Research Projects Specialist or Research Projects Coordinator - Civil and Environmental Engineering

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign•Urbana, IL

14h•Onsite

About The Position

The Illinois Center for Transportation (ICT) within the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the Grainger College of Engineering seeks applicants for two positions of Research Projects Specialist or Research Projects Coordinator. ICT is located on Rantoul’s former Chanute Air Force Base and the future site of the 238+ acre Illinois Autonomous and Connected Track (I-ACT). ICT is leading the rapidly growing field of smart mobility. The assigned title is dependent upon qualifications. The Research Projects Specialist will assist with the administrative coordination and financial management of ICT research projects with various sponsors. The Research Projects Coordinator position will be responsible for the administrative coordination and financial management of ICT research projects with various sponsors.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree
A total of one (1) year (12 months) in education, training and/or work experience in project management (for Specialist level).
A total of two (2) years (24 months) in education, training and/or work experience in project management and applying financial processes (for Coordinator level).
Ability to work both independently and as a part of a team in a fast-paced, multi-faceted work environment.
Exercise judgement to analyze and investigate a variety of questions or issues with minimal supervision.
Excellent interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.
Flexibility to adapt to sudden changes in tasks.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office products, including Word, Outlook, and Excel.
Ability to successfully perform multiple duties simultaneously with tight deadlines.
Basic technical business writing skills.
Demonstrated ability to work both independently and as a part of a team in a fast-paced, multi-faceted work environment.
Demonstrated ability to successfully perform multiple duties simultaneously with tight deadlines.

Nice To Haves

Two years of project management experience in research administration in either a university or government environment, ideally at the University of Illinois or Illinois Department of Transportation
Experience with a transportation research program.
Illinois Certified Research Administrator certification.
Two years additional finance experience in research administration.

Responsibilities

Supports ICT’s sponsored research process of active projects, including workplan and budget reviews submitted by researchers, outsourcing to industry and university partners, requests for University accounts to ensure compliance with the research objectives, and act as a liaison between the University and project sponsors.
Assists in reviewing expenditures and reviewing and processing incentive payments to ensure compliance with sponsor, federal, and University policies.
Utilize project management software and databases to track and analyze project tasks, performance metrics, and accomplishments over time.
Provides guidance and assists in the establishment of a grant funded incentive program.
Assists with preparing tables, charts and progress reports for metric reporting and handles a variety of sensitive and confidential assignments and projects.
Organize and actively participates in technical meetings, prepares technical research discussion summaries and communicates meeting objectives and outcomes to PIs and sponsors.
Travel as needed, mostly during business hours.
Assumes additional appropriate related research project duties to further the mission of ICT and the department.
Responsible for ICT’s sponsored research process of active projects, including workplan and budget reviews submitted by researchers, outsourcing to industry and university partners, requests for University accounts to ensure compliance with the research objectives, and act as a liaison between the University and project sponsors.
Manages the establishment of a grant funded incentive program.
Assists with program and/or project financial administration, including budget analyses, financial status reports, requests for subaward contracts and university accounts.
Exercises independent judgment in reviewing expenditures and reviewing and processing incentive payments to ensure compliance with sponsor, federal, and University policies.
Coordinates and actively participates in technical meetings, prepares technical research discussion summaries and communicates meeting objectives and outcomes to PIs and IDOT.
Maintains project management software and databases to track and analyze project tasks, performance metrics, and accomplishments over time.
Ensures project documents, records, data and archives are maintained and organized.
Supports leadership in the implementation of new systems and tools, process improvements, and assist in developing rollout plans and training materials.
Maintains and updates process manuals and procedures to reflect current policies and best practices.
Prepare tables, charts and progress reports for the quarterly ICT newsletter, the annual report, ICT Executive Committee meetings and other presentations.