Research Administrator

at  Northwestern University

The Institute for Public Health and Medicine (IPHAM) within Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine was founded in 2012 with a vision to achieve the best possible health for all people. It is comprised of 18 thematic research centers and over 600 members all dedicated to impacting the community through their unique lens. IPHAM is recruiting a research administrator to collaboratively support IPHAM’s faculty with pre and post award grants management.
Provides administrative leadership and intermediate problem solving in support of unit’s research programs and mission. May provide sole support to a small to mid-sized unit, or support a portion of activities in a larger unit. May provide lifecycle pre- & post-award research administration ensuring the fulfillment of all grant &/or contract & compliance requirements. Manages overall day-to-day research administration activities & may research & identify funding opportunities & faculty &/or PIs with associated research competencies & interests. Ensures that all activities are completed in compliance with associated local, state, federal & institutional rules & regulations.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: (EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND ANY OTHER CERTIFICATIONS OR CLEARANCES)

• 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
  Target hiring range for this position will be between $70, 017 - $98,462 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.

Complexity

• Typically administers multiple research projects such as:
• Single Principal Investigator (PI) proposals, grants &/or contracts
• Basic multi-PI or multi-unit proposals, grants &/or contracts
• Research portfolio for a small to mid-sized unit
• NIH U-approximately $500K+/yr. over multiple yrs.
• NIH P-approximately $500K+/yr. over multiple yrs.
• NIH T-approximately $100-$200K+/yr. over multiple yrs.
• DOD and industry awards
• Center or program grants
• Proposals with cost sharing
• Fixed-price contracts
• 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 chartstrings.

Post-Award

• Completes post-award administration of research grants &/or contracts.
• Reviews account establishment.
• Manages effort commitments of key project personnel.
• Approves high-value/high-risk expenditures.
• Interprets awards documents.
• 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.
• Facilitates account close out activities, coordinating with ASRSP as needed.
• Establishes procedures at the small to mid-sized unit level related to post-award administration.
• Serves as liaison between department & OSR, 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.

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.

Human Resources

• Processes paperwork associated with hiring & termination of employees.
• Orients new employees.
• Sets-up faculty &/or post doc appointments &/or completes VISA paperwork.
• Provides training to technical and administrative staff in unit regarding research administration. .

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.

Supervision

• Supervises administrative or financial positions and/or mentor other administrative staff in research administration.
• Performs other duties as assigned.