Research Operations Administrator

University of Washington Medical Center•Washington, DC

1d•$72,552 - $96,504•Hybrid

About The Position

The Department of Genome Sciences has an outstanding opportunity for a full-time Administrator to direct the administrative and operational functions of the Shendure Laboratory and its affiliated cross-institutional programs. The Administrator will serve as the primary administrative lead for the Shendure Laboratory, directing the full spectrum of administrative, compliance, financial, and personnel operations across this multi-program, multi-institutional portfolio. This position carries delegated authority to establish and implement administrative policies and procedures, represent the laboratory in institutional and cross-institutional administrative matters, and make independent operational decisions in support of program and research goals. This role requires a sophisticated operational skill set encompassing program administration, research compliance, financial management, personnel coordination, and cross-institutional partnership management. The Administrator will be responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining administrative policies, methods, and procedures to ensure compliance with university, departmental, HHMI, and sponsor regulations across all funding sources. Critical thinking, initiative, independent judgment, and sound decision-making are essential to manage complex and concurrent responsibilities. Work is performed with a high level of autonomy, and therefore significant personal drive, proactive problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and discipline are imperative for success in this role.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, communications, arts or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience AND three years of increasingly responsible administrative experience with some combination of human resources, compliance, financial administration, and program operations.
Demonstrated experience directing administrative operations across multiple concurrent funding sources with distinct compliance requirements
Prior experience in an academic research environment, preferably supporting a multi-funded PI or cross-institutional program
Experience working across multiple institutions or with complex, multi-workstream programs
Demonstrated proficiency with UW and/or HHMI administrative systems (Workday, ARIBA, Concur, Emburse)
Experience with grant compliance, publication compliance, and sponsored research administration across federal and private funding sources
Knowledge and understanding of visa administrative processes for international researchers (H-1B, J-1)
Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, and project management tools
Exceptional organizational, analytical, and prioritization skills with the ability to direct concurrent responsibilities across multiple programs and institutions
Demonstrated ability to exercise independent judgment, maintain confidentiality, and communicate diplomatically with a wide range of stakeholders including faculty, staff, institutional administrators, sponsor representatives, and external partners
Actively seeks opportunities to increase skills and expertise and to increase efficiency and effectiveness in the job; remains technically and administratively current in the role
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively; builds trust and demonstrates readiness to lead teams as needed
Ability to manage a variety of responsibilities at once; ability to remain flexible and handle changing priorities

Responsibilities

Develop, implement, and maintain administrative policies and procedures for the Shendure Laboratory, ensuring compliance with university, departmental, HHMI, and sponsor regulations across all active funding sources
Serve as the primary UW-side administrative representative for the Seattle Hub for Synthetic Biology (SeaHub), a cross-institutional collaboration spanning the Allen Institute, CZI, and UW across multiple scientific and administrative workstreams, including All Hands planning and coordination
Direct Dr. Shendure’s obligations across all affiliated institutions and programs, including HHMI, SeaHub/Allen Institute, BBI, UW Genome Sciences, Scientific Advisory Boards (SABs), and external consulting and contractual agreements
Exercise independent judgment in managing Dr. Shendure’s external service commitments, including identifying, triaging, and declining requests that fall outside scope and capacity
Administer and oversee outside work disclosures and outside activity compliance reporting
Administer patents and reports of invention in coordination with UW and HHMI technology transfer offices
Serve as the primary point of contact for press and media inquiries on behalf of the laboratory
Oversee and maintain the Shendure Lab website; completed full ADA-compliant website redesign in 2026
Manage laboratory roster, emergency contacts, mailing lists, institutional memberships and calendar
Manage Dr. Shendure’s complex, multi-institutional calendar including scheduling for trainees, collaborators, grant funders, and institutional commitments across HHMI, UW GS, SeaHub, BBI, and external engagements, resolving conflicts with diplomacy and tact
Manage and administer Dr. Shendure’s invited talks, seminars, and honorarium processing
Coordinate Dr. Shendure’s teaching obligations and related commitments
Direct grant compliance and reporting requirements across multiple concurrent funding sources including NIH, NHGRI, CZI, and HHMI, ensuring adherence to each sponsor’s distinct guidelines and deadlines
Provide grant submission support, including coordination with the GS grants team on extramural funding opportunities, competing renewals, and annual reports
Administer HHMI Open Access Policy compliance for all lab publications; coordinate paper processing fees and payments
Coordinate fellowship paperwork, graduate student support funding, and ESCRO renewals
Establish and maintain systems for tracking all internal and external grant and compliance deadlines across multiple concurrent funding sources
Maintain publication records
Work with the Laboratory Manager to oversee and manage lab budgets across UW and HHMI financial systems, analyzing reports, identifying discrepancies, and coordinating with the GS grants team to resolve issues
Direct administrative purchasing through UW and HHMI procurement systems, including standing purchase order management and quote-based procurement
Process reimbursements for Dr. Shendure and the laboratory under separate UW and HHMI rules; serve as primary institutional contact for Concur and Emburse Spend systems
Manage pro card administration and monthly reconciliation
Process and track invoice payments; coordinate HHMI invoice reconciliation
Advise Dr. Shendure on funding support strategies for laboratory members and proactively plan for funding transitions across multiple concurrent grants
Administer procurement and account management for lab-based platforms and services (i.e. Claude, etc.)
Direct administrative onboarding and offboarding of all lab members, including postdoctoral appointment paperwork, system access setup, and applicable institutional policies and requirements, as well as administrative processing of lab interest inquiries for postdoctoral, graduate student, undergraduate, and volunteer positions, in collaboration with the Laboratory Manager and GS/HHMI HR
Oversee visa and H-1B administrative coordination for international trainees in collaboration with GS faculty affairs, UW International Scholars Operations, and HHMI
Track trainee academic milestones including RR talks, committee meetings, general exams, dissertation defenses, Individual Development Plans, conference attendance, and internal mentorship commitments
Coordinate trainee external opportunities including conference travel and external fellowship applications
Perform complex document preparation assignments, including research, writing, proofreading, and editing of correspondence, reports, letters, award nominations, letters of support for external nominees, and other materials for Dr. Shendure and the lab
Maintain and update Dr. Shendure’s professional documents including CV, biosketch, headshot, and operating statement
Coordinate Lab Meeting rotation, visiting guest speakers, and postdoctoral recruitment visits, including associated travel, accommodations, logistics, and reimbursements
Foster and sustain laboratory culture through planning and execution of community events including Lasagna Fest, Lab Retreat, Happy Hours, publication toasts, dissertation defense celebrations, and other recognition events as needed