Research Director will oversee project execution, support grant and contract development and implementation, supervise research and training staff, and ensure the production of high-quality scholarly and applied research. The Research Director will lead research initiatives as determined by the strategic plan and provide scientific advice to the IFSH Executive Director, Center for Nutrition Research Director, and research team. As a condition of employment, the successful candidate must satisfy and maintain all applicable security clearance and access requirements associated with working in a secure research facility.

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

• Identify, develop, and manage a portfolio of funded research projects through the design, implementation, and evaluation of research programs.
• Supervise research scientists, project coordinators, postdoctoral fellows, students, and other assigned personnel, including performance management and professional development.
• Support laboratory operations and related research activities.
• Develop and support grant, contract, and other externally funded opportunities that advance research programs and generate new revenue streams.
• Disseminate research findings through peer-reviewed publications, national and international conferences, reports, briefs, and stakeholder presentations.
• Develop project budgets and guide resource allocation while managing timelines, deliverables, reporting obligations, and compliance with university, sponsor, and regulatory requirements.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in nutrition, food science, biology, zoology, or a related field, with 15+ years of relevant experience and accomplishments.
• Experience serving as a Principal Investigator (PI) on significant grants and/or managing multiple contract research projects.
• Demonstrated success securing external research funding and producing scholarly publications.
• Experience supervising and developing research personnel.
• Strong scientific, analytical, problem-solving, communication, organizational, and project management skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and other relevant research and administrative software.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy in scientific records, reports, and technical documentation.
• Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) training.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in a clinical or medical facility and conducting related research.

Service Standards and Performance Expectations

• Produce…