at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, United States
Job Description
Job Opening Id: 54476
Department: Office for Research
Salary/Grade: EXS/10
Job Summary:
The Senior Export Controls & International Compliance (ECIC) Specialist plays a critical subject matter expert role in advancing Northwestern University’s international compliance strategy. This position is responsible for independently managing complex regulatory analyses related to export control, research security, and improper foreign influence. The Senior Specialist serves as a strategic partner to the campus community, proactively identifying compliance risks and implementing forward-looking solutions that align with institutional priorities.
Operating with a high degree of autonomy, the Senior ECIC Specialist leads complex export control reviews—including classifications, shipping assessments, and international travel evaluations—and oversees the development and execution of Technology Control Plans. This role also spearheads strategic automation and process improvement initiatives to enhance service delivery, ensure regulatory adherence, and streamline documentation workflows across the university.
In addition to export control responsibilities, the Senior Specialist drives Northwestern’s efforts to mitigate improper foreign influence by conducting risk assessments, leading targeted training and outreach programs, and maintaining dynamic content across the Export Controls and Research Security websites. The Senior ECIC Specialist maintains expert-level knowledge of the evolving regulatory landscape and cultivates a robust internal and external network to monitor trends, share best practices, and ensure the university remains at the forefront of compliance excellence.
The ECIC specialist will support the OR mission and values of understanding empathy, modeling accountability, ensuring fairness, embracing community, and valuing creativity.
Specific Responsibilities:
Export Control
- Lead collaborations with Sponsored Research (SR) and other key stakeholders to guide complex export control reviews and ensure alignment with institutional research priorities.
- Independently manage and advise on shipping and international travel reviews, including export control classifications and restricted party screenings, with minimal oversight.
- Provide expert-level export classification assessments for proposed tangible item exports, ensuring accuracy and regulatory compliance.
- Conduct and oversee restricted party screenings, identifying and escalating potential risks involving denied or sanctioned entities.
- Manage the university’s use of Visual Compliance; identifying new partners and maintaining updated materials.
