Administrative Manager, Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Regional Network - Mid Atlantic

Administrative Manager

Administrator III - Band F

Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Regional Network - Mid Atlantic

Join Our Journey

Cornell Research & Innovation creates an environment that unifies and advances Cornell’s scholarship, research, and discovery through state-of-the-art facilities, domain expertise, and partnership to enable innovation and impact. We leverage external funding and partnerships, enable interdisciplinary research, and ensure regulatory compliance. We collaborate to successfully translate and commercialize research through companies large and small, including startups launched by our entrepreneurial faculty, staff, and students. Our commitment to inclusive excellence makes this environment possible.

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Regional Network - Mid Atlantic at Cornell University (RNMA) is a research center within the Office of the Vice President for Research & Innovation (OVPRI). The RNMA seeds and promotes regional innovation, collaboration and workforce advancement within its regional ecosystem of colleges and universities, industry, startups, and venture investors to identify, prototype and develop dual-use technology – both commercial and military – while providing student experiences to apply processes and tools used by industry, academia, and venture capitalists to translate their concepts and research into useful products. The AFRL RNMA currently has an approximate annual budget of $4M, operates a membership program that includes academics, national labs, and for-profit entities; organizes meetings throughout the region, and funds 6-12 month translational projects via subcontract throughout the region. At scale, the RNMA plans to fund and manage up to 40 such active projects simultaneously.

We are looking for an Administrative Manager to join this team.

Your Mission

The Administrative Manager will play an important role in the success and implementation of this pilot initiative to create a new and lasting science and technology ecosystem for partners from universities, businesses, government agencies, and venture capitalists. Reporting to the Co-Director of the AFRL Regional Network – Mid-Atlantic, the position will be responsible for developing and implementing administrative processes and providing a broad range of operational support and management for the RNMA. The position will prepare budgets, handle financial management and reporting, and partner with the REPAT finance team on contracts, invoicing and transaction processing. The position will work with the Program Director and Community Director in compiling data on program activities, administering the RNMA’s membership program, preparing project summary reports, supporting AFRL-requested reporting formats and requests, and tracking established metrics for success. Through analysis of program activities, the Administrative Manager may identify and recommend areas for greater operational efficiency and process improvement. 

The Administrative Manager will coordinate AFRL RNMA meetings and regional events including planning and administration of the RNMA program’s annual conference.   The position will work with the Program Director to facilitate multiple project award cycles annually. The position will coordinate complex schedules and travel arrangements and facilitate interactions between the RNMA Directors and high-profile stakeholders. As needed, the Administrative Manager will support the Community Director on communication and public relations efforts. The Administrative Manager will interact regularly with RNMA members, collaborators, colleagues in other units, and the public and must have the ability to interact effectively with individuals at all levels from diverse backgrounds.

Note, this position is a term position, currently funded until February 2027. We anticipate a full renewal for another five years, but extension beyond the initial term is not guaranteed.

What We Need
Send us a cover letter and resume outlining your interest in this position and explaining how your experience and qualifications match the position requirements. We will review applications as received. Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

When evaluating your candidacy, we will look for evidence of the following:

• Bachelor’s degree and 3-5 years of relevant experience or equivalent combination

• Experience with financial management, including budgets and financial reporting

• Strong organizational skills and attention t