"Visiting Research Scientist, Family Resiliency Center"

VISITING RESEARCH SCIENTIST

FAMILY RESILIENCY CENTER
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND FAMILY STUDIES
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL, CONSUMER AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

The Family Resiliency Center (FRC) and the Department of Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign invite applications for a Visiting Research Scientist. We strive to Make Thriving the Norm for families, children, youth, and communities.

We seek a promising or established academic professional team member committed to the vision, mission, and strategic plan of the Center with a passion for community-based participatory research, research translation and dissemination, and transdisciplinary teamwork. To this end, the Visiting Research Scientist will lead and support research projects and initiatives that address wicked problems related to the five research hubs described in the strategic plan.

FRC is an inter- and transdisciplinary research, education, and outreach center housed in HDFS and the College of Agricultural and Consumer Sciences (ACES). We have tremendous resources in the Center and department and across campus that are leveraged to promote rigorous, interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and culturally relevant research, teaching, and outreach. The Center currently supports over 60 collaborators as part of our Collaboratory and through our Community Advisory Board.

Job Summary

This position will support the research, education, and outreach activities of the FRC through both independent and supervised participation in its projects and initiatives; support, manage, and build research projects and initiatives; engage in research collaborations; lead or co-lead grant and contract proposal submissions; actively participate in data collection; process and analyze data; develop and support data collection systems and apply research methods to current and future research programs; lead or co-lead research dissemination; engage communities to help improve the state-of-the-art in research toolkits and techniques; and participate in the overall operations and success of FRC projects.

Active Research Activities (60%)

• Assist project teams in the development of analysis techniques for quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods data to solve wicked problems and develop innovative solutions. Participate in data collection, management, and analysis for Center-based and collaborative projects that include quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, empowerment evaluation, community-based participatory, and youth participatory action research approaches. Participate and engage in existing and planned research at FRC, on campus, and in the community. Apply analytic strategies to solve wicked problems and to develop innovative solutions. Serve as Principal Investigator (PI), Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI), and Co-Investigator (Co-I) on research projects.

Support Research Activities (15%)

• Support, build, and operate data management systems. Provide support for data collection and management needs to community organizations collaborating with the FRC, as needed. Collaborate with research groups in the pursuit of a common vision, missions, values, and goals.

Scholarly Activities (10%)

• Lead and contribute to research articles for peer-reviewed journals. Keep abreast of developments in the field to assist in writing technical reports, conference, and journal papers (as appropriate) and review scientific papers and proposals (as appropriate). Collaborate on grant proposals and assist with other aspects of proposal preparation. Apply for and be awarded external funding.

Professional Development (10%)

Maintain and improve professional development competence related to FRC initiatives by attending seminars and colloquia at FRC, UIUC, and elsewhere as appropriate. Represent FRC in meetings and conferences by presenting papers, workshops, trainings, talks, and posters. Develop and contribute to trainings for community partners, faculty, students, and staff.

Other duties as assigned (5%)

Visiting Research Scientist Required Qualifications – Education and Experience:

• Ph.D. in Educational and Community-Based Action Research; Community Psychology; Public Health; Human Development and Family Studies; or related field. Alternative degree fields will be considered if accompanied by equivalent experience (depending on the nature and depth of experience as it relates to current FRC projects and initiatives). 3-10 years of experience in project management, data management, primary data collection, and data analysis with real world data science applications. 3-10 years of experience in documenting projects and research efforts. 3-10 years of experience in program evaluation and implementation science. 3-10 years of experience managing Institutional Review Board applications. Strong quantitative or mixed methods data analytic skills demonstrated through peer-reviewed publications and national conference presentations. Success working on or supporting externally funded research and translation projects. Experience applying for and securing external funding as PI, Co-PI, or Co-I (may include PI of subawards).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience managing and analyzing large, complex data sets. Strong software skills and a track record of contributing to team-based projects. Working knowledge of statistical syntax coding (e.g., SPSS, SAS, R, etc.) and coding in MAXQDA (qualitative software). Ability to work both independently and as a team member. Ability to manage multiple projects with competing priorities and deadlines, and an eagerness to take ownership of challenging and open-ended assignments. Effective at communicating with audiences whose research backgrounds vary widely. Strong verbal and written communications skills. Co-I/Co-PI on one or more sponsored research projects.
• Demonstrated leveraging and support of center staff and research and development projects and activities. Working knowledge of application and participatory team science. Success in or supporting externally funded research and translation projects. Initiative, characterized as a self-starter. Passion for applied and translational research. Familiarity with Champaign-Urbana area community partners. Broad knowledge in at least two of these areas: neurophysiology, stress biomarkers, mindfulness, experimental and quasi-experimental intervention studies, decision-making and mixed methodologies.

Visiting Research Scientist Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Broad and expert knowledge in at least two methodological areas and one substantive area. Methodological areas include: stress biomarkers, experimental and quasi-experimental intervention studies (e.g., randomized controlled trials), community based participatory research and youth participatory action research, prevention science, empowerment/ participatory program evaluation. Substantive areas: mindfulness-based interventions, human decision-making, risk and resiliency in early life to young adulthood, violence prevention, or related areas. In addition to the methodological areas, applicants should have demonstrated expertise in sophisticated quantitative analyses and/or mixed methodologies; excellent oral and written communication skills; an ability to give presentations to varied audiences; an ability to be a team player; an interest in working closely with students and contributing to research projects/proposals; and a growth mindset.

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time visiting Academic Professional position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after 1/2/2026. Sponsorship for work authorization is not available for this position. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity. The salary range for this position starts at $68,000. This position is primarily funded via FRC and HDFS grants, contracts, and other sources. This position will be reappointed annually, contingent upon funding and the programmatic needs of the Center and department.

This is an in-person position with work on-site at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus. A flexibility to work nights and weekends is required to meet community and youth partners during the times when they are available.

Application Procedures & Deadline Information

Applications received by January 2, 2026 will be given full consideration. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. Please submit a cover letter that includes a statement of your contribution to the Center’s strategic plan; a detailed research statement including career pathway goals; current CV; three writing samples; and the names and contact information of three references to https://jobs.illinois.edu/. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu/ will not be considered. For further information regarding this position, please visit our web page https://hdfs.illinois.edu, or contact the search chair Dr. Dana Eldreth (deldreth@illinois.edu). For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

Applications will be reviewed immediately. Applicants may be interviewed before the apply by date; however, no hiring decision will be made until after the apply by date. The position is available immediately following the application date.