Created by Dr. Golnoush (Lia) Haddadian
Postdoctoral Associate · AI in Education · Georgia State University
Faculty Application Lens Series

Hiring Lens: Research Statement

Evaluate research statements across seven evidence-informed dimensions

Part of the Faculty Application Lens Series: A collection of evidence-based tools designed to help PhD candidates and early-career researchers strengthen faculty job materials through the lens of what R1 hiring committees actually evaluate.

An interactive evaluation rubric that helps you assess research statements prepared by PhD candidates pursuing assistant professor positions at R1 institutions. Grounded in empirical hiring literature, federal grant review criteria (NSF CAREER, NIH R01, DOE ECRP), and institutional guidance from major research universities, the tool guides you through evaluating seven dimensions: research identity, independence from PhD training, funding viability, institutional fit, tenure trajectory, external validation, and communication clarity.

You can score each criterion (weak/adequate/strong) and receive immediate feedback on the overall strength of the statement. Results can be exported as a formatted report.

Use the results as a source of developmental feedback to reflect on your work, identify areas for improvement, and iteratively revise and strengthen your research statement, rather than as a definitive assessment of its quality or competitiveness.

⚠ Field-specific calibration required: Benchmark standards differ significantly by field (biomedical vs. engineering vs. humanities). Score thresholds and publication expectations must be adjusted per discipline. See guidance comments for field notes.

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This educational artifact was developed with AI assistance. AI was used to support the synthesis, organization, and presentation of information. For educational purposes only; this artifact is intended to support learning and exploration, not to provide definitive guidance or recommendations.