Research Innovator Career Track

Research Innovator Career Track

Description and Requirements

Research is critical to IU’s academic mission and to growing externally funded research to achieve key IU 2030 Strategic Plan Pillar 2 goals.

The IU Research Innovator Career Track supports hiring specialized staff with deep experience from industry, other universities, government, and/or the nonprofit sector in staff positions at market-based, competitive rates. Importantly, the track also provides a career path to retain talent over time.  Research Innovators may be engaged in basic (i.e., acquiring new knowledge), applied (i.e., solving problems) and/or development research and creative activities (i.e., improvements and new processes or products, and production of creative works).

To be a Research Innovator, positions must meet the following criteria:

  • Almost exclusively externally funded through sponsored grants and contracts;
  • Directly engages in research or creative activity, providing significant intellectual contributions, driving innovation and discovery that can be from any area across the entire breadth of research and creative disciplines at IU, and/or providing a highly specialized or technical or creative service that directly supports externally sponsored research; and
  • Contributes to the public dissemination of findings and knowledge and creative endeavors.

The track has four tiers: Assistant Research Innovator, Associate Research Innovator, Full Research Innovator, and Senior Research Innovator.

More junior Research Innovators (Assistant and Associate) are intended for staff positions that are more dependent in their career development. For example, an Assistant or Associate may work under the direction of a Principal Investigator who has obtained a sponsored project to fund the salary of the Assistant or Associate. Junior Research Innovators are expected to be involved in the dissemination process as a co-author or co-contributor.

In contrast, more advanced Research Innovators (Full and Senior) are intended for staff members that are increasingly more independent with the expectation to secure external sponsored awards as the actual Principal Investigator and disseminate findings as corresponding author or significant contributor.

Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate with 0-2 years of professional experience; functions as a dependent investigator and co-author or co-contributor.

Job Summary: Plans, maintains, or completes research programs and/or projects involved in the discovery of new knowledge, techniques, and concepts. Contributes to the planning and design of research and creative projects. Supports research and creative activities such as data analysis, monitoring outcomes, performing lab maintenance, and/or performing experiments and executing creative projects. May assist in both short- and long-term planning and project goals, as well as in research and creative proposals and dissemination of project findings.

Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate with 4-10 years of professional experience; functions as a dependent co-investigator and co-author or co-contributor, with the clear potential for increasing independence. The years of experience of 4-10 is only representative, as demonstration of required proficiency, skill and abilities is the primary factor.

Job Summary: Oversees research projects and assumes responsibility for the day-to-day activity supporting the project. Coordinates and maintains the planning and design of research and creative projects in the discovery of new knowledge, techniques, and concepts.  Contributes significantly to the planning and design of research and creative projects. May assist in both short- and long-term planning and project goals, as well as in research and creative proposals and dissemination of project findings.

Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate with more than 10 years of professional experience; demonstrates increasing success and independence as Principal Investigator and corresponding author or contributor, with the potential for even greater independence. The years of experience of more than 10 years is only representative, as demonstration of required proficiency, skills and abilities is the primary factor.

Job Summary: Assumes full responsibility for overall support of research innovation activities. Contributes to the design, interpretation and writing of grant proposals and publications. Directs and mentors others in research practices. Independently designs, conducts, and reports on research activities. Pursues external funding as principal investigator and/or Co-PI or Co-I, leading or co-leading contribution to the dissemination of findings or knowledge, including but not limited to public access, such as on-line and through exhibits, peer-reviewed reports and publications, and presentation at meetings.

Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate with more than 15 years of professional experience; demonstrates success as an independent Principal Investigator and corresponding author.  The years of experience of more than 15 years is only representative, as demonstration of required proficiency, skills and abilities is the primary factor.

Job Summary: Assumes full responsibility for overall support of research activities. Contributes to the design, interpretation and writing of grant proposals and publications. May direct and mentor others in research practices. With limited supervision designs, conducts, and reports on research activities. May pursue external funding as Principal Investigator and/or Co-PI or Co-I, leading or co-leading contribution to the dissemination of findings or knowledge, including, but not limited to, public access, such as on-line and through exhibits, peer-reviewed reports and publications, and presentation at meetings. Provides operational leadership at the highest level, and coordination of assigned staff members, to research innovation methodologies and standards. Establishes short-term business plans and long-term operational objectives.

Research Innovators may be promoted over time if they successfully demonstrate required proficiency, skills and abilities of the next tier.  Promotion is not based on years of service, but instead levels of experience and accomplishment, increasing level of independence, evidence of peer recognition, and impact within one’s areas of responsibility consistent upon the expectations stated above.

Pay is determined by the availability of funds through the external award and external market analysis to determine competitive compensation, while also considering credentials, years of experience and any other unique qualifiers needed for a specific role.

Unlike other job families, and because of the specialized nature of their roles, Research Innovators by design will often not have comparable roles within the university or within the job family since applications of the track will vary across units and disciplines.

Additional details:

  • The track is not intended to support those employees with majority (more than 50%) effort relating to administrative, project management, human resources, formal teaching, or financial responsibilities.
  • Employment is contingent on continued availability of external funding; offer letters must state this contingency.
  • There is no maximum time limit for service in any of the four Research Innovator tiers.
  • Research Innovator positions do not carry faculty level requirements or tenure under the Research job function within the IU Job Framework.

The Research Innovator Career Track job family is available to all IU divisions on all campuses to hire staff to directly engage in externally funded research, service and/or creative activity in line with the above stated criteria.