A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline how your skills and experience align with the responsibilities of the role, including experience with community-engaged research, applied research implementation, evaluation, and translation.

About the Prevention Research Collaborative

The Prevention Research Collaborative brings together interdisciplinary research teams from the CDC-funded Prevention Research Center of Michigan, the Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center, the Healthy Minds Network, Housing & Health Equity Solutions, and other affiliated federally funded initiatives. The PRC advances community-based prevention strategies through rigorous research, evaluation, and partnership with communities.

About the Department of Health Behavior & Health Equity

Driven by a shared passion for affecting lasting change, the faculty, students and staff of HBHE work in the pursuit of an equitable, healthy future for all. Turning theory and research into actionable practice, we develop interventions and innovations that promote health, prevent disease, empower people to manage chronic illness and disabilities, and facilitate collective action for social change. Together, our academic community transforms the theoretical into actionable, the science into the social, applying our knowledge to eliminate health disparities and impact lives for the better.

The Prevention Research Collaborative (PRC), based in the Department of Health Behavior & Health Equity at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, seeks a Research Area Specialist - Lead to provide senior leadership for applied research, evaluation, and scholarship activities across PRC initiatives, with a focus on the built environment, violence prevention, and positive youth development.

This position serves as a key member of the PRC leadership team and works closely with faculty investigators, the Managing Director, research staff, and community partners to strengthen the quality, consistency, and impact of scholarly and applied research products. The Research Area Specialist - Lead provides leadership for research implementation, evaluation activities, proposal development processes, and dissemination workflows across multiple projects.

In addition, this role co-leads the PRC research development function, supports staff mentorship and supervision, and contributes to the strategic direction and planning of the Collaborative.

Responsibilities are supported by funded projects and may evolve to support additional PRC initiatives as programmatic needs change.

• Lead applied research, evaluation, and scholarship activities across Prevention Research Collaborative initiatives, with emphasis on violence prevention and positive youth development initiatives
• Co-lead the PRC research development team, including identifying funding opportunities, coordinating proposal development processes, and contributing to methods, evaluation, and narrative sections
• Coordinate and contribute to manuscript development and other scholarly products, including drafting, synthesis, and submission processes
• Provide oversight to ensure consistency and quality across research documentation, evaluation materials, and dissemination products
• Serve as a member of the PRC strategy and planning team, contributing to organizational priorities, program development, and long-term planning
• Partner closely with the Managing Director to support research operations, staff supervision, and alignment across projects and teams
• Supervise and mentor research staff, including supporting professional development and performance
• Support and contribute to research training activities for research assistants, interns, and doctoral students, particularly in applied research and evaluation
• Support scholarly programming, including research talks, invited speakers, and writing or works-in-progress activities
• Facilitate coordination and collaboration across PRC initiatives to strengthen integration and impact
• Build and maintain relationships with community partners, faculty, and external stakeholders
• Participate in broader Prevention Research Collaborative activities and support additional initiatives as funding and programmatic priorities evolve

• Master's degree in public health or a related field (e.g., MPH, MS, MA), Doctorate preferred.
• 10+ years of experience leading or coordinating applied or community-based research
• Demonstrated expertise in violence prevention and positive youth development
• Demonstrated experience in research development, including contributing to successful grant proposals
• 5 years of experience leading youth-engaged research implementation, evaluation activities, and multi-partner collaborations
• Demonstrated Experience supervising and mentoring research staff
• Strong familiarity with human subjects research processes, including IRB submissions and compliance
• Demonstrated ability to translate research findings for academic, community, practitioner, and policy audiences
• Demonstrated publication record, including leading manuscripts, reports, presentations, and other scholarly or applied research products
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build and sustain relationships with community partners, faculty, and research staff
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities concurrently
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while collaborating effectively within interdisciplinary teams

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

This position is classified as hybrid. Regular on-campus presence (1-2 days per week) is preferred, with required in-person meetings held on a periodic basis (e.g., monthly or as project needs require). Specific work arrangements and schedules will be determined with the supervisor upon hire and may vary based on operational needs.

This position is a 3 year Term-Limited position.

The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks.  Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.