Principal Administrative Officer

The University of Arizona • Tucson, AZ

15h • Onsite

About The Position

The Principal Administrative Officer provides administrative and business leadership for the Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing (CSM), enabling it to operate as a coordinated enterprise across its research portfolio, international partnerships, workforce programs, and fabrication and training facilities. The role owns the center’s overall administration and works with Office of Research & Partnerships team members on proposal development, budgeting, communications, industry partnerships, facility business operations, and institutional reporting. It is deliberately administrative rather than scientific, establishing the operational discipline that allows faculty leadership to focus on research strategy and external engagement. The position operates without appreciable direction and with considerable latitude in determining objectives and approaches.

The position reports to Centers & Institutes leadership within the Office of Research & Partnerships and takes day-to-day direction from the CSM Director. It administers research programs and partnerships, the center’s consolidated budget, facility and program business operations, reporting, analysis, and communications. It may supervise or provide day-to-day guidance to program or administrative support staff and represent the center on university committees.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in a relevant discipline, required at the time of appointment.
• At least eight years of relevant work experience, or an equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• Thorough knowledge of university research administration, including the sponsored project lifecycle, Uniform Guidance and sponsor terms, cost principles, cost share, effort, subawards, and recharge center practice.
• Demonstrated ability to build and manage complex teams and clearly present administrative activities to faculty and administrative leadership.
• Working knowledge of research security, export control, conflict of interest, and international engagement requirements as they apply to foreign partnerships and controlled research environments.
• Ability to influence across colleges, divisions, and departments and communicate effectively with management, leadership, faculty, industry members, and external stakeholders.
• Strong project management discipline, advanced proficiency with university financial and research administration systems, and analytical skill to turn program data into decision-ready reporting.

Nice To Haves

• Ph.D. in a relevant discipline.
• Research administration experience in a center, institute, or large multi-investigator program environment.
• Experience administering industry consortium or membership-funded programs and federal center-scale proposals.
• Experience supporting core facility or recharge center operations, including equipment acquisition and user billing.
• Experience with international partnership administration, including agreement execution and delegation coordination.
• Familiarity with the semiconductor, photonics, or advanced manufacturing sector.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate development of center-scale and multi-investigator proposals, including timelines, budget preparation, institutional commitments, letters of support, and compliance attachments, in partnership with relevant university offices.
• Administer active awards and consortium memberships, including reporting calendars, milestone tracking, deliverable submission, and close-out.
• Develop and maintain project plans covering timelines, resource requirements, and budgets for center initiatives and associated programs.
• Track and coordinate execution of memoranda of understanding, master research agreements, membership agreements, and international partnership documents with relevant university offices.
• Serve as the operational point of contact for partner institutions, industry members, and government partners; prepare briefing materials and coordinate delegations, site visits, and signing events.
• Administer the center’s consolidated operating budget across state, industry, federal, philanthropic, and partner funding sources; monitor commitments, cost share, carry-forward, and recharge activity with the ORP Finance team.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly financial reports for the CSM Director and Centers & Institutes leadership, including variance explanations and reforecasting.
• Administer subawards, purchase requisitions, service agreements, and participant support in accordance with university and sponsor requirements.
• Support business planning for fabrication and training facilities, including equipment acquisition packages, installation schedules, recharge rate development, and user access and billing processes.
• Coordinate space, safety, environmental health, and compliance requirements with facility leadership and technical staff.
• Compile and analyze program administration data; draft sponsor, technical, and institutional reports and the center’s metrics package.
• Coordinate communications, website content, events, and annual reporting with appropriate university units.
• Supervise or provide day-to-day guidance to program or administrative support staff.
• Represent the center on university committees and perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• Life insurance and disability programs.
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and Northern Arizona University tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members.
• Retirement plans.
• Access to University of Arizona recreation and cultural activities.
• Work-life programs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal