Senior Unit Research Administrator

University of South Florida•Tampa, FL

23h

About The Position

The Senior Unit Research Administrator serves as the primary liaison between the College’s faculty Principal Investigators (PIs), USF Sponsored Research, and USF Research Financial Management. This role oversees the development, review, and administration of grant and contract proposal submissions, ensuring compliance with institutional and sponsor requirements. A Senior Unit Research Administrator typically reports to a Director, Dean, or Associate Dean. Additionally, the position researches funding opportunities and informs faculty of potential grants that align with their research interests. The College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Computing maintains a diverse portfolio of public and private sponsors, requiring adaptability and expertise in navigating various funding sources.

Requirements

This position requires a Bachelor's degree and four years of research or research administration experience
A Master's degree may substitute for two years of the required experience.
There is no substitution of experience for the Bachelor's degree.
Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree.

Nice To Haves

Preferably 3+ years of experience in grant development or sponsored research administration within a university or research setting.
Familiarity with electronic grant application platforms such as Grants.gov, Research.gov, FastLane, ASSIST, and NSPIRES.
Strongly desired experience working with proposals for the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Energy (DOE), and Department of Defense (DOD).
Must be proficient in Excel.
Must be adaptable, capable of managing multiple projects, and thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

Responsibilities

Assists with budget preparation, related documentation, and sponsor forms.
Contacts and collaborates with partner institutions to obtain all necessary subcontract documentation.
Assists with uploading materials to electronic proposal packages.
Coordinates proposal reviews with the central sponsored research office.
Supports corrections and modifications before proposal submission.
Reviews Grants.gov, Research.gov, and other central proposal registration platforms.
Advises on non-financial post-award matters, such as re-budgeting requests, no-cost extensions, and interpretation of award terms and conditions.
Serves as a liaison to central offices across the USF campus.
Remains up to date on university and sponsor policies and procedures.
Provides policy guidance and assistance with all aspects of proposal development, including administrative forms, sponsor-required certifications and representations, and compliance requirements.
Offers tools and support for electronic proposal submissions.
Review sponsor guidelines and identify key requirements.
Ensure all regulatory requirements and export control issues are identified.
Facilitate cost share approvals.
Identifies funding sources for research and service programs.
Assists in preparing letters of intent, preliminary proposals, grant and contract proposals, and supplements.
Provides technical assistance and guidance to support faculty in proposal development, administrative review, and the funding process.
Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders on grant applications.
Meets with College faculty PIs at the start of the proposal process to discuss guidelines and potential compliance issues and delegate responsibilities for proposal preparation.
Review proposals for grammar, clarity, and conformance with RFP requirements before submission.