• Assistant Director, Research Compliance

    Western Kentucky University (Bowling Green, KY)


     

    The Western Kentucky University Office of Research & Creative Activity is pleased to announce we are searching for an Assistant Director of Research Compliance. The Assistant Director of Research Compliance is responsible for ensuring that ethical and legal requirements are known and observed in the conduct of all research and sponsored program activity. In addition, this position serves as the liaison to the Associate Provost for Research, Office of Research and Creative Activity (ORCA) staff, faculty, and other campus stakeholders to keep the WKU community informed of changes to research ethics, compliance regulations, federal/state laws, and WKU policies.

     

    Highly qualified candidates are eligible for a hybrid or primarily remote work arrangement. In the case of a primarily remote work arrangement, in-office work on our campus in Bowling Green, KY will be required no more than 10 days (approximately 3 trips to campus) per year.*

    Duties:

    + Oversees activities relating to vertebrate animal research (IACUC), human participants research (IRB) and biosafety research (IBC) compliance and ensures adherence to pertinent federal, state, and local regulations. Directs the IRB and IACUC review processes, ensuring that all human subjects and animal research protocols comply with federal regulations and University policies.

    + Collaborates with researchers to maintain ethical standards in human subjects and animal research and identifies, monitors, and reports on adverse events.

    + Ensures university compliance with federal and University regulations related to Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research, Financial Conflict of Interest, export controls, research security, and data management.

    + Provides training and technical assistance on research integrity, compliance requirements, and ethical conduct for faculty, staff, and students.

    + Ensures university compliance with federal and university data management policies and reviews data management compliance concerns, particularly with regard to sponsored projects and data use agreements.

    + Monitors changes in state and federal research regulations and updates institutional policies and training materials as needed.

    + Coordinates internal reviews and audits and assists with responses to research compliance inquiries and corrective actions.

    + Works with the Associate Provost for Research and other university units to ensure sufficient compliance protocols are in place to accommodate WKU's expanding research profile.

    + Supervises the Compliance Manager and delegates responsibilities to the Compliance Manager as appropriate.

    + Performs other duties as assigned.

    *revised on 10-13-25 to include hybrid/remote option

    Job Requirements:

    + Bachelor's degree

    + Minimum of five years of directly related professional experience working with research compliance and/or regulatory policies in a high research activity academic setting

    + Experience supervising full-time employees.

    + Knowledge of state and federal research compliance regulations.

    + Knowledge of regulatory audits and facility inspections.

    + Knowledge of human and animal research protocols and conflict of interest certifications.

    + Competence in Microsoft Office, specifically Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

    Additional Information:

    Salary Range: $68,000 - $75,000

     

    Kentucky state law requires all public institutions of postsecondary education to conduct pre-employment criminal background checks to determine suitability for employment.

     

    Western Kentucky University (WKU) is committed to a policy and practice of providing equal employment and educational opportunities to all individuals. In accordance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Revised 1992, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, no form of discrimination or harassment will be tolerated at WKU on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, marital status, age, uniformed services, veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, or physical or mental disability in admission to career and technical education programs and/or activities, or employment practices.

     

    Persons with disabilities, who need reasonable accommodations to participate in the application and/or selection process, should notify the office of Institutional Equity. To request an accommodation, report a complaint, or ask questions regarding WKU's Discrimination and Harassment Policy (#0.2040), please contact Ms. Ena Demir, Executive Director/Title IX Coordinator via email at [email protected] or by phone at (270) 745-6867. Ms. Demir is also responsible for coordinating the University's response to complaints related to sex and gender harassment. Additional information regarding Title IX is accessible via WKU's https://www.wku.edu/titleix/ website.

     

    Information concerning educational programs offered by WKU are provided at: http://www.wku.edu/atwku/academics.php

     

    For information related to job postings, please email [email protected].