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Lab/Project Manager

University of Chicago · Chicago, IL · $55,000–$65,000 a year · Full time

Posted Aug 6, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

How do you make a participant comfortable when they are being recorded?

What they are checking: Whether they can put nervous participants at ease, because in speech research a tense speaker produces less natural and less useful data.

You would coordinate with undergraduate and graduate research assistants. How do you train someone to run a session consistently?

What they are checking: Training for protocol fidelity, which is what makes multi-assistant data usable.

Tell me about a time a study ran into a problem partway through. What did you do?

What they are checking: Whether they can fix a mid-study problem while keeping procedures consistent and documented, so the data already collected stays valid.

This sits in the Department of Linguistics running a speech perception and production laboratory. What interests you about this research area?

What they are checking: Real interest in the subject, which lab managers need to stay engaged.

What would you do

This laboratory studies how people perceive and produce speech across diverse language backgrounds. How would you recruit participants for a study that needs speakers of a particular language?

What they are checking: Whether they can find creative ways to reach specific language communities, since speech studies often stall when the right participants are hard to find.

A participant does not follow the instructions during a speech task. What do you do with that session?

What they are checking: Whether they know when to note, redo or exclude a session, which protects data quality without discarding usable information too quickly.

You would report to the laboratory's director and provide day-to-day oversight. How do you decide what to bring to them and what to handle yourself?

What they are checking: Whether they can judge what really needs the director's attention, handling routine issues themselves so the lab runs smoothly.

About the work

You would coordinate scheduling and data collection across several ongoing projects. How do you keep studies from competing for the same participants and rooms?

What they are checking: Whether they can manage rooms, schedules and participant pools across projects, so studies do not collide and waste participants or equipment time.

You would support experiment design and implementation. What do you check before a study starts collecting data?

What they are checking: Whether they pilot and check equipment, instructions and data files before launch, because one setup mistake can make weeks of data useless.

How do you organize recordings and data so that another researcher could use them in two years?

What they are checking: Data management, which determines whether a lab's work is reusable.

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The full job description

As published by University of Chicago.

Department AHD Staff: Linguistics Administration 2 About the Department The Speech Perception and Production Lab asks how people perceive and produce speech, with a particular focus on communication across diverse language backgrounds. We conduct laboratory phonology and psycholinguistic experiments looking at speech perception and production and acoustic-phonetic analyses of speech. The lab is directed by Professor Melissa Baese-Berk. Job Summary Reporting to Professor Melissa Baese-Berk, Department of Linguistics, the Lab/Project Manager provides day-to-day oversight, coordination, and communications across the Speech Perception and Production Lab. This position supports the broader research mission of the lab across multiple ongoing projects in speech perception, spoken language processing, and language learning. The Lab/Project Manager will coordinate research activities across the lab, including participant recruitment and scheduling, experiment design and implementation, and data collection and analysis. The individual in this position will supervise research assistants and facilitate communication across lab members, collaborators, and external partners. Responsibilities • Coordinates day-to-day lab operations, including participant recruitment, scheduling, and data collection across multiple ongoing projects. • Supports experiment design and implementation across lab projects. • Manages, processes, and analyzes research data; assists with data pipelines and quality control. • Supports preparation of research outputs and communications, including p eer-reviewed manuscripts and conference presentations. General audience science communication. • Supervises and coordinates research assistants. Facilitates communication across lab members and collaborators. • Assists with IRB protocol submissions, grant reporting, and research compliance as needed. • Manages lab resources, equipment, and administrative needs. • Uses moderate/solid understanding and experience to administer the delivery of services to program participants and/or beneficiaries. • Sets and communicates program priorities and performance standards and assesses operations using these criteria. Plans and conducts quality assurance reviews and recommends changes as appropriate. • Analyzes program budgets and recommends or makes budgetary recommendations. • Has moderate/high levels of interactions with faculty, researchers and staff for committee work or information. • 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: --- Application Documents • Resume/CV (required) • References Contact Information (required)(3) The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions. When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application. Job Family Administration & Management Role Impact Individual Contributor Scheduled Weekly Hours 37.5 Drug Test Required No Health Screen Required No Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required No Pay Rate Type Salary ​ FLSA Status Exempt ​ Pay Range $55,000.00 - $65,000.00 The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting. Benefits Eligible Yes The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook . Posting Statement The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination. 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. 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.

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