HudsonAlpha - Research Administrator - Research Administration & Development

HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology•Huntsville, AL

10d•$62,000 - $85,000•Onsite

About The Position

The HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology (www.hudsonalpha.org) is a non-profit organization with the mission to use biotechnology and basic biological research to make important discoveries, improve human health, stimulate economic development, inspire young people to seek careers in science, and teach members of the public the importance of science in their everyday lives. Located in Cummings Research Park in Huntsville, Alabama, one of the world's leading science and technology parks, HudsonAlpha's campus contains state-of-the-art laboratories for biological research and development, as well as education, in genomics, genetics, and personalized medicine. The Research Administration & Development (RAD) team supports the growth and vitality of HudsonAlpha's research mission. RAD staff work across the full life-cycle of sponsored projects: from identifying opportunities and sponsors, developing and submitting proposals, and negotiating and managing awards and partnership agreements, to overseeing the administrative components of project execution, communicating project results, and fostering the development and commercialization of discoveries. Sound risk management is inherent throughout the process. This position supports research grant and contract administration activities, providing pre-award and post-award support to principal investigators, project directors, and senior administrators. Responsibilities span proposal preparation, budget development, award setup, compliance tracking, and post-award management.

Requirements

Proficient in office software, including Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, and Google Workspace.
Ability to organize and prioritize workload and work effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven work environment, maintaining composure and productivity despite competing priorities.
Ability to work both independently and as part of a team, with a growth mindset, eagerness to learn, and ability to work proactively.
Excellent relational and communication skills, both verbal and written, including tact, diplomacy, and the ability to respond to research customer inquiries and regulatory agencies/sponsors in a prompt, professional manner.
Ability to work with confidential data and demonstrated discretion in all interactions.
A passion for HudsonAlpha's vision and mission and for serving researchers' needs.
Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Science, or related field
Zero to three years of experience in grants administration, research administration, higher education administration, or a similarly detail-oriented, deadline-driven environment
Developing knowledge or willingness to learn regulatory agency and grant sponsor rules, formats, guidelines, policies, restrictions, and time frames (NIH, NSF, USDA, Department of Energy, OMB/Uniform Guidance, etc.)
Familiarity with or willingness to learn federal electronic proposal submission systems, including Grants.gov, NIH eRA Commons, NSF Research.gov, and other platforms.

Nice To Haves

Experience with the Apple operating platform preferred.
Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Science, or related field; Advanced degree (MA, MS) preferred
Three to five years of experience in grants administration, research administration, higher education administration, or a similarly detail-oriented, deadline-driven environment.
Certified Research Administrator (CRA) credential, preferred
Working knowledge of regulatory agency and grant sponsor rules, formats, guidelines, policies, restrictions, and time frames (NIH, NSF, USDA, Department of Energy, OMB/Uniform Guidance, etc.)
Working knowledge and experience with federal electronic proposal submission systems, including Grants.gov, NIH eRA Commons, NSF Research.gov, and other platforms.
Ability to review, organize, analyze, and interpret grant and contract documentation, including financial reports and contract agreements, accurately and thoroughly.

Responsibilities

Assists Principal Investigators and Project Directors (PIs/PDs) with proposal development, including budget preparation ranging from basic budget support to preparing detailed and multi-funded budgets applying institutionally approved rates and guidelines, assembling and organizing proposal documents, reviewing and summarizing sponsor guidelines and funding opportunity announcements (FOAs/NOFOs), and ensuring completeness and adherence to sponsor requirements
Coordinates with PIs/PDs to ensure proposals meet sponsor requirements and consults with Research Compliance to ensure compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, policies, and HudsonAlpha procedures prior to submission
Coordinates proposal submissions on behalf of HudsonAlpha through sponsor systems, including Grants.gov, NIH eRA Commons, NSF Research.gov, and other electronic submission platforms
Coordinates with HudsonAlpha Accounting to set up awards in the accounting and financial system, reviews grant management procedures and award terms and conditions with PIs/PDs and related staff
Provides primarily non-financial post-award management on externally funded grants and contracts, including monitoring grant activity to ensure compliance with relevant regulations, tracking key reporting dates and deliverable deadlines, supporting preparation of progress reports and financial reports, processing re-budgeting, no-cost extensions, carry-forward, and other prior approval requests, and coordinating award closeout activities
In consultation with RAD staff, may negotiate contracts with sponsoring entities, develop, negotiate, and monitor subcontracts issued by HudsonAlpha to subrecipients, and track subaward progress to ensure compliance with FFATA (Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act)
Assists with monitoring sponsor training requirements, coordinating required training arrangements, tracking researcher compliance with training currency requirements, and maintaining confidentiality and integrity of project records and sensitive institutional data
Maintains grant records, files, and data tracking within electronic research administration (eRA) systems, attends meetings of professional research administrators, maintains working knowledge of current HudsonAlpha and federal/state/agency guidelines, contributes to researchers' guidebook and internal process documentation, participates in professional development activities, and performs other duties as assigned
Performs other duties as assigned.