Research Associate

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.

One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks that include numerous retail and restaurant discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates for performing arts events.

At UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School, we think differently; and more importantly, we teach differently. Opening our doors as the Department of Commerce in 1919 and awarding our first degrees to 12 students in 1921 was the beginning. Today, we have become a top-ranked business school comprised of several professional and academic degree programs that serve over 3,000 students. At Kenan-Flagler, our greatest assets are our people and our culture. We are rooted in our core values of integrity, inclusion, innovation and impact, and it goes back to our founding. It's not just something on paper, we live it, we show it. Our mission is to prepare the next generation of business leaders by providing a world class education to our students. We seek to recruit diverse, innovative, and exceptional talent to achieve this goal.

UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School seeks an hourly Research Associate to work closely with Professor Ted Zoller on the revision and modernization of new venture creation curricula update for integration across Kenan-Flagler curricula and coursework. This role focuses on aligning existing lecture materials, tools, and pedagogical approaches with emerging generative and agentic AI capabilities to enhance venture education in the MBA program.
The Research Associate will collaborate directly with Professor Zoller to refine, develop, and build instructional tools embedded within his 6M Venture Circuit, leveraging AI to improve learning design, experiential exercises, and student outcomes. Work will span curriculum mapping, instructional design, prompt and agent development, and the translation of entrepreneurial frameworks into AI-augmented teaching assets suitable for classroom, practicum, and applied venture contexts.
Key Responsibilities
* Review and align existing lectures, exercises, and tools with Kenan-Flagler MBA curricula
* Design and prototype generative and agentic AI tools to support venture ideation, validation, modeling, and execution
* Assist in developing AI-enabled teaching modules, prompts, and workflows for faculty and student use
* Support research and documentation related to AI-enhanced entrepreneurship pedagogy
* Contribute to iterative testing and refinement of tools used in MBA courses and experiential programs

Bachelor's degree in a discipline related to the field assigned and one year of related training or experience; or equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

* Background in entrepreneurship, strategy, innovation, or instructional design
* Familiarity with generative AI tools
* Familiarity with prompt engineering
* Familiarity with agent-based workflows

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the Office of Human Resources at (919) 843-2300 or send an email to employment@unc.edu

Please note: The Office of Human Resources will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.