Research Analyst

University of Washington•Seattle, WA

20d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Department of Neurological Surgery is hiring a Research Analyst to independently manage and provide advanced financial analysis for a complex sponsored research portfolio across the Departments of Neurology and Neurological Surgery. Reporting to the Grants and Contracts Manager, the role includes budget development, forecasting, compliance oversight, subaward management, and strategic financial advising to principal investigators and departmental leadership. The position also coordinates pre- and post-award research administration, supports clinical trial and sponsored project operations, develops standardized financial tools and processes, drives continuous process improvement, and contributes to departmental research, financial, and operational initiatives. The position requires up to three days of on-site work each week at administrative locations at Harborview and UW Medical Center. It is a regular, 100% FTE position on the first shift.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, Economics, Accounting, or a related field.
At least 2 years of experience in financial analysis, budgeting, fiscal operations, or grant management.
Demonstrated experience developing and managing complex grant or program budgets.
Advanced Excel and financial modeling skills.
Ability to independently analyze financial data and provide recommendations.
Strong communication skills, including the ability to translate complex financial information to diverse audiences.
Ability to manage competing priorities across multiple principal investigators, funding sources, and deadlines.

Nice To Haves

Strong knowledge of sponsored research regulations and compliance requirements.
Experience in an academic healthcare or research environment.
Experience with Workday and UW financial systems.
Experience managing complex or large-scale sponsored research awards.
Experience supporting clinical trial budgeting and invoicing activities.
Master’s degree in a related field.

Responsibilities

Independently manage and analyze sponsored research awards and contracts, including complex multi-year budgets.
Partner with principal investigators to develop, model, and refine proposal budgets, including personnel effort, subawards, payroll allocations, and cost share.
Provide scenario-based financial projections to assess the feasibility of proposed research and staffing models.
Monitor expenditures, analyze variances, and recommend adjustments to align spending with sponsor requirements and project goals.
Lead regular financial reviews with principal investigators, interpreting financial data and advising on allowable spending, re-budgeting, and forecasting.
Oversee financial components of incoming and outgoing subawards, including budget development, invoice review, reconciliation, and compliance oversight.
Ensure compliance with sponsor, federal, and institutional policies and regulations.
Identify projects or labs at risk of funding shortfalls and recommend corrective actions, such as spending adjustments or staffing reductions.
Collaborate with principal investigators, central pre-award teams, and research administration on proposal development and submission.
Analyze sponsor guidelines and funding requirements to develop compliant and accurate proposal budgets.
Coordinate award setup, budget reconciliation, and ongoing post-award financial management.
Support clinical trial budgeting, invoicing, payment tracking, and sponsor reconciliation in coordination with study teams and sponsors.
Coordinate and monitor incoming and outgoing subaward activity.
Meet regularly with principal investigators to review financial projections and staffing sustainability concerns.
Evaluate research administration and financial management processes and identify opportunities for operational improvement.
Develop and standardize budget templates, financial tracking tools, and reporting structures across both departments.
Maintain and update standard operating procedures to support compliance, consistency, and audit readiness.
Develop financial reports and forecasting tools for departmental leadership and faculty.
Contribute to operational planning for research program growth and long-term sustainability.
Participate in special projects related to research operations, financial modeling, and program development.
Train and guide faculty and staff on budgeting practices, compliance requirements, and financial management tools.
Assist with ad hoc financial analysis and operational reporting requests.
Support departmental initiatives related to sponsored research administration and operational effectiveness.