Assistant Director, Undergraduate Research

Overview

The Assistant Director of Undergraduate Research is a new position within the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) and represents a strategic growth of the unit. This new position will bring intellectual and administrative leadership to expand opportunities for undergraduate research and creative scholarship across campus. In partnership with the Director, the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Research will be responsible for managing and promoting several campus-wide programs and initiatives, including the Undergraduate Fund for Academic Conferences (UFAC) program, the ReMatch mentoring program, and the Summer Research Colloquium (SRC). They will provide comprehensive advising to students interested in pursuing undergraduate research across disciplines. They will work to broaden access to research experiences that foster students' academic, career, and personal development. The Assistant Director will be responsible for leading outreach and communication efforts, including the Princeton Correspondents on Undergraduate Research (PCUR) blog and OUR's website and social media accounts, and for assisting with the planning of the annual Princeton Research Day (PRD). They will also contribute to the administration of the office, manage the registration of summer on-campus undergraduates, as well as day-to-day operation of summer research internship programs.

Office of Undergraduate Research website

Responsibilities
Program Management

• Manage the application, review, and selection processes for the Undergraduate Fund for Academic Conferences program (60+ applications/yr, spanning all four divisions), and other funding opportunities, as delegated by the Director.
• Manage the ReMatch program (400 participants); recruit mentor cohort, promote events to first-years and sophomores, facilitate mentor-mentee pairings.
• Assist with the review and selection of ReMatch+ and Office of Undergraduate Research Student-Initiated Internship Program (OURSIP) research interns.
• Manage the Summer Registration Project (SRP); support the data collection, entry, and coordination process with on-campus summer undergraduate programs (40+ programs, 700+ undergraduates) and downstream workflows with campus partners.
• Manage the Summer Research Colloquium (SRC); organize and facilitate weekly workshops for 70+ research interns, lecture series and end of summer conference.

Outreach and Communications

• Manage the Princeton Correspondents on Undergraduate Research (PCUR) blog; lead the recruitment, selection, training, supervision and mentoring of nine correspondents, serve as the primary liaison to the Chief Correspondent, and support productive peer-review process.
• Assist with the planning of the annual campus-wide Princeton Research Day.
• Manage OUR website and social media accounts; compose, edit, and maintain web and print-based promotional media, application forms, and other OUR publications; maintain and promote centralized resources including a workshops calendar, summer programs database, independent work guides, student-authored publications and student-led focused-initiatives.
• Conduct outreach to prospective students and families, student groups to raise awareness of undergraduate research opportunities on and off campus, and available funding.
• Collaborate with University Communications, departments, and programs to promote students' research achievements and highlight program activities.

Undergraduate Research Advising

• Advise undergraduates interested in pursuing research through one-on-one advising sessions (50+ annually); connect students with research opportunities at Princeton, as well as other domestic and international research institutions.
• Design and facilitate information sessions for first-year and sophomore students.
• Maintain existing (and develop new) strategies to engage, support, and retain underrepresented populations in undergraduate research across all divisions.

Administration

• In coordination with OUR staff, assist with campus-wide fall, winter, and summer grant application processes.
• Assist in the development and implementation of effective procedures and tools to support program management and reporting functions; maintain program databases including historical records.
• Participate in program evaluation and assessment activities; prepare analytical reports on key indicators of program success including performance metrics, surveys, student and faculty testimonials, and anecdotal evidence to support strategic planning, University reporting, and donor stewardship.
• Recruit, hire, train, and supervise student staff.
• Participate in and present at local and national conferences and workshops related to undergraduate research.

Qualifications

Required:

• Ph.D.
• Strong understanding of the nature of research in multiple disciplines; ability to advise students on the research process including finding opportunities, writing proposals, and presenting research.
• Minimum five years of teaching, advising, or administrative experience in a university setting with an emphasis on student programming and interaction; will consider graduate assistantships as work experience.
• Background organizing events, facilitating, and leading workshops and information sessions.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively, actively, and enthusiastically with students (as well as faculty and administrators) in a hands-on environment.
• Exceptional organizational, interpersonal, and communications skills.

Preferred:

• Experience reviewing proposals and allocating research funds across disciplines.
• Demonstrated ability to work with first generation, underrepresented minority and under-served populations preferred; experience with students transitioning between high school and college, undergraduate and graduate school.
• Demonstrated ability to use or learn a variety of software, databases, and application platforms.
• Familiarity with Princeton, domestic higher education institutions, government research agencies, and foreign universities.
• Experience working with confidential and sensitive materials; discretion and seasoned judgment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to work independently to handle multiple, complex tasks.
  Excellent organizational and analytical skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a deadline-driven environment managing multiple projects with ease.

Additional information:

• Some evenings and weekends required.
• Extended time off during June and July expressly discouraged

Please include cover letter with your application materials.

Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. EEO IS THE LAW

PI173012327