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Position Description

The Schaeffer Institute is seeking a Research Program Specialist to provide high-level administrative leadership for the USC Mann Department of Pharmaceutical & Health Economics, and to take on new programmatic support for the Institute leadership team and its growing modeling research program. Working with established and up-and-coming scholars, the Research Program Specialist will develop and spearhead new procedures and processes to support an in-demand research team and their work with sophisticated data and modeling tools developed at the Institute. The Research Program Specialist will assist in program development and ensure that deadlines and milestones are met. The position will report to the Schaeffer Institute Director of Operations (in coordination with respective departmental leadership), who will help oversee the portfolio of work and ensure a collaborative and creative work environment across teams. The right candidate will contribute ideas, identify opportunities, and help shape priorities to ensure leadership and program success.

This position offers a unique opportunity in the substantive work of a policy research center and an important academic department. The right candidate will have administrative expertise, high attention to detail, and enthusiasm for supporting a robust research agenda, faculty activities, and student engagement. The Schaeffer Institute serves a varied group of internal and external constituents-including students, academics, executives, philanthropists, and leading policymakers and staffers-across the political spectrum. Demonstrated experience working with leading faculty and scholars to support research goals is a plus.

Research Program Leadership

• Coordinate administrative functions for the modeling research program and other research initiatives as directed by Schaeffer leadership, including acting as a point of contact, responding to requests and inquiries, and managing program content.
• Assist program leadership and key stakeholders with anaylsis, research, and presentations.
• Manage program deadlines; coordinating and tracking grants, projects, and timelines to ensure deliverables and milestones are met.
• Support reporting and proposal development, including budget tracking, grant submissions, and compliance processes.

• Coordinate and contribute to research studies, proposals, and grant-related research activities.
• Contribute to administrative leadership team meetings and support to Schaeffer academic and policy programming as time allows.

Department Leadership

• Oversee Department Chair's administrative duties by managing calendars, coordinating meetings, preparing course materials, and assisting with day-to-day departmental operations for leading faculty.
• Organize departmental events, including conferences, seminars, special events and faculty meetings by managing logistics, vendor communications, facilities, catering, guest accommodations, and event execution.
• Collaborate with the USC Mann communications department to maintain and update the department website, ensuring accurate content, multimedia displays, and compliance with program policies.
• Execute two full-cycle faculty recruitment searches by arranging candidate travel, accommodations, campus itineraries, interview schedules, and job talks; contributing to the successful hiring of two junior faculty members.
• Lead academic program services and activities including course scheduling, student recruitment initiatives, student summer programs, graduate program's brown bag series, prospective student visit days, and new student orientation.
• Support graduate students' academic progress by coordinating dissertation defenses, including scheduling, room reservations, logistics, technology setup, and day-of-event coordination to ensure successful execution.
• Act as the liaison between graduate students and the GAO, facilitating effective communication and ensuring students receive accurate information and support throughout their time in the program.
• Manage department faculty, students, and Schaeffer Center member travel, travel reimbursements.
• Process journal publication fees, manuscript edits, and purchase research materials while ensuring compliance with university policies and procedures.

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree

Minimum Experience:

2 years of relevant experience

Compensation

Commensurate with experience and qualifications. Position is 100% FTE

Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

The hourly rate range for this position is $40.95 - $46.28. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

Work Arrangement

Expected to work onsite 2-3 days per week at USC University Park Campus in Los Angeles, CA

Fixed Term Position

This is a full time, fixed term position through June 30, 2029 (with the possibility of renewal) with a hybrid work arrangement

Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education Minimum Experience: 2 years Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum experience Minimum Field of Expertise: Related experience with specialized research and/or programs (e.g., counseling, teaching). Ability to analyze and evaluate data, and present findings. Excellent interpersonal and written and oral communication skills, able to problem solve and lead conflict resolutions. Ability to interpret and apply policies/analyses/trends.

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