Research Project Officer

at  Maastricht University

Do you enjoy working with academic staff, helping them to manage complex project requirements? Are you enthusiastic, well-organised and used to working with deadlines? Then read on, as you might want to become the new Research Project Officer in our Research Support Office at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASoS).

JOB DESCRIPTION

As project officer, you are the linchpin between academic staff and support staff. Your focus is on research projects that are financed by external organisations such as the European Commission, NWO, and regional or international funds. Understanding guidelines and requirements from external funding agencies as well as faculty- and UM policies, and making this information accessible, comes naturally to you.

As Project Officer, you:

• will liaise between the Principal Investigators (PIs) and external and internal stakeholders of several (externally funded) research projects;
• support with organisation of meetings, conferences (e.g. kick-off, mid-term, final) and smaller seminars and workshops during the projects;
• are responsible for tracking, formatting and publication of project-related deliverables (e.g. progress reports, secondment contracts, ethics protocols);
• understand the ethical, legal and compliance issues associated with such projects, are able to take the lead and know when and where to seek specialist advice;
• will work closely together with the PI on project deliverables (e.g. data management plans and ethics approval, financial overviews) and preparing the mid-term/final reporting
• liaise with the PI to setup and manage the (refinement of) the project plans.

When receiving a grant, researchers already have a solid project proposal with a budget prepared by the Finance Cluster and possibly an extra check with the HR cluster. Key to your role is supporting researchers with the implementation of their project; e.g. finding their way in the rules and regulations of the grant agreement and relevant FASoS and UM policies. What do they need to know? With whom do they need to pick it up, by when? You are the liaison between the researcher on the one hand and the grant authority and internal organisation on the other hand. Your goal is to keep the entire process and administration surrounding the execution of projects running smoothly.
You will be part of the Research Support Office (RSO). The RSO at FASoS aims to make the life of researchers easier through faculty incentives, funding support, secretarial support, and policy advice. This includes supporting a number of strategic externally funded projects. In addition to assisting individual researchers, the RSO prepares policy advice and procedures to the Graduate School, Research Programmes, Research Centres, and Faculty Board.
The position of project officer is closely linked to those of the other staff members in the Research Support Office and beyond. Other clusters you will be working with are Finance, HR and Marketing & Communication.

REQUIREMENTS

We are looking for an independent, proactive team player who likes to support academic staff/content experts on their research projects. You will have the opportunity to contribute to exciting research, think along with a range of colleagues and contribute to projects in creative ways.

You:

• have relevant experience in project management in an (inter)national context;
• have an academic working and thinking level;
• have strong social and communication skills;
• time-management comes naturally to you;
• are accurate and have a proactive, positive attitude towards administrative work;
• know how to balance between a flexible and ‘thinking along’ role on the one hand and a guiding and persuasive role on the other;
• have practical experience in a similar role. Knowledge of NWO- or EU-funded projects or funding instruments, and/or running projects consisting of multiple groups or partners is an asset;
• can create a structured working environment and have excellent organisational skills;
• are a real team player with an open, accessible and proactive attitude;
• have excellent and fluent proficiency in both English and Dutch, written and oral.

MAASTRICHT UNIVERSITY

Why work at Maastricht University?
At Maastricht University (UM), everything revolves around the future. The future of our students, as we work to equip them with a solid, broad-based foundation for the rest of their lives. And the future of society, as we seek solutions through our research to issues from all around the world. Our six faculties combined provide a comprehensive package of study programmes and research.
In our teaching, we use the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) method. Students work in small groups, looking for solutions to problems themselves. By discussing issues and working together to draw conclusions, formulate answers and present them to their peers, students develop essential skills for their future careers.
With over 22,300 students and more than 5,000 employees from all over the world, UM is home to a vibrant and inspiring international community.
Are you drawn to an international setting focused on education, science and scholarship? Are you keen to contribute however your skills and qualities allow? Our door is open to you! As a young European university, we value your talent and look forward to creating the future together.

Please refer the Job description for details