Unit Research Administrator

Job Description

As part of a dynamic and growing team, you will ensure smooth project management across budgeting, compliance, and financial oversight, enabling faculty and researchers to focus on groundbreaking discoveries.

In this grant‑funded position, you will manage research administration from proposal development to project closeout, without handling contract negotiations or direct sponsor communications. Reporting to the Grants & Compliance Manager via the Sponsored Projects team, you will play a critical role in advancing Cyber Florida’s research mission by ensuring efficient operations and strict compliance with institutional and sponsor regulations.

Salary: $65,000 annually

• Guide faculty and project teams through proposal preparation and submission.
• Develop administrative project budgets and assist in collecting required grant documentation.
• Ensure submissions meet sponsor and institutional guidelines.

• Set up and maintain project accounts upon award notification.
• Monitor compliance with sponsor, university, and government regulations.
• Serve as liaison to offices such as Sponsored Research, Compliance, International Affairs, and Human Resources.

• Reconcile project expenditures monthly and maintain audit‑ready records.
• Assist with financial reporting to sponsors and prepare internal documentation.
• Prepares internal documentation for proposal submissions and opens projects when funding is received.
• Works with external stakeholders on financials, compliance, pay allocations, and subcontracts.

• Apply project management principles to align research goals with administrative milestones.
• Track deliverables, manage project timelines, and proactively identify risks.
• Advise teams on compliance and best practices to ensure successful execution.

• Process travel, supply orders, and invoices.
• Forecast budget needs and recommend adjustments to maintain project timelines.
• Perform additional duties as needed.

Minimum Qualifications: This position requires a bachelor’s degree, one year of professional administrative experience, or a master’s degree. Progressively responsible related experience may substitute for the required education year after year.

• Senate Bill 1310
  - The Florida Senate (https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).) is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.
• SB 1310:
  Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements
• A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed:
• (a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree;
• (b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree;
• (c) Six years of direct experience for a master’s degree;
• (d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or
• (e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree.
• Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position.
• Minimum qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310.

Preferred Qualifications: Master’s degree in business administration, management, or a related field. Experience with research administration, grants management, and compliance. Familiarity with USF systems (GEMS, FAST, Finance Mart) highly desired. Proficiency with data management tools such as Excel and Power BI.

Effective communicator, both verbal and written. Detail-oriented, the ability to effectively manage time and tasks is imperative. Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook). Works well under stringent deadlines.

Employment with the Florida Center for Cybersecurity requires signing a nondisclosure agreement and completing a level one background check. Failure to complete…