Director – Research

Welcome to Career Opportunities at Lindenwood University.

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Benefits of Being a Lindenwood Employee:

• Upon hire, employer-paid tuition benefits for bachelor’s (employee, spouse, and dependent) and master’s degree programs (employee and spouse only).
• Tuition discounts for doctoral programs (employee only).
• Comprehensive benefits plan: medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability insurance, and retirement options.
• Paid holidays: MLK Jr. day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving break (Wednesday – Friday), and winter break (Dec. 23 – Jan. 1).
• Free lunch Fridays: LU employees are eligible for a free meal on Fridays at the Evans Commons Dining Hall or Spellman Dining Hall; Chick-fil-A and Qdoba included.   
• Professional development opportunities through the Lindenwood Learning Academy.

Job Title:  Director, Research

Division:  Academic Affairs

Evaluation Group:  Staff

FLSA Status:  Exempt

Reports To:  Associate Provost, Academic Affairs

Positions Supervised:  Manager, Grants IRB Chairperson, Non-Affiliated IRB Member

The director of research provides strategic, operational, and regulatory leadership for Lindenwood University's Office of Research and Creative Activity (ORCA). Working collaboratively with University leadership, faculty, staff, students, and external partners, the Director advances research, scholarship, creative activity, sponsored projects, and research compliance by providing leadership for research administration, grant development and management, human subjects research, internal funding programs, research ethics, and faculty and student research support. The Director develops policies, procedures, and resources that strengthen the University's research infrastructure while ensuring compliance with applicable regulations and fostering a culture of ethical, collaborative, and sustainable research.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representation of the types of duties and level of responsibility that will be required of positions given this title. This job description shall not be construed as a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

Job Responsibilities and Execution

• Provides university-wide leadership for the Office of Research, Compliance, and Academic Affairs (ORCA), including research administration, research development, sponsored projects, internal funding, human subjects research compliance, research ethics, data management, intellectual property support, and faculty/student research consultation
• Establishes and advances a collaborative institutional vision for research, scholarship, and creative activity by developing programs, systems, policies, procedures, guidance, and resources that support faculty, staff, and students
• Provides leadership and oversight for the Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) and Institutional Review Board (IRB), including Cayuse IRB administration, protocol management, regulatory compliance, federal registrations, investigator support, and education that promotes ethical research and participant protections
• Provides comprehensive leadership for the grant lifecycle, including funding opportunity identification, proposal and budget development, pre-award review, institutional approvals, submission coordination, post-award administration, reporting, invoicing, and closeout guidance
• Oversees administration of internal research funding programs, including the PRIDE Fund and Student Scholar Travel Fund, from proposal solicitation through award administration, reporting, and closeout
• Oversees institutional research compliance activities, including intellectual property, conflicts of interest, research affiliations, data use agreements, memoranda of understanding, institutional commitments, human subjects research determinations, and limited oversight of animal research compliance, as applicable
• Serves as the University's Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) and ensures compliance with applicable federal, state, sponsor, and University regulations governing research and sponsored projects
• Develops, reviews, and implements policies, procedures, education programs, and quality improvement initiatives that promote ethical research practices, operational excellence, and continuous improvement
• Monitors institutional research activity, prepares reports and analyses for University leadership and regulatory agencies, and assesses the effectiveness of research administration and compliance programs

Service Excellence

• Supports the mission of the University and serves as an ambassador of the Q2 culture of service excellence
• Models, supports, and holds others accountable to the University’s values
• Serves as the institutional administrator for grants, sponsored projects, research compliance, and research administration services
• Provides consultation and guidance to faculty, staff, and students regarding research, scholarship, creative activity, program evaluation, grant development, compliance requirements, and project feasibility from concept through implementation
• Serves as a liaison with governmental agencies, sponsors, and external organizations responsible for research administration, sponsored programs, and regulatory compliance

Communication, Teamwork and Collaboration

• Provides leadership and administrative oversight for the Institutional Review Board (IRB), Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), Health and Safety Committee, Intellectual Property Committee, and Conflict of Interest Committee
• Leads research development programming, including workshops, training sessions, consultations, office hours, resource guides, and faculty development initiatives, including support for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Institute
• Communicates regulatory updates, funding opportunities, compliance requirements, and research best practices to the University community
• Collaborates with the Provost's Office, Institutional Research, Finance, Human Resources, Legal, academic units, and external sponsors to strengthen research initiatives, sponsored programs, and institutional compliance
• Provides shared oversight with the Provost's Office and Institutional Research for surveys administered to the University community and consults on survey design, data collection planning, data management, and ethical research practices
• Develops and maintains partnerships with external organizations to expand sponsored research opportunities, community-based research, and initiatives that demonstrate the societal impact of research and creative activity

Job may require other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications – An equivalent combination of education, training and experience will be considered. Additional requirements may be designated by position.

• Master’s degree in a research-emphasized field 
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in non-profit grants management with specific experience management federal awards
• Certified IRB Professional (CIP) or willingness to obtain this certification
• Membership in related professional organizations, such as Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research (PRIM&R) preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities – May be representative, but not all inclusive, of the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform this job competently.

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse communities and cultures
• Competency in Microsoft Office Suite, notably Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Broad understanding of important research ethics and compliance issues and regulatory challenges faced by universities
• Understanding of the clinical trials process along with the ability to understand issues related to biomedical and clinical research settings
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• Excellent report preparation skills and competency in computer programs related to report generation
• Leadership style that emphasizes teamwork, communication, collegiality, and flexibility
• Demonstrated capacity for teaching a broad audience regarding research compliance
• A broad understanding of higher education resource management and developing/supporting a research enterprise
• Experience drafting, presenting, and implementing internal policies and facilitating the implementation of external regulations
• Experience in developing and conducting compliance and integrity education and training programs
• Demonstrated management skills, including an ability to teach and mentor
• Demonstrated ability to achieve client satisfaction and respond effectively to confidential inquiries or complaints
• In-depth understanding of federal, state, and local legislation applicable to compliance, grants, and contracts
• Competency in computer programs related to electronic research administration and  classroom-based and distance training
• Experience in electronic processing of applications for review by compliance committees
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively while managing multiple projects and meeting deadlines

Work Environment – Environmental or atmospheric conditions commonly associated with the performance of this job’s functions. Please click here to view Lindenwood University’s flexible work designation descriptions.

• General office setting
• Non-standard flex

Physical Abilities – The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform this job’s essential functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Ability to work effectively at a computer for up to eight hours daily
• Ability to sit for extended periods of time
• Ability to lift or carry items typically found in an office environment, such as documents or a laptop, usually up to 10-20 pounds.
• Regular attendance is a necessary and essential function

Equal Opportunity Employer

Lindenwood University is an Equal Opportunity employer. The University complies with appropriate federal, state, and local laws and provides equal employment opportunities and access to educational programs without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability, or any other protected status to all qualified applicants and employees.  Lindenwood University is committed to a policy of non-discrimination and dedicated to providing a positive discrimination-free educational work environment.