Research Administrator III

University of Florida•Gainesville, FL

19d•$61,000 - $99,000

About The Position

The Research Administrator III works closely with stakeholders to manage research grants and grant-related funds. The role partners with the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) Research office to ensure proposals meet administrative and budgetary requirements, monitors and reconciles grant accounts, reviews transactions, adjusts encumbrances, and tracks award activity through its lifecycle. The position serves as a liaison among CVM faculty principal investigators (PIs), their support staff, the Department of Sponsored Programs, the Contracts and Grants Office, and the College Research office. It supports proposal submissions, budget preparation and revisions, award modifications, reporting, regulatory compliance, and stewardship of sponsored research funds. The administrator maintains authoritative knowledge of Uniform Guidance and related requirements, resolves compliance issues, and advises on cost sharing and budget items requiring CAS exemptions. The role monitors purchases, personnel distributions, award balances and expiration dates, IACUC/IRB protocols, payroll, and cost-sharing commitments. It provides grant accounting, effort-tracking support and training, payroll-distribution oversight, financial reports, and assistance with sponsor reporting. The administrator also works with vendors and university offices to resolve grant-related issues and supports project closeout, including residual account transfers, sponsor payment records, data requests, reports, and subcontract records.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree and three years of experience in grant and contract administration, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Nice To Haves

Experience with PeopleSoft, MS Office, UFIRST, myInvestigator, Enterprise Analytics, e-RA Commons (NIH), and UF fund accounting.
Strong customer service and team-centric skills, including experience working with diverse personalities.
Ability to communicate effectively and courteously, both verbally and in writing, and to work tactfully and courteously with the public.
Extensive knowledge of Uniform Guidance and other sponsored-program policies and procedures, including those involving state, national, and international partners.
Strong problem-solving ability and attention to detail.
Ability to plan, organize, and coordinate work assignments.
Ability to operate Windows-based and character-driven programs.
Knowledge of State, UF, and College of Veterinary Medicine rules and procedures.
Certified Research Administrator.

Responsibilities

Partner with the CVM Research office to ensure grant proposals meet administrative and budgetary requirements.
Monitor grant fiscal records using UF and VetMed systems, including myUFL and UFIRST.
Review grant transactions for accuracy and process correcting journal entries as needed.
Monitor and adjust grant encumbrances to maintain accurate balances.
Analyze grant accounts throughout their lifecycle and reconcile them at appropriate milestones.
Assist principal investigators with submissions, budget preparation and revisions, award modifications in UFIRST, and other reporting documents.
Communicate regularly with PIs and their support and department staff, prepare project reports, and meet to review project status.
Review budgets and submission documents and provide guidance on stewardship of sponsored research funds and compliance with university policies, Federal Uniform Administrative Requirements (2 CFR 200), and sponsor requirements.
Support compliance involving registrations, safety and environmental health issues, internal protocols, conflicts of interest, and other proposal-submission matters.
Maintain authoritative knowledge of Uniform Guidance and other relevant grant regulatory requirements.
Resolve mid-size compliance-related proposal issues, work with leadership on larger issues, and serve as a resource for other staff.
Review and advise on cost sharing and budget items requiring CAS exemptions.
Monitor projects for appropriate purchases, personnel distributions, expiration dates, remaining balances, and IACUC/IRB protocols.
Ensure payroll and cost-sharing commitments are properly recorded.
Consult with college stakeholders on effort tracking and provide effort-related training.
Oversee research-related payroll distributions and authorize payroll distribution-retro requests and payroll cost transfer forms.
Assist PIs and college stakeholders with budget submissions, revisions, and no-cost extensions.
Provide grant accounting for CVM departments, PIs, and university core offices to support compliance.
Track financial activity on awards and provide basic accounts payable and human resources/payroll support.
Review and monitor effort and communicate with departments and PIs to accurately record and verify effort reporting.
Assist PIs with monitoring and preparing reports for sponsoring agencies.
Work with vendors, purchasing, disbursements, sponsored research, contracts and grants, faculty, and staff to resolve grant-related issues.
Advise PIs and college stakeholders on university, state, and federal guidelines governing expenditures and award activities, and provide financial reports to support award oversight.
Work with UF Contracts and Grants to close out projects, including residual account transfers, sponsor payment records, data requests and reports, and subcontract records.