Sponsored Research Grants Coordinator - Department of Astronomy (College of LAS)

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign•Urbana, IL

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Astronomy at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is seeking a Sponsored Research Grants Coordinator to manage all pre-award and post-award aspects of sponsored research activities for investigators. This role serves as the primary liaison supporting faculty throughout the entire lifecycle of sponsored research, from proposal preparation to award close-out. The department has a rich history and a diverse research portfolio covering areas such as compact objects, computational data, cosmology, galaxies, instrumentation, observations, stars and planets, and theory.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in business administration, accounting, finance, economics, or a related field.
Demonstrated professional work experience in sponsored research administration.
Exceptional professional service skills and the ability to work in a team setting.
Proven effective organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to exhibit discretion in professional judgment.
Attention to detail.
Critical and analytical mindset.
Demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize.
Highly developed communication skills.
Ability to develop and tailor tools to effectively communicate ideas and analyze situations.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and represent the Department and the University in a professional manner.
Extensive knowledge of PC-based tools including Word and Excel.
Commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a higher education or research institution setting.
Familiarity with sponsored research portfolios in physical sciences, astronomy, or related scientific fields.
Prior experience with federal electronic research administration systems such as Research.gov, Grants.gov, and NASA NSPIRES.
Experience in accounting, auditing, or financial management of research awards.
Illini Certified Research Administrator (ICRA) designation.
Knowledge of sponsored research activity within a University setting.
Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and Governmental Accounting Standards (GAS).
Familiarity with the University's MyUI-Financials, Banner system, and the Data Warehouse, and general database application knowledge.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary Sponsored Research liaison between the Principal Investigator, the Astronomy Business Office, and the Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) office.
Support Astronomy leadership with sponsored research fiscal responsibilities.
Review solicitations and provide guidance on the submission of sponsored research proposals across diverse research areas.
Develop complex project budgets and other components of applications submitted through various federally managed electronic research administration systems (Research.gov, Grants.gov, NASA NSPIRES) and private sponsors.
Counsel researchers through the pre- and post-award processes for externally-funded research projects, applying a solid understanding of federal regulations.
Conduct analysis of faculty effort in accordance with regulatory compliance guidelines.
Collaborate with interdisciplinary researchers on campus, as well as with other educational institutions, government agencies, national labs, and private organizations during application and award execution.
Confirm that investigators and other personnel have completed required University, sponsor, regulatory, and other training mandates and disclosures.
Maintain professional relationships with departmental and central campus offices to facilitate effective business processes.
Monitor expenditures in coordination with faculty, principal investigators, and staff, ensuring compliance with sponsor and university guidelines.
Provide advice and action plans on the use of research funding according to sponsor terms and regulations.
Confirm with faculty and principal investigators that all subrecipients have completed their scope of work, including deliverables, and submitted final billing.
Verify contributed effort and cost share on sponsored projects, including the semi-annual expenditure confirmation process with SPA.
Develop internal business systems and specialized reports for sponsored research management.
Facilitate project close-out functions, including tracking sponsor billing and final reporting requirements.
Verify the allowability, allocability, and consistency of transfers to ensure compliance with all applicable rules and regulations.
Stay current on changing campus, sponsor, and federal policies and guidelines, including regulations specific to major Astronomy funding agencies (NSF, NASA, DOE).
Seek continuing education opportunities or relevant certifications, including pursuit of Illini Certified Research Administrator (ICRA) designation.