Grants & Contracts Specialist (Research Administrator)

Job Posting Title:

Grants & Contracts Specialist (Research Administrator)

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Hiring Department:

Department of Computer Science

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Position Open To:

All Applicants

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Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

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FLSA Status:

Exempt

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Earliest Start Date:

Sep 09, 2024

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Position Duration:

Expected to Continue

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Location:

AUSTIN, TX

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Job Details:

Purpose

As a Grants & Contracts Specialist, you will be a key member of the Computer Science Grant Administration team by managing a broad portfolio of research grants and reporting to the Director of Administration. As a Grants & Contracts Specialist, you will work closely with the Department of Computer Science faculty as a subject matter expert in the full life cycle of the grant management process (pre-award, grant management, and post-award). The Computer Science Grant Administration unit is a robust team of higher education professionals that supports teamwork, collaboration, innovation, training, and professional development while providing excellent support services through research administration.

Responsibilities

• Assist Faculty, Researchers, and Principal Investigators (PIs) with research proposals to include budget preparation, budget justifications, and other non-technical documents for proposal submission, while reviewing proposal documents (i.e., bios-ketches) for required formatting and content inclusion and coordinating with sub-award organizations to ensure receipt of required documents on time, as needed.
• Monitor account balances, reconcile all research accounts monthly, and distribute financial reports as needed to Principal investigators (PIs). Analyze and interpret budgetary financial data related to sponsored research to advise faculty on strategic and appropriate fund use. Gather financial and non-technical report components in coordination with PI to ensure timely submission of reports and adherence to quarterly and/or annual reporting timelines.
• Process post-award modifications (i.e., no-cost extensions), credit authorizations, prior approval requests, cost transfers, budget adjustments, reallocations, and coordination of sub-award agreements.
• Process invoices, reimbursements, PIFs (Payee information Forms), and travel authorization requests for PIs, Researchers, and students traveling on sponsored funds. May oversee initial steps of event planning and execution to ensure eligibility of expenses.
• Collaborate with PIs, department staff, university staff, and external stakeholders to identify and resolve pre- and post-award research administration issues through critical thinking and problem-solving strategies.
• Provide the human resources team with assignment details for sponsor-funded student and staff positions (GRAs, Post-doc, researchers, etc.) and process Tuition Reduction Benefits (TRBs). Process summer salary in Workday, as needed, for Principal Investigators (PIs) within your portfolio.
• Participate the in CNS Research Administrator Network and professional development to remain current with UT, local, state, and federal guidelines, regulations, and electronic submission requirements. Research sponsor guidelines, rules, regulations, and requirements for submission, communicate with PI to plan for submissions, and communicate with OSP and others as needed to ensure timely submission of proposals.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with at least three years of progressively responsible experience in the preparation, processing, and administration of sponsored research proposals and awards.
• Successful record of managing proposal submissions and awards with competing deadlines accurately and in a timely manner.
• Demonstrated ability to work as a member of a team and autonomously with multiple deadlines.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Experience with UTRMS, DEFINE, and external agency proposal-preparation, budget development, and submissions systems.
• Willingness to learn the full life cycle of the grant management process with an emphasis on providing excellent support services and professionalism.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Research Administrator (CRA) status.
• Demonstrated involvement in research administration community such as participation in UT's ARA, NCURA, and other professional organizations.
• Familiarity with external electronic research administration systems such as eRA Commons and Research.gov.
• Experience with proposal submission, grant management, and post-award administration.
• Demonstrated ability to remain productive and organized while working on overlapping and time-sensitive tasks as well as the ability to communicate effectively and efficiently.
• Experience working with faculty, PIs, and/or researchers in a higher education environment.
• Experience working with large-scale, complex grant proposals and awards.

Salary Range

$61,000+ depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

• Typical office environment
• Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation

Required Materials

• Resume/CV

• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Importantfor applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers:You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure thatALLRequired Materials have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers:As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questionspresented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

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Employment Eligibility:

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

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Retirement Plan Eligibility:

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

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Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

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Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer,complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

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Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information.

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Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

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E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university's company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

• E-Verify Poster (English) [PDF]
• E-Verify Poster (Spanish) [PDF]
• Right To Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right To Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

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Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.

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