Position Summary

The Kinder Institute for Urban Research seeks a full-time Research Information Systems Specialist (RISS) to serve as the systems and workflow enablement partner for the PM & Compliance function and KIUR teams. The RISS designs, maintains, and improves technical workflows and knowledge systems that support project management and operational processes across KIUR. This role helps ensure that tools such as Monday.com, Box, Adobe, and related cloud-based systems are organized, usable, aligned with approved processes, and capable of supporting institute reporting and team execution.

The Kinder Institute for Urban Research aims to improve lives through data, research, engagement, and action. The institute consists of five research centers focused on critical aspects shaping the social and cultural landscape of the Houston area. The five centers research housing, education, community and public health, economic mobility and inequality, and population dynamics. Each center investigates its particular topic area and works across centers to build interdisciplinary teams specializing in solutions-oriented research. The centers use a research-practice partnership (RPP) model to jointly design, develop, and conduct research that values diversity in expertise and prioritizes the community in identifying and addressing some of the most pressing questions and challenges facing greater Houston. We strive for our research to inform decision-making and bring about systemic change.

The ideal candidate will possess a commitment to KIUR's mission and be able to work and communicate effectively with others to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines. They must be adaptable to change, possess the ability to prioritize competing deadlines, and have excellent organizational skills.

Workplace Requirements

• Occasional travel
• Periodic evening and/or weekend work as needed

Workplace Location

This position is offered as a hybrid role, combining both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. [3 days in-office / 2 days remote]. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Hiring Range

This is a full-time, benefits-eligible position, and the hiring salary is $60,000-$62,000 annually, depending on skills and experience. Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree
  • In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience, above and beyond what is required, may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis
• 1+ years of experience supporting cloud-based systems, workflow platforms, business process improvement, or related operational systems
  • In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education, above and beyond what is required, may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis

Skills

• Strong technical aptitude, training ability, and customer-service orientation
• Problem sensitivity: the ability to recognize when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong; it does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem
• Verbal and written communication skills, including report preparation and presentation
• Documentation and specification skills to share information in a clear and concise manner

Preferences

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree related to business, management information systems, technical workflow/process support, or design
• Experience with document management and collaboration tools such as Box, SharePoint, Google Drive, or similar systems
• Experience with Adobe tools, e-signature workflows, or form development
• Experience with Monday.com, Asana, Smartsheet, Airtable, or similar workflow/project management systems
• Experience working in higher education, research administration, nonprofit, or other complex matrixed environments
• Experience building dashboards, reports, forms, templates, automations, or intake systems
• Experience translating process requirements into usable technical workflows and user guidance
• Experience supporting file governance, records organization, or knowledge management

Essential Functions

• Build, maintain, and optimize Monday.com boards, workflows, automations, dashboards, forms, and related structures that support PM and KIUR operational processes
• Partner with Senior Project Managers and the Director of PM & Compliance to ensure systems align with approved PM methods, reporting expectations, and process changes
• Clean, organize, and help govern Box.com folders and related file systems to improve access, consistency, archiving, and institutional knowledge management
• Create and maintain Adobe forms, e-signature workflows, templates, and process-support materials for PM and KIUR operational needs
• Develop, refine, and maintain user guidance, templates, training materials, and standard configurations for PM-related tools and systems
• Provide training and user support to PM staff and KIUR teams related to Monday.com, Box, Adobe, and other approved systems
• Build or support boards and workflows for KIUR teams seeking process-support structures in collaboration with those teams and the appropriate PM leadership
• Support reporting needs by developing dashboards, extracting information, and helping staff use systems consistently enough to support meaningful reporting
• Manage permissions, user setup, and routine maintenance tasks within approved systems, as assigned
• Perform all other duties as assigned

Additional Functions

• May support intake systems for PM or operational requests
• May audit system usage and recommend opportunities to improve adoption, structure, or governance
• May assist with the technical organization of documentation supporting PM, compliance, and cross-functional workflows