Administrative Assistant 4 - Research & Innovation

Nevada System of Higher Education; Reno (NV); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Life insurance & generous leave

Fitness center access

Employee Assistance Program

Staff Council

Job summary

University of Nevada, Reno seeks an organized Administrative Assistant 4 to support the Associate Vice President for Research (AVPR). The role provides advanced administrative, financial, and HR support, manages the AVPR calendar and travel, and assists with reports and website updates.

Responsibilities include coordinating meetings, monitoring budgets, and supporting outreach, funding announcements, and renewal activities with university and federal partners.

Qualifications

• Four years of progressively responsible relevant work experience.
• Experience providing administrative or program support to professional staff and management.
• Experience coordinating communications between manager, staff and clients.
• Equivalent combination of education and experience.

Responsibilities

• Manage AVPR calendar and travel; coordinate meetings and events.
• Prepare correspondence and reports; maintain records and assist with website updates.
• Supports internal funding programs, award processes, and project reporting.
• Provide HR and financial reporting support; assist with onboarding.
• Serve as GB CESU coordinator, coordinating communications among partners.

Skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Multitasking

Discretion

Workday

Tools

Workday

Job description

Job Description

The University of Nevada, Reno is recruiting for a highly organized and service-oriented professional to serve as the Administrative Assistant 4 supporting the Associate Vice President for Research (AVPR). This position provides advanced administrative, financial, and human resources support to the AVPR office and plays an important role in supporting research-related programs and operations.

The Administrative Assistant 4 manages the AVPR’s calendar and travel, coordinates meetings and events, prepares correspondence and reports, maintains records, and supports communications and website updates. The position also assists with internal funding programs, award processes, project reporting, and the preparation of financial and HR reports.

The position serves as the Coordinator for the Great Basin Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (GB CESU), coordinating communications and activities among university and federal partners. Responsibilities include reviewing proposals, managing project and financial data, preparing reports, coordinating meetings, maintaining website content, and supporting outreach, funding announcements, and renewal activities.

The incumbent performs a variety of financial and human resource functions, including budget monitoring, procurement and expense processing, financial transaction review, hiring and onboarding coordination, personnel actions, and recruitment support. The position also provides training and guidance to new administrative staff and ensures compliance with university policies and procedures.

Successful candidates will demonstrate strong organizational, communication, and analytical skills; the ability to manage multiple priorities; and sound judgment in handling confidential information. Experience with administrative operations, financial and HR processes, and enterprise systems such as Workday is preferred.

Essential Qualifications

• Graduation from high school or equivalent education and four (4) years of progressively responsible relevant work experience which included experience in one or more of the following areas: providing administrative/program support to professional staff and management; performing secretarial duties in support of a manager; coordinating communications between the manager, staff and program clientele; supervision of subordinate staff; researching information from internal and external sources; OR
• One (1) year of experience as an Administrative Assistant III in Nevada State service; OR
• An equivalent combination of education and experience as described above.

Schedule

The typical work schedule is Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm; this is subject to change based on organizational needs.

Compensation Grade

Grade 29

In classified service, salary is in Grade and Step. The Step is determined based on the Nevada Administrative Code. Salary placement above a Step 01 at initial appointment is determined based on the recruitment, the candidate’s qualifications, internal equity, and budgets. A request to accelerate salary must be approved by Human Resources and abide by the Nevada Administrative Code.

To view the classified compensation schedules, please visit: Classified Compensation. Select Salary schedule, PP01.

For more information, visit the Classified Salary Calculator

The Perks of PERS

Classified Employees are enrolled in The Public Employees’ Retirement System of Nevada (PERS) upon hire. The PERS retirement plan is beyond compare. Please visit the Benefit Estimator Retirement Calculator for more information.

Perks of Working at UNR

• Health insurance options including dental and vision - Health Insurance
• Life insurance, generous annual and sick leave - Classified Benefits
• E. L. Wiegand Fitness Center offers annual or semester memberships and spouse/domestic partner membership options. E.L. Wiegand Fitness Center
• Mountain EAP supports employees (and eligible dependents) through life’s difficult moments. Mountain EAP is located in Reno and specializes in counseling and advising services for personal or interpersonal issues.
• Staff Employees’ Council (SEC) represents all Classified employees. SEC holds monthly meetings to provide a forum for employees to participate. SEC

Classified Staff Grants-In-Aid Benefit

For more information about the Classified Staff Grant-In-Aid Benefit, please visit: Classified Staff Grants-In-Aid Benefit

Classified Employee Family Opportunity Program

Additionally, we offer a Classified Employee Family Opportunity Program for spouses, domestic partners, and dependents of classified employees (working at least a 50% full-time equivalent). For more information, please visit: Classified Employee Family Opportunity Program

Department Information

Research & Innovation (R&I) supports the University’s research compliance, and innovation enterprise. As a Carnegie R1 institution, University’s R&I division provides administrative, personnel, and operational support for research centers, programs, and industry partnerships that drive discovery and economic impact. https://www.unr.edu/research-innovation

Contact Information

Staci Sipaila, Search Coordinator: [e-mail]

Exempt

No

Full-Time Equivalent

100.0%

Attach the following attachment(s) to your application

Resume/CV – (required) List a detailed description of the major duties that you performed as part of each job. You must demonstrate that you qualify for the position and your education and experience must be clearly documented.

Cover Letter – (required)

Contact Information for Three Supervisory References – (required) Please make a note if you do not want your present employer contacted unless necessary to determine your qualifications for the position.

Transcripts – (optional) If you have not graduated, please attach your transcripts to receive education credit for classes you have taken. Credit is given for classes relevant to the position.

Veteran Interview Consideration – (optional) – To receive interview consideration for veterans and veterans with a service-connected disability, proof is required at the time of application. Please attach proof electronically to your application under the Veteran Document(s) section. (Examples of acceptable documents include DD-214, disability letter from Veteran’s Administration, etc).

Posting Close Date

Note to Applicant

A background check will be conducted on the candidate(s) selected for hire.

HR will attempt to verify academic credentials upon receipt of hiring documents. If the academic credentials cannot be verified, HR will notify the faculty member that an official transcript of their highest degree must be submitted within thirty days of the faculty member’s first day of employment.

References will be contacted at the appropriate phase of the recruitment process.

Applicants hired on a federal contract may be subject to E-Verify.

As part of the hiring process, applicants for positions in the Nevada System of Higher Education may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform job-related tasks.

For positions that require driving, evidence of a valid driver’s license will be required at the time of employment and as a condition of continued employment.

Schedules are subject to change based on organizational needs.

The University of Nevada, Reno is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of discrimination on the basis of a person’s age (40 or older), disability, whether actual or perceived by others (including service-connected disabilities), gender (including pregnancy related conditions), military status or military obligations, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race (including hair texture and protected hairstyles such as natural hairstyles, afros, bantu knots, curls, braids, locks and twists), color, or religion (protected classes).

About Us

The University of Nevada, Reno is a leading public research university committed to the promise of a future powered by knowledge. Founded in 1874 as Nevada’s original land-grant university, the University serves more than 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and 63 countries.

Classified by the Carnegie® Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as an R1 (“Very High Research”) university, it is also recognized in the Carnegie® Community Engagement classification. The University is also ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the “Best National Universities” and “Best National Public Universities.” It also ranks in the top tier of the WSJ/Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the New York Times’ “Top Colleges for Economic Diversity.”

Since 2009, nearly $1 billion has been has invested in advanced labs, facilities, and residence halls on the main campus. The University is home to Nevada’s first medical school – the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and the Wayne L. Prim Campus at Lake Tahoe, where education, research, and creative work thrive in a stunning mountain setting. The University delivers on its original land-grant mission with outreach across the state through the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Nevada Small Business Development Center, the Nevada Seismological Laboratory, and Wolf Pack Athletics.

The main campus is in Reno, Nevada, a burgeoning global technology hub with a vibrant midtown and downtown. Found where the high desert of the Great Basin meets the High Sierra and Lake Tahoe, the beautiful, 290-acre main campus is also a Nevada State Arboretum. The University’s physical infrastructure is expanding with ongoing construction of the newly named John Tullock Business Building, set to open in fall 2025. Groundbreaking is also planned for a new State Public Health Laboratory Building on campus, alongside the recent acquisition of 16 parcels near campus, known as “University Village,” to provide affordable housing for graduate students and early career faculty.

Collaborating with world-renowned organizations, the University fosters innovation through initiatives such as the Digital Wolf Pack partnership with Apple, which ensures equitable access to technology for students, providing new incoming freshman or transfer students with an iPad Air and accessories. Google’s TechWise initiate is an 18-month program that fully supports undergraduate students in becoming entry-level software engineers by graduation.

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that Nevada – led by the University of Nevada, Reno – was named one of the inaugural 31 RegionalTechnology and InnovationHubs (TechHubs).Nevada was selected from a competitive pool of 489 applicants from across the United States and its territories.Nevada’s Tech Hub will strengthen America’s lithium batteries, critical elements and other electric vehicle materials industry sectors within the state.

Through its commitment to high-impact education, world-improving research and creative activity, and outreach that’s transforming Nevada’s communities and businesses, the University continues its 150‑year tradition of benefitting our state, nation and world.

The University recognizes that diversity promotes excellence in education and research. The inclusive and engaged community on campus recognizes the added value that students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds bring to the educational experience.

Today, the University delivers on its original land-grant mission of access to education and knowledge by investing in the academics, facilities, support, engagement and vibrant campus life that promote our diverse students’ cognitive growth and academic achievement – all while remaining one of the best values in American higher education.

For more information, please visit the University’s website.

University of Nevada, Reno