Research Administrator

Job Summary

Title: Research Administrator
Executive Area: Academic Affairs
College/School/MBU: Engineering
Department: Dean - Engineering
Work Location: Amherst
Schedule: Full Time
Work Arrangement: Hybrid

The Research Administrator is responsible for the full life cycle of quality research administration ranging from proposal development to post award administration, award close‑out, and award compliance for a group of Principal Investigators in the College of Engineering.

• Manages the development and internal approval of research and special project proposals and contracts for submission to federal, state, and private funding sources.
• Provides expert advice on agency, institutional, and government proposal compliance to assigned University faculty and Principal Investigators.
• Manages the planning and development of grant or contract supported projects and programs.
• Provides critical analysis and guidance in the review and interpretation of opportunity announcement documents.
• Develops budgets and budget narratives sufficient to support project or program activities and consistent with applicable requirements.
• Drafts, writes, and/or edits proposal documents.
• Reviews final proposals and ensures commitments (both fiscal and technical) and accountability are in accordance with University and sponsor policies, procedures, and regulations.
• Works cooperatively with supervisors, UMass Office of Pre‑award Services (OPAS) personnel, various University staff and faculty, and funding agencies.
• Prepares and submits timely routing documentation for internal proposal submission approvals.
• Provides professional consultation, management, and staff leadership to ensure that faculty investigators have the assistance needed in the proposal and budget development process, encouraging multidisciplinary submissions and project development.
• Assists with system‑to‑system proposal development and routing requirements and obtains all compliance approvals from appropriate university regulatory committees (e.g., Institutional Review Board, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, Conflict of Interest).

• Manages, advises, reconciles, analyzes, closes out, and reports on spending and budget activity for a variety of fund types, including research grants and contracts, gift, general operating, faculty start‑up, and program income accounts.
• Prepares forecasts and makes recommendations about staffing and spending changes to keep projects on track.
• Meets with faculty and reviews travel, deadlines, new funding sources, and adjusts staffing plans as necessary.
• Manages PI effort commitments and assists with annual effort certification.
• Participates in the contract close‑out process; compiles information for final reports and certificates.
• Advises faculty, researchers, and students on purchasing and travel policies; processes and monitors project expenditures and coordinates payments.

• Interprets and applies principles, rules, regulations, policies, precedents, or other guidelines specific to the assigned research project(s) and its sponsor to resolve problems, answer questions, and provide information and advice.
• Acts as the primary liaison between Principal Investigators and the Office of Pre‑Award Services (OPAS) for all pre‑award/proposal matters and the Office of Post‑Award Management (OPAM) and the Controller's Office for all post‑award matters.
• Proactively and reactively addresses problems/concerns, finding appropriate and timely solutions.
• Assists OPAS, OPAM, and the Controller's Office with compliance with federal and private cost and administrative principles (Uniform Guidance, etc.) and prepares and presents responses to audit findings.

Performs other duties as assigned.

• Master's Degree with at least 2 years’ financial experience, preferably in sponsored programs and grant management in an academic or equivalent setting, OR
• Bachelor's Degree and at least 4 years’ professional financial management experience, OR
• Associate's degree with at least 6 years’ professional financial management experience.
• Demonstrated experience developing and managing budgets, preferably…