Project Assistant

Virginia Tech•Blacksburg, VA

2d•$22 - $26

About The Position

The Project Assistant supports VTTI research programs by coordinating projects and providing research assistance across projects of varying complexity and duration. Working under project managers’ supervision, the role supports day-to-day coordination, communication, documentation, scheduling, budgeting, data gathering, data reduction and analysis, and follow-up. The primary focus is project coordination and administrative support, with a secondary focus on research, information gathering, and basic analysis. The position contributes to research involving vehicle technologies, transportation policy, and technology intended to improve driver convenience and safety. It offers opportunities to develop foundational project management skills and assist with research, analysis, and preparation of materials for project planning and decision-making. The average schedule is 30 hours per week, with flexibility to rise to 40 hours during high-volume periods and corresponding reductions in slower periods to maintain a 30-hour weekly average. The role may require some nights and weekends and sporadic travel. A driver's license check and criminal conviction check are required. The position is non-exempt and eligible for overtime. Salary is $22–$26 per hour, commensurate with experience.

Requirements

Demonstrated project coordination experience conducting projects in an academic or research environment.
Demonstrated experience with Microsoft Office, including Excel, Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint.
Ability to identify and apply practical solutions to routine challenges, communicate effectively, and work independently and collaboratively.
Ability to coordinate multiple tasks and administrative duties.
Evidence of effective documentation habits.
Willingness to undergo a driver's license check and criminal conviction check.
Willingness to work some nights and weekends and travel sporadically.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Business Management or a related field.
Internship, coursework, volunteer experience, or previous employment involving project coordination, research, program support, business operations, or administration.
Experience with business-oriented software applications, including Power BI, Power Apps, and Teams.
Experience preparing professional reports, presentations, meeting materials, or summaries.
Experience using spreadsheets to organize or analyze information.

Responsibilities

Assist project managers and teams in coordinating and executing assigned projects and initiatives.
Track and maintain project schedules, task lists, action items, and status updates.
Monitor project expenditures, resources, timelines, and contractual obligations to help deliver projects on time and within budget.
Carry out day-to-day fiscal activities, including personnel labor allocations, procurement activities, and monthly expenditure reviews.
Organize and attend project meetings and prepare meeting notes and action-item summaries.
Support communication and coordination among project team members and stakeholders.
Document, organize, and disseminate project records, communications, and milestones.
Help prepare reports, presentations, spreadsheets, proposals, and other project materials.
Identify routine issues, missing information, and potential delays, and bring them to the attention of the project manager or appropriate staff member.
Interact with research faculty on project execution tasks, including data collection, data reduction, and data analysis.
Assist with research activities such as human-subjects coordination, preparing experimental settings, supporting data collection, maintaining records, supporting data quality assurance, and contributing to data reduction and analysis.
Follow applicable data security, confidentiality, and research compliance requirements.