Administrative Assistant (Research Operations) – Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences

Penn State University • University Park, IL

26d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences is seeking an Administrative Assistant to join the Research Operations team in the Director’s suite. This position provides administrative support to the Director for Strategic Initiatives, the centers and institutes within Huck, and research operations. This position will be filled at the Administrative Assistant - Intermediate Support level. A key component of this role is serving as a liaison with the Finance OST (Optimized Service Teams) Hubs to coordinate financial transactions and administrative requests on behalf of Huck Institutes. The successful candidate will work extensively in ServiceNow to prepare, submit, and track requests for financial transactions, purchasing, and other administrative actions requiring OST Hub request processing. This position requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, the ability to manage multiple priorities, and the capacity to work collaboratively with faculty, staff, and centralized financial service teams. The individual will also serve as a backup to the Assistant to the Director and assist with a variety of administrative functions supporting the Huck Institutes.

Requirements

• General Equivalency Diploma (GED) or High School (HS)
• 2+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications such as Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams is required.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Adobe, HR systems such as Workday, expense reimbursement and travel booking systems such as SAP Concur is preferred.
• Familiarity and knowledge of using AI tools such as ChatGPT, CoPilot and similar platforms is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Financial and Administrative Coordination: Utilize ServiceNow to create, submit, and track requests related to financial transactions including purchasing, travel expenses, journal entries, and other finance-related activities requiring OST Hub processing.
• Prepare and submit P-Card reconciliation documentation in SAP Concur, or initiate ServiceNow requests to the OST Hubs for P-Card charges and other expenses related to travel, goods, and services.
• Review and approve Huck purchasing request forms.
• Initiate purchasing transactions, including assisting with PSUBuy purchasing requisitions/purchase orders and submitting ServiceNow tickets to request purchase order processing through the OST Hubs.
• Administrative Support: Provide general administrative support to the Director for Strategic Initiatives and Huck research center and institute directors.
• Assemble background materials and supporting documentation for meetings, reports, and correspondence.
• Maintain confidential and/or sensitive information in accordance with university policies.
• Manage incoming and outgoing mail, including opening, sorting, prioritizing, and distributing materials.
• Scheduling and Travel Coordination: Assist with travel planning for Huck faculty and visiting guests, including coordinating itineraries, lodging, and meeting agendas.
• Assist in maintaining Associate Directors’ calendars as needed; coordinate schedules with internal and external contacts and schedule or cancel appointments as needed.
• Events and Meetings: Support planning and logistics for workshops, meetings, and events organized by the Director and the Associate Director for Strategic Initiatives.
• Reserve meeting spaces, prepare agendas, coordinate logistics, and record meeting minutes as needed.
• Additional Support: Serve as a backup timekeeper in Workday for the unit.
• Provide backup support to the Assistant to the Director.
• Assist with a variety of special projects and administrative initiatives within the Director’s Office.

Benefits

• Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being.
• In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time.
• One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children.
• For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED