Director, Research

Save lives, from the workplace to anyplace.
The National Safety Council is America’s leading nonprofit safety advocate. We focus on eliminating the leading causes of preventable injuries and deaths. Through leadership, research, education, and advocacy, NSC focuses on areas where most unintentional injuries and deaths occur.
We are currently looking for a Director, Research to join us in our mission to save lives and prevent injuries.
Position Highlights:
 

Directs and coordinates all activities of the research and statistics function. Partners with practice leaders and initiates research focused on collecting economic, statistical, demographic and/or other related data that meet the information needs of the programs. This position typically provides technical oversight across multiple research projects, performs advanced research, interprets data/information relevant to the desired topic and proceeds with research as warranted by preliminary findings. Presents findings and conclusions to top executives and at conferences and summarizes the nature and methodology of the research. May be responsible for grant seeking, writing proposals, and grant administration and budgeting.

What You’ll Do:

Management & Leadership (30%)

• Oversee the research team and assign projects as appropriate.
• Demonstrate strong leadership skills and coach research team in professional development activities.
• Lead research functional meetings aimed to align research goals, aid project execution, establish standard practices, and enable cross-functional collaboration.

Research strategy and agenda (30%)

• Assist in the planning and execution of research strategy, specifically the annual research agenda.
• Ensure all program content is science-based and SME reviewed.
• Develop new research proposals that will enhance and further advance the council’s mission.
• Develop and execute the programs’ initiative evaluation, including developing the overall plan, data collection and monitoring tools, continuous improvement/feedback, and grant reporting metrics. Regularly communicate progress and flag potential issues.
• Liaise with internal and external partners to co-develop research projects to advance the state of EHS knowledge.

Project Management (15%)

• Oversee the execution of research projects while regularly communicating progress to key internal partners and leadership.
•  Demonstrate strong organizational skills and utilize resources to complete projects that support the program.
• Assist in the planning, tracking, and execution of various meetings and conferences.
• Effectively communicate important information to stakeholders through both formal or informal settings.
•  Make informed decisions based on the goals/objectives, resources, and potential risks.

Review, interpret, present, and disseminate research findings (10%)

• Write, edit, and review written materials summarizing data collection methods and research findings.
• Use various software packages to create charts, graphs, tables, and graphics to present research data and findings.
• Work with program team to translate findings into key messages for educational content.
• Provide assistance with meetings, research symposia, and conferences.
• Travel to meetings and conferences to present research and/or run workshops, or booths.
• Present research findings via webinars intended to engage large audiences.
• Draft and submit research articles to trade/business magazines and peer-reviewed journals for publication.

Data collection and analysis (10%)

• Develop various data collection tools such as survey questionnaires, interview guides, and focus group moderator guides.
• Conduct interviews, administer surveys, and use various research methods to gather information on EHS technology practices.
• Perform data transfer, storage, cleanup, coding, validation, and other data management functions.
• Apply statistical techniques to conduct analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data.

Other (5%)

• Act as a program’s subject matter expert.
• Identify potential research funding opportunities.
• Other duties as assigned.

We’re Looking for Someone with:

• Education & Experience: Master’s degree in a relevant field (Ph.D. preferred) with 8–10 years of research experience, including 3–5 years in a leadership role.
• Research Expertise: Strong background in qualitative and quantitative research methods, including survey design, focus groups, and statistical analysis.
• Leadership & Management: Proven experience leading research teams, mentoring staff, and managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strategic Planning: Ability to develop and execute a research strategy aligned with organizational goals, including agenda-setting and program evaluation.
• Data Analysis & Tools: Proficiency with statistical and data visualization tools (e.g., SPSS, R, Stata, Python, Tableau, Power BI).
• Communication & Writing: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience presenting research findings, writing reports, and publishing in peer-reviewed journals.
• Collaboration & Partnerships: Ability to build and maintain relationships with internal teams, external partners, and subject matter experts to advance research initiatives.
• Project & Grant Management: Experience overseeing research projects, tracking progress, managing budgets, and securing research funding.
• Industry Knowledge: Familiarity with Environmental Health & Safety (EHS), occupational health, risk management, or related fields.
• Travel & Engagement: Willingness to travel (10–20%) for conferences, presentations, and stakeholder meetings.
• This is a remote position.
• The salary for this role is: $120,000.

Reasons You’ll Love it here: 
NSC cares about the safety, health, and overall well-being of our employees. We offer competitive benefits, resources, and tools to promote a work-life balance that supports employees during all phases of life. We offer the following:

• At least 20 PTO days accrued 1st year and 11 paid holidays
• Flexible work arrangements
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans
• Flex spending accounts for medical and dependent care
• 403(b) & Roth 403(b) with employer match up to 6%
• Reimbursable training
• Student loan pay down
• Dress for your day

Our hiring process is designed to give you the opportunity to shine at each step.  It starts with an assessment where you really showcase your drive for the role. From there, candidates selected for the first interview will discuss their skills and how they fit with our team. If you're a match, the second interview takes a deeper dive into your background and how you can contribute to our goals. After that, we'll make our final decision and let you know the outcome. This is our usual process, and we're excited to get to know you along the way!"
NSC is an equal-opportunity employer.