Civic Science Fellow

Department

Provost Community Engaged Research

About The Department

The University of Chicago Office of Research works with faculty and deans to support and enhance research and to support and oversee institutional research infrastructure including University Research Administration (URA), Office of Research Development (ORD), the Office of Research Safety (ORS), Research Computing Center (RCC), Globus, and the University of Chicago Consortium for Advanced Science and Engineering (CASE).

The Civic Science Fellows Program places emerging leaders in pioneering organizations to drive culture change in science and society. Fellows co-design projects that build bridges across science, policy, and communities, contributing new knowledge and advancing equity, inclusion, and public engagement.

Job Summary

The Office of Research is seeking an accomplished, early-career researcher as a Civic Science Fellow. The Civic Science Fellow leads and collaborates on projects central to the University of Chicago’s mission, creates impactful civic science work products related to community engaged research, and participates in a nationwide cohort for shared learning, professional growth, and network-building. Fellows gain practical experience, advance meaningful work, and help strengthen the University of Chicago’s civic science capacity.

This 18-month position begins in September 2026 and concludes in February 2028. This position is fully grant-funded.

Responsibilities

• Reviews the existing practices of community engaged research and its impact across private and public universities by conducting a listening and landscape-learning phase at the University of Chicago and other major research universities.
• Maps out the goals of community engaged research for academics, community partners, and policymakers to determine where these goals are aligned and where they are conflicting.
• Establishes community engaged research metrics of impact across an academic discipline, community partners, and policy-makers.
• Develops a comprehensive framework for addressing misaligned goals and measuring the impact of academic-public partnerships.
• Convenes a group of faculty, community leaders, and policymakers to seek input regarding the development of the framework. Utilizes feedback to revise the framework.
• Produces multiple work products, specifically 1) a cross-disciplinary Impact Blueprint that maps how UChicago’s research, data assets, civic partnerships, and policy touchpoints can align toward improved chronic health and social outcomes across the southside of Chicago; 2) a metrics framework that reconciles differing disciplinary definitions of impact; 3) a guide for trust-building and reciprocal engagement with partners who have varied incentives and timelines; 4) a decision-support roadmap for sequencing community and research priorities; and 5) public-facing tools or visualizations that articulate University civic impact in accessible ways.
• Incorporates inclusive, equitable approaches to science engagement and decision-making, working effectively with underrepresented communities.
• Participates in weekly virtual Fellows Labs, Tuesdays 12–2 p.m. ET; cohort-wide plenaries; and an in-person Civic Science convening February 2027, date subject to change. Dedicates approximately 25% of your time to these activities.
• Serves as a resource for collecting data and performing analysis. Contributes to facilitating and promoting a research project by providing scientific or intellectual information.
• Leads the contributions to scientific writing and publications, including protocols and grants.
• Performs other related work as needed.
  
  

Education:

Minimum Qualifications

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include a PhD in related field.

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

Certifications:

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• A PhD in social sciences, public policy, or another related field.
  
  

Experience:

• Prior experience in solving complex, multi-faceted challenges.
• Background in community engaged research.
• Demonstrated ability to convene and work with faculty, community leaders, and policymakers for input, feedback, and framework revision.
• Demonstrated involvement in civic science, participatory research, or university-community partnerships.
• Background working with underrepresented communities, incorporating equitable and inclusive approaches to science engagement and decision-making processes.
  
  

Technical Skills Or Knowledge:

• Proficiency with data collection, analysis, and synthesis, including stakeholder interviews, survey design, focus groups, and metrics development.
• Developing and utilizing metrics for evaluating research impact across academic, community, and policy domains.
  
  

Preferred Competencies

• Landscape analysis - review, synthesize, and map practices/goals across institutions.
• Data collection and analysis - skilled in gathering, interpreting, and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data relevant to community engaged research.
• Impact metrics - expertise in developing and utilizing frameworks for evaluating research, partnership, and policy impacts.
• Stakeholder engagement - capacity to identify, convene, and foster input from diverse groups, such as faculty, community leaders, policymakers.
• Facilitation - proficient in coordinating meetings, obtaining feedback, and revising frameworks collaboratively.
• Network building - establish and sustain relationships within and beyond the University.
• Reciprocal partnership - competence in trust-building, understanding partner incentives/timelines, and promoting mutual benefits.
• Public-facing deliverables - skilled in designing accessible guides, visualizations, and communication of civic science impact to broader audiences.
• Presentation skills - proficiency in presenting complex ideas clearly, both orally and in writing.
• Deadline adherence - strong organizational skills to manage multiple priorities and meet timelines.
• Work product development - create actionable maps, frameworks, toolkits, and guides as outlined in the responsibilities.
• Learning orientation - openness to new ideas, constructive criticism, and ongoing professional development.
• Cohort participation - actively engage with fellows’ labs, plenaries, and in-person convenings.
• Data visualization - familiarity with software/tools for creating visual work products and impact mappings.
  
  

Working Conditions

• Regular movement to various campus locations, including site visits under various weather conditions.
• Work independently for up to 8 hours/day.
• Hybrid work schedule, which includes in-office presence multiple days a week.
• Use computers extensively throughout the workday, 4 hours or more.
• Stand for 2 to 4 hours.
• Sit for 4 hours or more.
• Use standard office equipment and troubleshoot IT equipment in a remote/hybrid environment.
• Some evening and weekend work.
• This 18-month position begins in September 2026 and concludes in February 2028. This position is fully grant-funded.
  
  

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)
• References Contact Information (3)(required)
  
  

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

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

Job Family

Research

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Range

$80,000.00 - $85,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, 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.

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.

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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