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Manufacturing, Energy & Logistics Industries Sectors Research Lead

Jones Lang LaSalle · Chicago, IL · Full time

Posted Aug 7, 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

Tell me about a piece of research you led that used proprietary data to say something new.

What they are checking: Whether they can produce differentiated insight, which the role says is the point, not summaries of public data.

Tell me about a forecast or call you made that turned out wrong. How did you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they are honest about misses and adjust methods, which protects the brand's credibility.

Tell me about a time you presented research to senior clients or executives. How did you shape the message?

What they are checking: Whether they can lead with the so-what and handle tough questions from senior audiences.

What would you do

How would you build a research agenda that covers manufacturing, energy and utilities without spreading too thin?

What they are checking: Whether they can prioritize the questions that matter most to clients and JLL business lines.

You coordinate with partner leads covering logistics, transportation and retail. How do you keep the research consistent across those teams?

What they are checking: Whether they can collaborate across peers so clients get one coherent view rather than conflicting takes.

How do you make a research finding useful to a leasing broker or a capital markets team, not just to other researchers?

What they are checking: Whether they can translate insight into something the business can use with clients.

How do you decide whether a finding is strong enough to publish under the JLL name?

What they are checking: Whether they hold a high bar for evidence, since published research shapes the firm's market position.

About the work

What do you see as the biggest trend reshaping real estate demand for advanced manufacturing over the next five years?

What they are checking: Whether they have a real, informed point of view on the sector rather than repeating common headlines.

How does the energy transition affect where companies choose to build plants and data-heavy facilities?

What they are checking: Whether they connect power availability, grid capacity and incentives to site selection decisions.

How would you approach automotive manufacturing research given shifts in EV demand and supply chains?

What they are checking: Whether they understand how volatile industry shifts change facility needs and where the uncertainty lies.

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The full job description

As published by Jones Lang LaSalle.

JLL empowers you to shape a brighter way . Our people at JLL are shaping the future of real estate for a better world by combining world class services, advisory and technology for our clients. We are committed to hiring the best, most talented people and empowering them to thrive, grow meaningful careers and to find a place where they belong. Whether you’ve got deep experience in commercial real estate, skilled trades or technology, or you’re looking to apply your relevant experience to a new industry, join our team as we help shape a brighter way forward. Role Purpose & Impact The Manufacturing, Energy & Logistics Industries Sectors Research Lead will be accountable for shaping and delivering JLL's research and insights agenda for this industry cluster, spanning advanced manufacturing, automotive manufacturing, energy, and utilities, with coordinated partner coverage across logistics, transportation, consumer products, and retail. This individual will identify emerging trends, frame strategic perspectives on the future of the industry, and deliver differentiated, proprietary-data-driven insights that enable clients, and JLL, to anticipate change and act decisively. The role will strengthen JLL's market position, elevate our brand, and support enterprise growth and strategy. The Lead will partner with experts across Research and the broader JLL business, as well as external partners, to develop forward-looking insights on the most critical opportunities and challenges facing the sector and its commercial real estate implications. This includes understanding the real estate strategies and operating decisions of large occupiers across manufacturing, automotive, energy infrastructure, and utilities, and how macro shifts such as supply chain reconfiguration, nearshoring and reshoring, automation, and the energy transition reshape occupier demand and location strategy globally. This is a senior role within a globally organized industry sector research team, partnering closely with the property sectors team, with researchers in key markets globally, and with business line stakeholders across the organization. This role will report to the Head of Industries Sectors Research. Key Accountabilities: • Own JLL's point of view on the global Manufacturing, Energy & Logistics sector and its real estate implications, anchored in proprietary data, peer-referential intelligence, and a command of occupier strategy across manufacturing, automotive, energy, and utilities. • Produce differentiated, forward-looking research outputs, including sector outlooks, point of views, thematic reports, and client briefings, increasingly in dynamics formats beyond traditional reports and data outputs. • Build and maintain a global network of internal SMEs, business line partners, and external sources to keep the insight agenda current and calibrated to the sector's real priorities. • Partner with the property sectors team and researchers in key markets globally to integrate industry-side intelligence with property market data into a single view of supply, demand, and occupier strategy. • Coordinate with partner-model teams covering Logistics & Transportation and Consumer Products & Retail to ensure coverage across these sub-verticals is coherent and client-facing outputs reflect a joined-up perspective. • Develop a deep understanding of occupier real estate decision-making across this cluster, including site selection, portfolio strategy, and capital allocation priorities across manufacturing, energy infrastructure, and related facility types. • Activate research to support business development and client engagement, including bespoke presentations, RFP support, pursuit materials, and strategic briefings. • Contribute to an integrated data strategy for the sector, identifying proprietary datasets, benchmarking opportunities, and analytics capabilities that create durable differentiation. • Identify and apply AI-enabled tools across the research workflow to drive step-change improvements in quality, speed, and scale, helping shape these capabilities rather than merely consuming them. • Represent JLL as a thought leader for this sector with clients, in the industry, and with the media. Skills & Experience • Deep expertise in the Manufacturing, Energy & Logistics sector, spanning at least one of advanced manufacturing, automotive, energy and utilities, or logistics and supply chain, with a demonstrated ability to translate industry dynamics into real estate and occupier strategy insight. • Proven ability to produce high-quality, differentiated research independently, including original analytical frameworks and clear, forward-looking client-facing outputs. • Strong understanding of commercial real estate fundamentals as they apply to industrial occupiers, including site selection, portfolio strategy, industrial market dynamics, and the capital allocation priorities of large manufacturers and energy operators. • Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, including engagement at C-suite level with occupier and investor clients. • Proven ability to work across geographies and functions in a matrixed organization, including influencing without direct authority. • Familiarity with AI-enabled research tools and data platforms, with an appetite for continued innovation. This position does not provide visa sponsorship. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship. Estimated compensation for this position: 128,600.00 – 164,000.00 USD per year This range is an estimate and actual compensation may differ. Final compensation packages are determined by various considerations including but not limited to candidate qualifications, location, market conditions, and internal considerations. Location: On-site –Atlanta, GA, Chicago, IL, Houston, TX, Los Angeles, CA If this job description resonates with you, we encourage you to apply, even if you don’t meet all the requirements. We’re interested in getting to know you and what you bring to the table! Personalized benefits that support personal well-being and growth: JLL recognizes the impact that the workplace can have on your wellness, so we offer a supportive culture and comprehensive benefits package that prioritizes mental, physical and emotional health. Some of these benefits may include: • 401(k) plan with matching company contributions • Comprehensive Medical, Dental & Vision Care • Paid parental leave at 100% of salary • Paid Time Off and Company Holidays • Early access to earned wages through Daily Pay At JLL, we harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to efficiently accelerate meaningful connections between candidates and opportunities. Using AI capabilities, we analyze your application for relevant skills, experiences, and qualifications to generate valuable insights about how your unique profile aligns with the specific requirements of the role you're pursuing. JLL Privacy Notice Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading global provider of real estate and investment management services. We take our responsibility to protect the personal information provided to us seriously. Generally the personal information we collect from you are for the purposes of processing in connection with JLL’s recruitment process. We endeavour to keep your personal information secure with appropriate level of security and keep for as long as we need it for legitimate business or legal reasons. We will then delete it safely and securely. For more information about how JLL processes your personal data, please view our Candidate Privacy Statement . For additional details please see our career site pages for each country. For candidates in the United States, please see a full copy of our Equal Employment Opportunity policy here . Jones Lang LaSalle (“JLL”) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process – including the online application and/or overall selection process – you may email us at HRSCLeaves@jll.com . This email is only to request an accommodation. Please direct any other general recruiting inquiries to our Contact Us page > I want to work for JLL. Pursuant to the Arizona Civil Rights Act, criminal convictions are not an absolute bar to employment. Pursuant to Illinois Law, applicants are not obligated to disclose sealed or expunged records of conviction or arrest. Pursuant to Columbia, SC ordinance, this position is subject to a background check for any convictions directly related to its duties and responsibilities. Only job-related convictions will be considered and will not automatically disqualify the candidate. California Residents only If you are a California resident as defined in the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) please view our Supplemental Privacy Statement which describes your rights and disclosures about your personal information. If you are viewing this on a mobile device you may want to view the CCPA version on a larger device. Pursuant to the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, JLL will consider for employment all qualified Applicants, including those with Criminal Histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Accepting applications on an ongoing basis until candidate identified.

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