Research Administrator I/II

Classification Title:

Research Administrator I / II

Classification Minimum Requirements:

Research Administrator I: A bachelor’s degree; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Research Administrator II: A bachelor' s degree and two years of experience in grant and contract administration; or an equivalent combination of education and experience

Job Description:

The Department of Physics in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is seeking a highly motivated Research Administrator I/II to manage critical aspects of its sponsored research portfolio. With $10M annually in external awards, the department’s research spans diverse and innovative areas of physics. This position plays a pivotal role in proposal preparation, award management, personnel coordination, and financial tracking. Reporting to the Research Manager, the incumbent will collaborate with faculty, staff, and university offices to ensure compliance with institutional and sponsor requirements while providing exceptional administrative support in a fast-paced academic environment. Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Pre-Award Responsibilities
• Interpret and apply proposal guidelines/solicitations from federal, state, and private funding agencies.
• Review and validate proposal components, focusing on budgets, budget narratives, indirect cost (IDC) rates, and cost-sharing requirements. Confirm the appropriate project type and apply the corresponding IDC rate. Ensure that no unnecessary commitment of University resources is included in the budget or budget justification of the proposal.
• Recommend revisions to proposal components in accordance with sponsor, institutional, state, and federal guidelines.
• Advise principal investigators (PIs) on proposal formatting, including scope of work, budget justification, biographical sketches, and current/pending support.
• Create and route proposals within the University of Florida Integrated Research Support Tool (UFIRST) proposal module, ensuring compliance with institutional deadlines and sponsor requirements.
• Collaborate with PIs, research administrators, and sponsors to facilitate timely and accurate submissions.

Post-Award Transactions 
• Monitor and manage all award actions through the full award cycle, ensuring proper documentation and compliance with UFIRST processes.
• Examine award documents for changes from proposed funding levels and adjust budgets as needed in collaboration with PIs.
• Anticipate and coordinate actions such as no-cost extensions and temporary fund releases, ensuring timely approvals.
• Communicate with relevant university offices, including the Division of Sponsored Programs (DSP), Contracts & Grants (C&G), and Cost Analysis, to resolve issues and facilitate smooth award management.

Post-Award Management 
• Prepare and maintain financial reconciliations for all active sponsored programs and cash-based projects. Ensure expenditures align with state, federal, sponsor, and institutional guidelines.
• Manage personnel appointments and effort distribution on sponsored programs using PeopleSoft Commitment Accounting. Serve as effort coordinator for faculty and research-funded employees.
• Identify and address cost accounting standard (CAS) violations, guiding PIs through exemption requests as needed.
• Review proposal and award for institutional commitments; track and compile appropriate documentation for these commitments.
• Monitor expenditure rates to ensure efficient fund utilization and alert PIs to potential issues. Provide projections and financial reports as requested.
• Coordinate submission of invoices, financial reports, and progress/final reports with PIs and C&G.

Other Duties 
• Attend training and networking events relevant to research administration. Research and share updates on policy changes with the administrative team.
• Assess and recommend improvements to departmental processes.
• Process correcting PeopleSoft entries for errors discovered during the reconciliation process. Provide occasional fiscal transaction backup to the department’s fiscal team.
• Coordinate graduate student funding assignments and office allocations in collaboration with PIs and building management.
• Determine assignments and funding sources for graduate students each semester, in collaboration with PI and students.
• Coordinate office assignments with the building manager for graduate students and visiting scholars.
• Provide information to building manager regarding equipment on sponsored programs, tracked via Asset Management.

Expected Salary:

Research Administrator I: $46,000 - $50,000 / Research Administrator II: $53,0