Research Administrator

Job Overview

Posting Number: PG194732EP

Working Title: Sponsored Research Administrator

Internal Recruitment: Yes

Anticipated Hiring Range: $65,000 - $73,525 (Commensurate with education and experience)

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm; position may be eligible for a flexible work schedule. Adjustments to the schedule are occasionally required to accommodate rigid sponsor proposal deadlines.

Job Location: Raleigh, NC

Department: Engineering Research Administration

The College of Engineering (COE) Office of Research Administration (ORA) operates under a college-managed, departmentally embedded operating model designed to deliver standardized, high-quality administrative infrastructure and regulatory safeguarding for the College’s extensive, multi-million dollar sponsored research portfolio. The ORA model merges centralized oversight with agile local integration, serving as strategic partners to principal investigators, faculty, and departmental leadership with cradle-to-grave support tailored to each unit.

The network manages over 1,100 research proposals and administers more than 800 new awards, continuations, and supplements annually. Operating as a high-volume, deadline-driven organization, the unit mitigates financial, legal, and reputational risks while optimizing NC State’s competitive edge in securing external funding.

• Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage
• Flexible Spending Account
• Retirement Programs
• Disability Plans
• Life Insurance
• Accident Plan
• Paid Time Off and Other Leave Programs
• 12 Holidays Each Year
• Tuition and Academic Assistance
• Childcare benefits
• Wellness & Recreation Membership
• Wellness Programs
• And so much more!

Pre-Award Portfolio Management & Proposal Development

• Localized Faculty Consultation:
  Partner directly with PIs to develop accurate, compliant proposal budgets and detailed justifications from initial concept through final submission.
• Standardized Regulatory Screening:
  Analyze complex agency Requests for Proposals and Funding Opportunity Announcements to ensure alignment with F&A rules, cost‑sharing restrictions, budget caps, and direct cost allowability.
• Institutional System Management:
  Fully execute and route records within institutional software suites, including RED Proposal Development, ensuring data integrity before final central routing.
• Electronic Research Administration:
  Build, format, and package proposal submissions within sponsor portals such as Research.gov, GRANTS.gov, eRA Commons, and ASSIST.

Post‑Award Financial Management, Forecasting & Closeout

• Award Onboarding & Budget Translation:
  Review incoming award notices with the PI to establish accurate internal ledger setups.
• Compliance Monitoring & Risk Mitigation:
  Perform continuous financial analysis of active grant ledgers, monitoring expenditures for accuracy, allowability, and compliance with CAS, Uniform Guidance, state rules, and university policies.
• Projections & Planning Models:
  Build multi‑year spending projections and variance analysis models for faculty to optimize fund utilization.
• Reconciliations & Cost‑Share Tracking:
  Audit human resource expenditures, travel vouchers, and procurement charges against grant terms, tracking committed cost‑sharing obligations.
• Lifecycle Closeouts:
  Execute comprehensive closeouts for expiring grant segments, prepare and process Project Modification Requests, no‑cost extensions, or residual balance distributions, ensuring audit‑ready documentation is archived.

Model Alignment, Cross‑Coverage & Leadership

• Matrixed Team
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Participate in the College ORA network to align with university‑wide research administration standards while balancing central policy and local workflow.
• Cross‑College Workload Balancing:
  …