Director, Stanford Tax (STAX) Lab

🔍 Graduate School of Business, Stanford, California, United States

📁: Administration

📅   : Oct 17, 2025 Post Date

📅   : 107567 Requisition #

Stanford Graduate School of Business

Stanford's Graduate School of Business has built a global reputation through immersive and innovative management programs. We provide students with a transformative leadership experience, pushing the boundaries of knowledge with faculty research and offering a portfolio of entrepreneurial and non-degree programs that deliver global impact like no other. We are committed to developing innovative, principled, and insightful leaders who change lives, change organizations, and change the world. We invite you to be part of this mission.
This position services the Stanford Tax (STAX) lab within the Research Hub at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and is a two year fixed-term position.The Director will work with the research team to manage their portfolio of research projects. The Director reports operationally to the two faculty directors and administratively to the Director, Research Operations in the GSB Research Hub. An ideal candidate will have research experience related to the lab’s interest in business taxation research, allowing the candidate to discuss the lab’s research, communicate with partners, write funding proposals, and manage lab researchers. While the lab’s research focuses on business tax research, the candidate does not need to be an expert in all areas, but must be curious and able to learn about research across multiple disciplines.

The STAX lab conducts cross-disciplinary tax research to better inform practice, policy, and academia. They conduct cutting-edge research using administrative data, often in partnership with revenue authorities, to improve our understanding of how businesses respond to taxation and how these responses impact economic activity. Additionally, they foster the development of the next generation of tax scholars by bringing together Ph.D students, postdoctoral scholars, predoctoral fellows, and visiting scholars from around the world to discuss and conduct research.

Primary Responsibilities

The Director will manage and oversee all aspects of the day-to-day operation within the lab. The work requires both administrative and technical acumen to facilitate the lab’s mission. Additionally, the tasks may involve interaction and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders. Specific responsibilities include:

Manage the work of lab staff, including research assistants, pre-doctoral candidates, and postdoctoral researchers, in support of research study analysis and faculty projects.
Review and ensure compliance with research data agreements within the labs; establish effective data access and management protocols.
Partner with GSB Data Acquisition and Governance teams to both oversee existing data agreements and implement new ones.
Maintain existing relationships and cultivate new partnerships with research partners, data providers, government agencies, nonprofits, and other community organizations.
Provide budget oversight, including annual budget planning and operational execution, and expense tracking and reimbursement for all lab transactions.
Interface with the GSB Research Hub and GSB Finance teams and ensure compliance with GSB and university financial management standards and requirements.
Contribute to long-term strategic planning to support lab budgeting, resourcing, and staffing to meet research goals.
With support from principal investigators, identify new grant opportunities, support the development of new grant proposals, and manage the completion and submission of grant deliverables.
Support and contribute to donor and foundation relationships through coordination with the GSB Development Office.
Collaborate with the principal investigators and the Stanford Research Compliance Office on institutional review board submissions for non-medical research.
Prepare project memos, summaries, and presentations as needed to engage research partners in all stages of the research cycle.
Collaborate with GSB and Stanford-wide entities and contribute to building systems that facilitate good research practices within the labs (e.g., guidelines for research assistants, protocols for data storage, etc.).
Collaborate with GSB and Stanford-wide communication teams to disseminate and amplify the research work conducted in the lab.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Education and Experience

An advanced degree and five years of relevant experience in the area of specialization or a combination of relevant education, training, and/or experience. Experience managing a budget and developing financial plans. Experience developing program partnerships and funding sources.

Preferred Requirements

Preference will be given to a candidate with a Ph.D.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Superior project management skills with exceptional attention to detail, and the ability to manage complex, multi-year projects from conception to completion.
Some knowledge of statistical languages such as STATA (preferred), Python, and R.
Ability to oversee and manage the work of doctoral students to support the conduct of study analysis.
Regimented organizational abilities accounting for a variety of project, personnel, financial, and research-related inputs.
Excellent oral, written, and analytical skills, exhibiting fluency in an area of specialization and the ability to represent the needs of both labs to multiple stakeholders.
Knowledge of managing budgets, developing financial plans, and fund accounting.
Familiarity with academic institution financial management systems, such as Oracle, etc.
Strategic thinking and the ability to handle multiple projects at once, push forward external stakeholders, meet deadlines, and effectively manage time.
Ability to balance the mix of multi-year high-level developments and day-to-day lower-level tasks.
Ability and sound judgment to shield faculty directors from administrative tasks while recognizing decisions that need to be escalated and need direct faculty director input.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Frequently stand/walk, sit, grasp lightly/finely manipulate, and perform desk-based computer tasks.
Occasionally use a telephone, write by hand, lift/carry/push/pull objects that weigh up to 40 pounds.
Rarely sort/file paperwork or parts, lift/carry/push/pull objects that weigh >40 pounds.
Ability to use voice to present information/communicate with others.
On-campus mobility.

* Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact Stanford University Human Resources by submitting a contact form.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

May work extended hours, evenings, or weekends.
May travel locally.
Occasional overnight travel.

WORK STANDARDS:

Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates the ability to work well with Stanford colleagues and clients and with external organizations.
Promote Culture of Safety: Demonstrates commitment to personal responsibility and value for safety; communicates safety concerns; uses and promotes safe behaviors based on training and lessons learned.
Subject to and expected to comply with all applicable University policies and procedures, including but not limited to the personnel policies and other policies found in the University’s Administrative Guide, http://adminguide.stanford.edu.

This is a two-year, fixed-term position available for a hybrid work arrangement. A hybrid work arrangement is available; the STAX lab requires a minimum of three days per week onsite.

The expected pay range for this position is $139,741 to $179,496 per annum.

Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good-faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

At Stanford University, base pay represents only one aspect of the comprehensive rewards package. The Cardinal at Work website provides detailed information on Stanford’s extensive range of benefits and rewards offered to employees (https://cardinalatwork.stanford.edu/benefits-rewards). Specifics about the rewards package for this position may be discussed during the hiring process.

Why Stanford is for You

Stanford’s dedicated staff of 16,000 come from diverse educational and career backgrounds. We are a collaborative environment that thrives on innovation and continuous improvement. At Stanford, we seek talent committed to excellence, driven to impact the future of our legacy and improve lives on a global scale. We offer competitive salaries, excellent healthcare and retirement plans, and a generous vacation policy, including additional time off during our winter closure. Our generous perks align with what matters to you:

Freedom to grow. Take advantage of career development programs, tuition reimbursement, or course audits to further your education and career goals.
Join a TED Talk, or film screening, or listen to a renowned author or leader discuss global issues.
A caring culture. We understand the importance of your personal and family time and provide you access to wellness programs, child-care resources, parent education and consultation, elder care, and caregiving support.
A healthier you. We prioritize wellness by providing access to world-class exercise facilities. Climb our rock wall, or participate in one of hundreds of health or fitness classes.
Discovery and fun. Visit campus gardens, trails, and museums.
Enviable resources. We offer free commuter programs and ridesharing incentives. Enjoy discounts for computers, cell phones, recreation, travel, entertainment, and more!

We take pride in being a culture that encourages and empowers you.

How to Apply

We invite you to apply for this position by clicking on the “Apply for Job” button. To be considered, please submit a cover letter and résumé along with your online application.

The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.

Stanford is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Additional Information