Department: MCC Research Administration
Salary/Grade: EXS/8

Job Summary:

This position provides sole administrative leadership and intermediate problem solving in support of McCormick's Computer Science department research programs and mission. Provides lifecycle pre- & post-award research administration to department ensuring the fulfillment of all grant &/or contract & compliance requirements. Manages overall day-to-day research administration activities including proposal development, award management, and assisting with award closeout responsibilities. Ensures that all activities are completed in compliance with associated local, state, federal & institutional rules & regulations. This position will also maintain a departmental database of proposals and awards and participate in school-level sponsored research initiatives and projects as assigned.

Specific Responsibilities:

Complexity

* Typically administers multiple research projects such as:

o Single Principal Investigator (PI) proposals, grants &/or contracts

o Basic multi-PI or multi-unit proposals, grants &/or contracts

o Research portfolio for a small to mid-sized unit

o DOD and industry awards

o Center or program grants

o Proposals with cost sharing

o Fixed-price contracts

o Non-funded negotiations such as NDAs, user agreements

Pre-Award

* Manages pre-award administration of grants &/or contracts.

* Reviews solicitation and proactively resolves any issues/questions within the solicitation with OSR and/or sponsor.

* Establishes procedures at the small to mid-sized unit level related to pre-award administration.

* Coordinates large-scale proposals, teaming/collaboration agreements, confidentiality agreements, intellectual property agreements or user agreements.

* Manage representation of sub-recipients, cost sharing and administrative costs on a proposal.

* Coordinates IRB and IACUC protocols.

* Prepares &/or reviews complete budget.

* Assesses the need for the redistribution of project F&A among multiple redistributed chart strings.

Post-Award

* Coordinates with department on post-award administration of research grants &/or contracts.

* Reviews account establishment.

* Manages effort commitments of key project personnel.

* Assists in evaluation of high-value/high-risk expenditures.

* Interprets awards documents.

* Assists in reviews and reports expenditures.

* Verifies processing of cost share transactions.

* Reviews award budget status with PIs.

* Provides data needed for interim and final financial and technical progress reports.

* Assists departments staff in account close out activities, coordinating with ASRSP as needed.

* Serves as liaison between department & SR, ASRSP, IACUC, IRB, internal audit, funding & regulatory agencies, subcontractors, collaborators, institutes, centers, etc.

* Participates in efforts to improve research administration including serving on university committees related to research administration.

* Provides information needed to prepare interim & final financial reports

Financial

* Oversees unit's entire sponsored project portfolio.

* Reviews transactions and resolve issues that requires a more complex level of financial understanding such as cost sharing &/or effort reporting knowledge.

* Provides information to senior management that is used for department budgeting purposes.

Compliance

* Ensures compliance with all appropriate NU policies & practices; local, state, federal, agency & sponsor rules, regulations & requirements regarding grant &/or contract administration.

* Recommends changes to improve programs, policy &/or practice.

* Resolves compliance problems & issues working in conjunction with faculty.

* Resolves compliance problems & issues involving research safety, animal subjects and human subjects.

* Alerts supervisor to potential higher risk compliance issues.

Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

* Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.

* 3 years research administration or other relevant experience required.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

* Organization, time management, detail oriented

* Multi-tasking, communication

* Self-starter, diplomatic, pro-active, manage stress, problem-solver, resourceful

* Managing people

Preferred Qualifications:

* Two to four years of proposal/award management experience in a university environment.

* Certified Research Administrator (CRA)

* Understanding of OMB Uniform Guidance, Research Terms & Conditions (FDP) and agency-specific terms and conditions, including the NSF Grant Policy Manual and PHS Grants Policy Statement.

* Knowledge of the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide and NSF Research.gov.

* Knowledge of other electronic federal proposal/award management systems, including www.grants.gov.

* Knowledge of basic intellectual property principles.

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

* Knowledge of NU's financial systems and accounting procedures.

Target hiring range for this position will be between $67,978 - $95,595 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

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