As a principal researcher for SCADask, the university’s applied research unit, you will identify, formulate, and address research questions relevant to SCAD disciplines and that appeal to a general audience. To educate the public with new insights on trending topics and elevate SCAD as the preeminent source of knowledge in the disciplines taught here, you will work under the guidance of executive leadership alongside academic services and the institutional effectiveness (IE) team to develop research briefs. You will develop project timelines, deliverables, insights, surveys, and other research methods to support briefs.

Responsibilities in this position include oversight of the SCADask research calendar, management of all research studies to ensure they are completed on time and meet expected outcomes, and supervision of student research assistants. While supervising student workers, you will plan their schedules, assign projects, monitor progress, and approve timesheets. Among other duties, you will liaise with external survey research partners to source appropriate contact lists for demographic and survey-specific audiences. You will also provide external partners with the necessary information to address a wide range of new business opportunities.

In this role, you will perform validity and significance testing on survey data to ensure that the data and key insights follow accepted research best practices. You will also conduct primary and secondary research to support the findings of the research brief and provide third-party validation. Among other responsibilities, you will facilitate diverse focus groups and interviews with students, faculty, and the public, and advise designers on relevant data to highlight in infographics or other visual presentations. Additionally, you will synthesize key findings, existing knowledge, and research from SCAD academic programs and secondary sources to write, edit, and review research studies for publication on SCAD.edu and distribution to media outlets.

Minimum qualifications:      

• Graduate degree
• At least five years of professional experience in quantitative and qualitative research
• Familiarity with survey software, Microsoft Excel, and a variety of research methods and tools

Preferred qualifications:      

• Graduate degree in design management, service design, or a related field

Certificates, licenses, and registrations:  

• Lextant certified

Travel required:  

• 10–20%  

Work hours: The university work week is Sunday through Saturday. Most offices are open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. To accommodate business needs, employees may be assigned to other workdays and/or hours, including weekends and evenings.       

ADA tag: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements and minimum qualifications listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and/or meet the minimum qualifications.