Assistant Director of Academic Affairs

Department
 

PSD Administration

About the Department
 

The Physical Sciences Division (PSD) has a rich history of advancing and defining new fields of discovery in the physical sciences and mathematics, and this tradition of innovation continues today. Our inquiry and impact spans from the edge of the observable universe to human-computer interaction, from biophysical materials science to the geologic record of seawater composition, from gravitational waves to geometric flows, and beyond. The division includes the academic departments of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geophysical Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics. In addition, PSD includes a number of interdisciplinary research institutes and centers, including the Enrico Fermi Institute, the James Franck Institute, and the Kavli Center for Cosmological Physics. Many of our scientists have joint appointments at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory as well as joint affiliations with other Chicago-based research institutions such as the Toyota Technological Institute of Chicago, Adler Planetarium, The Museum of Science and Industry, and the Field Museum. Our students build connections with world-leading scientists, collaborate across disciplines, and enjoy the dynamic Chicago and University communities.

Job Summary
 

Reporting to the Director of Academic Affairs and Chief of Staff, the Academic Affairs Administrator manages the postdoctoral, visiting, and part-time lecturer appointment and reappointment processes for the Physical Sciences Division and provides high-level support and reporting functions for the appointment, reappointment, promotion, and tenure process for all other academic appointees within the Division.

Responsibilities

• Manages the day-today-operations of the postdoctoral appointment process on behalf of the Dean for approximately 200 postdoctoral researchers across the Division.
• Reviews and approves all postdoctoral new hire, renewal, and visa requests for compliance with University policy and visa and tax laws.
• Creates mechanisms for data collection and reporting on PSD postdoctoral researchers.
• Creates, reviews, and analyzes programming for postdoctoral researchers within the Division. Connects postdoctoral researchers with programming across the university.
• Serves as the primary point of contact for postdoctoral researchers for information related to their pay, benefits, and other questions.
• Serves as the primary point of contact for faculty and departmental administrators to resolve problems and questions related to postdoctoral researchers for the Division.
• Troubleshoots complex problems or concerns related to postdocs in consultation with the Dean’s Office and Provost’s Office when appropriate.
• Manages the visiting and part-time lecturer appointment and reappointment process for the Division, including reviewing cases for accuracy and making independent judgement on edits or additions, liaising with departments on edits and additions, and liaising with the Provost’s Office through case approval.
• Manages all academic appointment entries into Workday, including new hires, promotions, retentions, terminations, reappointments, payments, and more.  Works closely with Dean’s Office team and Provost’s Office staff to ensure that all entries are accurate and timely for record keeping and payroll.
• Serves as back-up for the Director of Academic Affairs and Chief of Staff for all academic appointments, ensuring that faculty and other academic appointee cases are compliant with University guidelines.
• Working with other members of the Dean’s Office, maintains a high level of confidentiality and manages the faculty salary review process which includes creating and disseminating highly confidential information to chairs and directors, analyzing the faculty data and reporting results, and troubleshooting problems.
• Reviews academic job postings in Interfolio.
• Working with other members of the Dean’s Office, analyzes budget office tuition allocation spreadsheet, troubleshoots problems with data, and liaises with budget office regarding data verification. 
• Independently works on data projects and provides data analysis.
• Assists with the managing of the day-to-day operations of faculty affair programs with a moderate level of guidance.
• Serves as a resource for program information. Resolves problems or questions referred by program staff, University administrators, or other contingencies.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

---
Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

---
Certifications:

---

Preferred Qualifications

Education:        

• Bachelor’s degree.

Experience:       

• Academic appointments in a higher education environment.
• Experience working with highly confidential information.
• Previous experience working in administration within the sciences.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Experience working in Workday, Interfolio or similar Human Resources Management systems.

Preferred Competencies

• High-level attention to detail and ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality and discretion.
• Customer-service oriented administrative professional.
• Ability to work independently to troubleshoot complex problems.
• Ability to develop strong relationships with partner offices across the University.

Application Documents

• Resume (required).
• Cover Letter (preferred).
• References (preferred).

When applying, the document(s) MUST  be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
 

Academic Affairs

Role Impact
 

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status
 

Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

37.5

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Requires Compliance with University Covid-19 Vaccination Requirement
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

Employees must comply with the University’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements. More information about the requirements can be found on the University of Chicago Vaccination GoForward .
The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu . Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.

Department
 

PSD Administration

About the Department
 

The Physical Sciences Division (PSD) has a rich history of advancing and defining new fields of discovery in the physical sciences and mathematics, and this tradition of innovation continues today. Our inquiry and impact spans from the edge of the observable universe to human-computer interaction, from biophysical materials science to the geologic record of seawater composition, from gravitational waves to geometric flows, and beyond. The division includes the academic departments of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geophysical Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics. In addition, PSD includes a number of interdisciplinary research institutes and centers, including the Enrico Fermi Institute, the James Franck Institute, and the Kavli Center for Cosmological Physics. Many of our scientists have joint appointments at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory as well as joint affiliations with other Chicago-based research institutions such as the Toyota Technological Institute of Chicago, Adler Planetarium, The Museum of Science and Industry, and the Field Museum. Our students build connections with world-leading scientists, collaborate across disciplines, and enjoy the dynamic Chicago and University communities.

Job Summary
 

Reporting to the Director of Academic Affairs and Chief of Staff, the Academic Affairs Administrator manages the postdoctoral, visiting, and part-time lecturer appointment and reappointment processes for the Physical Sciences Division and provides high-level support and reporting functions for the appointment, reappointment, promotion, and tenure process for all other academic appointees within the Division.

Responsibilities

• Manages the day-today-operations of the postdoctoral appointment process on behalf of the Dean for approximately 200 postdoctoral researchers across the Division.
• Reviews and approves all postdoctoral new hire, renewal, and visa requests for compliance with University policy and visa and tax laws.
• Creates mechanisms for data collection and reporting on PSD postdoctoral researchers.
• Creates, reviews, and analyzes programming for postdoctoral researchers within the Division. Connects postdoctoral researchers with programming across the university.
• Serves as the primary point of contact for postdoctoral researchers for information related to their pay, benefits, and other questions.
• Serves as the primary point of contact for faculty and departmental administrators to resolve problems and questions related to postdoctoral researchers for the Division.
• Troubleshoots complex problems or concerns related to postdocs in consultation with the Dean’s Office and Provost’s Office when appropriate.
• Manages the visiting and part-time lecturer appointment and reappointment process for the Division, including reviewing cases for accuracy and making independent judgement on edits or additions, liaising with departments on edits and additions, and liaising with the Provost’s Office through case approval.
• Manages all academic appointment entries into Workday, including new hires, promotions, retentions, terminations, reappointments, payments, and more.  Works closely with Dean’s Office team and Provost’s Office staff to ensure that all entries are accurate and timely for record keeping and payroll.
• Serves as back-up for the Director of Academic Affairs and Chief of Staff for all academic appointments, ensuring that faculty and other academic appointee cases are compliant with University guidelines.
• Working with other members of the Dean’s Office, maintains a high level of confidentiality and manages the faculty salary review process which includes creating and disseminating highly confidential information to chairs and directors, analyzing the faculty data and reporting results, and troubleshooting problems.
• Reviews academic job postings in Interfolio.
• Working with other members of the Dean’s Office, analyzes budget office tuition allocation spreadsheet, troubleshoots problems with data, and liaises with budget office regarding data verification. 
• Independently works on data projects and provides data analysis.
• Assists with the managing of the day-to-day operations of faculty affair programs with a moderate level of guidance.
• Serves as a resource for program information. Resolves problems or questions referred by program staff, University administrators, or other contingencies.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

---
Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

---
Certifications:

---

Preferred Qualifications

Education:        

• Bachelor’s degree.

Experience:       

• Academic appointments in a higher education environment.
• Experience working with highly confidential information.
• Previous experience working in administration within the sciences.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Experience working in Workday, Interfolio or similar Human Resources Management systems.

Preferred Competencies

• High-level attention to detail and ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality and discretion.
• Customer-service oriented administrative professional.
• Ability to work independently to troubleshoot complex problems.
• Ability to develop strong relationships with partner offices across the University.

Application Documents

• Resume (required).
• Cover Letter (preferred).
• References (preferred).

When applying, the document(s) MUST  be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
 

Academic Affairs

Role Impact
 

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status
 

Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

37.5

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Requires Compliance with University Covid-19 Vaccination Requirement
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

Employees must comply with the University’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements. More information about the requirements can be found on the University of Chicago Vaccination GoForward .
The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu . Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.