Research Administrator Senior​/Research Administrator Intermediate

Research Administrator Senior

The Department of Materials Science & Engineering seeks a Research Administrator Senior. This position may be filled at the Intermediate level depending on the selected candidate's qualifications, experience, and departmental needs. Candidates who meet the Intermediate-level qualifications are encouraged to apply; training and professional development will be provided.

The desired candidate will partner with faculty by managing the administrative research process including developing project budgets, assisting with budget justifications, coordinating with internal and external entities, and ensuring all institution and sponsor guidelines are followed for proposal submissions. Candidates for this position are expected to perform a wide range of financial functions including budget projections, expense analysis, account reconciliations, and journal entries.

Candidates should exhibit strong organizational skills and demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively within a complex organization. The division is seeking a highly competent, motivated and organized professional with strong customer service aptitude to serve as part of our finance team.

Pre-award activities include, but not limited to:

• Assisting departmental faculty in development, preparation and submission of grant and contract proposals
• Manage the submission for complex research grant proposals to private and federal funding agencies. This includes processing all proposal paperwork including budgets, justification, current and pending, etc., working with partners to collect relevant information and ensure submission and approval of proposals within set deadlines.
• Monitor all proposals to meet agency and University guidelines, published timetables and deadlines
• Facilitate the preparation of indirect cost (IDC) waiver requests
• Coordinate cost-share requests

Post-award activities include, but not limited to:

• Reconcile sponsored research projects using M-Reports, M-Pathways, eReconciliation and other reporting tools to ensure appropriate use of funds.
• Meet regularly with faculty to review award contracts, consult with financial and administrative management of projects, and offer analysis, guidance on best practices relating to post award management.
• Set-up new awards including sub-project requests, subcontracts, unfunded agreements, and hardship requests.
• Review, encumber, and monitor financial transactions for appropriateness and allowability
• Supervise the processing of invoices and monitoring of budgets.
• Ensure compliance with sponsor terms, University policies/procedures and federal regulations
• Research, analyze, and resolve sponsored project issues
• Prepare financial status reports and sponsor reports as needed
• Compile financial information to process transactions (i.e., budget allocations, appointment changes and journal entries)
• Review and approve travel and expense reports made on faculty led accounts
• Track GSRA, faculty and staff appointment changes on sponsored projects

• Education and experience

  • Senior Level: Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting or business administration and 5-7 years of research administration or grants/contracts experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
  • Intermediate Level: Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting or business administration and 3-5 years of research administration or grants/contracts experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Candidate must have excellent oral and written communication skills, attention to detail, strong interpersonal skills, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently as well as effectively in teams; must have the ability to work comfortably with individuals at all levels.
• The ability to read, interpret and communicate School, University, and Sponsor guidelines and policies.
• Must reliably manage responsibilities and time effectively, while providing exceptional customer service in a fast-paced environment where there are often multiple, conflicting priorities.
• Be a highly dependable team player with a positive attitude, seeking to be an integral part of the Department's success.
• Have the ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced, multi-tasking environment with the ability to maintain and respect confidentiality.
• Mastery of Excel and the ability to adapt to changing technology are essential
• Candidates will need to exhibit sound judgment, follow-through and the willingness to meet high work standards

• Open to learning new things
• Demonstrated experience with multi-project financial review and analysis, with the ability to track and project financial activity and commitments. Knowledge of U-M financial practices and processes strongly preferred. Prior experience with federal funding agencies, such as NSF, DOE, DOD, and NIH, is strongly preferred.
• Seven-plus years of progressively responsible grant management experience.
• Previous experience with the U-M eResearch…