Senior Programs Officer

Overview

Posted:
Jan 20, 2026

Auburn University - Auburn, AL

Senior Sponsored Programs Officer

Institution of Higher Education

Location:

on the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, AL

Full-time
• Salary: $72,190.00 - $ Monthly
• Final date to receive applications:
Feb 28, 2026
• Position #156864

Auburn University's Office for the Sr. Vice President of Research and Economic Development is accepting applications for the position of Senior Sponsored Programs Officer. This position manages one of the Sponsored Programs teams and facilitates a wide range of sponsored programs administration activities for the extramurally funded research, instruction, outreach, and extension activities at the institutional level throughout Auburn University, the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.

These responsibilities include contract and grant terms review, approval & negotiation, proposal development, review & submission, contract and grant management, contracts and grants funded equipment management, and providing regulatory, policy, and procedural guidance related to such activities. These responsibilities require frequent communication and engagement with stakeholders across campus and with federal, state, industry, nonprofit, and other sponsoring entities. Individuals serving in this role will also be responsible for the scheduled and ad hoc training of Sponsored Programs staff, in conjunction with office leadership.

• Coordinates, advises, and supports faculty and staff on extramural proposals for research, instruction, outreach, and extension activity to ensure accuracy and compliance with federal, state, University, and sponsor rules and regulations and maintains the authority to submit proposals on behalf of the University, as needed.
• Prepares, reviews, and negotiates highly complex contracts, amendments, documents, and instruments of a legal character for the Office of Sponsored Programs. This includes, but is not limited to, fixed price and cost reimbursable sponsored research agreements, master agreements, task orders, memoranda of understanding, consortium agreements, teaming agreements, and other contracts associated with externally funded research, instruction, outreach, and extension activities.
• Evaluates, interprets, negotiates and applies federal, sponsor, and University policies and regulations to determine acceptable conditions of awards including such areas as conflict of interest, export control, intellectual property, indemnity, governing law, cost principles, data and information security requirements, human subjects, animal subjects and lab safety while referring relevant matters to the appropriate University office and/or personnel (i.e., General Counsel, The Office of Research Compliance, the Office of Research Security Compliance, The Intellectual Property Exchange, the Office of Risk Management, the Office of Audit, Compliance & Privacy, the Office of International Programs, and Contracts and Grants Accounting).
• Manages and facilitates for a specific team within OSP award change requests including rebudgeting, pre-award costs, carryover of unobligated balances, and no-cost-extensions and assists with the acquisition, management, and reporting for sponsor-funded equipment and materials while maintaining records and titles through the lifecycle of a sponsored award.
• Provides regulatory guidance to faculty, administrative units, and staff ensuring compliance with and adherence to relevant laws and regulations governing sponsored research while building trust and providing efficient and effective service to diverse constituents both internally and externally.
• Maintains proficiency in interpreting and applying federal regulations governing sponsored programs including 2 CFR 200, the Federal Acquisition Regulations, the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, standard federal research terms and conditions, and other agency-specific requirements. Remains current with developments in university-sponsored contracting and research administration through participation in professional development activities such as…