Administrative Operations Specialist

This position may be considered for partial or full remote work, subject to the terms of a telecommuting agreement, with the potential need to come to campus for meetings on occasion. While telecommuting/remote working, the employee is responsible for ensuring a working environment suitable for accomplishing their regular job duties during scheduled hours of work and, if applicable, arranging for dependent care just as they would if they were working in person at a UCSC worksite.

For full consideration, applicants should attach their resume and cover letter when applying for a job opening. For guidance related to the application process or if you are experiencing difficulties when applying, please review the Applicant Resources on our website.

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UC Santa Cruz jobs are posted until filled. All application materials submitted by 11:59 pm on the IRD will be routed to the hiring team for consideration.

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Applicants who miss the IRD are still encouraged to apply; their materials will still be forwarded for consideration if requested by the hiring team. Application materials cannot be accepted outside of the jobs portal. Applications cannot be edited on an applicant's behalf. For more information about the IRD and the applicant review process, view this link.

The IRD for this job is:
01-06-2026
.

UC Santa Cruz is a public university like no other in California, combining the experience of a small, liberal arts college with the depth and rigor of a major research university. It's known as an unconventional place where innovation and experimentation is part of the campus's DNA. That playful, bold spirit still thrives today, all on a campus renowned as among the most beautiful in the world.

The Office of Research has primary responsibility for research policy, planning, and administration of the UC Santa Cruz Research enterprise. The Office of Research (OR) supports the research community through five units: the Office of Sponsored Projects, Research Development, the Office of Research Compliance Administration, the Innovation & Business Engagement Hub, and Office of Research Business & Operations.

The Administrative Operations Specialist provides operational, compliance, and communications support for the Offices of Sponsored Projects (OSP), Research Compliance Administration (ORCA), Proposal Administration, the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research, and other Office of Research units as needed.

Key duties include intake and triage of documents and inquiries, data entry, record management, and documentation in compliance with institutional and sponsor policies. The Specialist supports research administration and compliance systems, including website updates and resource management.

This role also coordinates workflows, prepares and distributes reports and communications, tracks projects, and contributes to process improvement. The Specialist serves as a resource for OSP and ORCA staff and leadership, managing data, procurement, and compliance‑related tasks with accuracy and confidentiality.

Budgeted Salary: $36.92 - $40.37/hour. Salary commensurate with skills, qualifications and experience.

Under California law, the University of California, Santa Cruz is required to post a reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role. The salary shown above is the budgeted amount the University reasonably expects to pay and the salary extended should not exceed this posted amount.

Benefits Level Eligibility:
Full benefits.

• Full-time, Fixed
• Percentage of Time: 100%, 40 Hours per Week
• Days of the Week:
  Mon-Fri
• Shift Includes:
  Day

Career appointment.

None

UC Santa Cruz Main Campus

CX Union

004263 (Administrative Officer 2 CX)

Never or Rarely

55% - Operational Support

• Manage intake of inquiries, proposal and award documents, research compliance forms, and other documentation, including assignment to appropriate team/staff, documentation in relevant systems, and response as appropriate.
• Manage unit purchases including purchase orders and transaction reconciliation.
• Manage payments for memberships and subscriptions.

25% - Compliance Tracking

• Coordinate and support tracking, reporting, and documentation of compliance with and completion of research compliance trainings.
• Provide operational support for research compliance committees.
• Monitor delinquent closeout reporting.
• Support reporting, disclosure, and waiver processes.
• Support subaward requests, including process initiation, subrecipient document collection and review, and documentation.

10% - Data management

• Manage data entry, account creation and management and updates for web-based protocol system (Cayuse), Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI), and other system accounts utilized by OR to support…