Program Administrator - Resilience and Catastrophe Modeling

About Rice:

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities. 

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.

About George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing:

The George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing ranks among the top 20 undergraduate engineering programs (US News & World Report) and is strongly committed to nurturing the aspirations of faculty, staff and students in an inclusive environment. 

We seek greater representation of women, minorities, people with disabilities, and veterans in disciplines in which they have historically been underrepresented; to attract international students from a wider range of countries and backgrounds; to accelerate progress in building a faculty and staff who are diverse in background and thought, and we support an inclusive environment that fosters interaction and understanding within our diverse community.

Position Summary:

The Padgett Research Group and newly launch Consortium for Enhancing Resilience and Catastrophe Modeling (CERCat) housed in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is seeking a part-time Program Administrator to support research coordination and strategic initiatives in disaster resilience, catastrophe modeling, and multi-hazard risk mitigation. CERcat connects academic research with industry and public-sector partners to advance applied work in risk and resilience.

This position is ideal for a self-directed, organized professional with experience in project coordination, grant development, and research communications. It offers a flexible, intellectually engaging part-time opportunity to contribute to impactful interdisciplinary work.

Workplace Requirements: – Part-time, approximately 30 hours per week, with flexible scheduling to accommodate both in-person and remote work. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Annual Hiring Range (for 30 hours a week): $65,000

*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime. 

This position is funded by a grant, soft and/or restricted funds. Continued employment is contingent on the renewal of funding.

Minimum Requirements: 

• Bachelor's Degree
• 3+ years of experience in analytical or project-focused roles in communications, marketing, law, engineering, public policy, environmental science, or a related field
  • In lieu of education or experience requirement additional related experience, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year for year basis may be substituted 

Skills: 

• Ability to develop and initiate new strategies that support research coordination, grant development, and stakeholder engagement
• Advanced problem-solving skills and the ability to manage complex research and administrative challenges
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including experience drafting grant proposals, research briefs, and professional correspondence
• Ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines, and stakeholder needs in a fast-paced environment
• Strong organizational and time management skills with close attention to detail
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office suite and ability to prepare polished reports, presentations, and data summaries
• Strong data analysis and synthesis skills to support grant applications and research progress reports
• Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team, including faculty, research staff, and external partners
• Skilled in identifying issues and resolving problems to maintain project momentum
• Strong client service orientation and profes