Administrative Office Assistant

Penn State University•University Park, IL

22h•$46,800 - $77,304•Onsite

About The Position

Penn State’s Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) is seeking an experienced, highly organized, customer-service-oriented Administrative Office Assistant to join the Director’s Office. The role provides broad administrative support in a dynamic, fast-paced office environment. The position is fully onsite in State College, Pennsylvania. ARL is an authorized DoD SkillBridge partner and welcomes transitioning military members to apply. Depending on the level at which the position is filled, it may be classified as Office Assistant (ARL) - Senior Support or Office Assistant (ARL) - Intermediate Support. Senior Support requires an associate degree and four or more years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Intermediate Support requires a GED or high school education and two or more years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. No certifications are required for either level. Employees must be U.S. citizens and eligible to obtain a government security clearance. Employment requires successful completion of background checks, participation in ARL’s drug-testing program, and compliance with electronic and physical monitoring requirements for federal contractors. ARL operates in a secure information environment that includes Unclassified, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and Classified information. Personal electronic devices brought onsite must be registered and may be restricted in some areas.

Requirements

Experience in a business-related or other professional office environment.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Ability to multitask, prioritize effectively, and work with minimal direction in a fast-paced environment.
Experience collaborating in multidisciplinary, team-oriented cultures.
For Office Assistant (ARL) - Senior Support: associate degree and at least 4 years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
For Office Assistant (ARL) - Intermediate Support: GED or high school education and at least 2 years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
U.S. citizenship.
Eligibility to obtain a government security clearance.
Successful completion of background checks, participation in ARL’s drug-testing program, and compliance with applicable electronic and physical monitoring requirements.

Nice To Haves

Prior military or government experience.
Experience supporting senior leadership or executive-level staff.
Experience with SAP, SIMBA, or similar financial system tools.
Experience coordinating office activities and supporting high-volume, high-priority work.
Familiarity with ARL operations.

Responsibilities

Provide general administrative support to the Director’s Office and other assigned ARL offices and staff.
Greet visitors, answer incoming calls, and direct customers, staff, and guests to the appropriate person or office.
Schedule, prioritize, and maintain calendars for meetings, events, and appointments.
Prepare, review, organize, and maintain documents, reports, correspondence, records, and databases.
Coordinate travel arrangements and reconcile travel-related transactions.
Support confidential administrative functions and handle sensitive information with discretion.
Organize and help manage daily office activities, resolve scheduling issues, and support office workflows.
Purchase office supplies, compare vendor costs, and maintain vendor and tax-exempt accounts.
Maintain employee mailboxes, office addresses, organizational charts, and other office tracking systems.
Coordinate logistics for office moves, including phones, equipment, and furniture.
Submit requests to Facilities and IT through the Service Desk as needed.
For the higher-level position, coordinate meetings, workshops, conferences, outreach activities, and special events, including scheduling, logistics, registration, itineraries, facilities coordination, and communication with participants and vendors.
For the higher-level position, serve as a liaison with vendors, service providers, University offices, sponsors, and external organizations to facilitate administrative and operational activities.
For the higher-level position, protect sensitive, proprietary, export-controlled, and Controlled Unclassified Information by following information-handling procedures, access controls, records-management practices, and cybersecurity requirements.
For the higher-level position, support compliance with organizational security procedures by assisting with visitor coordination, facility-access documentation, required training records, and administrative actions associated with secure operations.
For the higher-level position, respond to administrative issues and requests while ensuring compliance with applicable University policies, federal regulations, contractual requirements, and operational procedures.
The higher-level position may supervise administrative support staff, including hiring, onboarding, training, work assignment, performance management, and professional development.