Associate, Center Support - Cancer Center

Sanford Burnham Prebys; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 56,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

Sanford Burnham Prebys in San Diego seeks a Center Support Associate to provide high-level administrative and research support to the NCI-Designated Cancer Center, coordinating scheduling, travel, reimbursements, and events.

The role covers pre-award and post-award grant administration, budget building, biosketch preparation, progress reports, compliance, and collaboration with center leadership to advance research missions.

Qualifications

• Associate degree or equivalent education
• Bachelor's degree preferred
• Four years of administrative support experience
• Experience in pre- and post-award grant administration beneficial

Responsibilities

• Manage faculty and lab calendars; schedule meetings
• Coordinate domestic and international travel; process reimbursements
• Interface with institutional offices on behalf of faculty
• Post and manage Cancer Center-related announcements on institutional websites and social media
• Support seminars, symposiums, and events coordination
• Track regulatory credentials for faculty and trainees; maintain training profiles
• Lab ordering for non-scientific supplies
• Assist with project timelines and internal checklists for complex applications
• Build detailed budgets and justifications
• Assist PIs with NIH biosketches and current/pending support (SciENcv)
• Coordinate submission documents from consortia and collaborators
• Identify funding opportunities and maintain internal LOI/invitation tracking
• Support faculty with reminders about opportunities and deadlines
• Monitor monthly financial reports for grants and assist in reports
• Prepare progress and final reports and manage bios and libraries as needed
• Assist with patent/invention reporting
• Perform other duties as needed by the Cancer Center Director

Skills

Analytical

Time management

Organization

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Microsoft Office

Education

Associate degree or equivalent education

Bachelor's degree preferred

Job description

Sanford Burnham Prebys

Sanford Burnham Prebys is much more than a research facility and hub for innovation; it’s a vibrant global community of talented scientists and researchers from over 30 countries. This worldwide representation enriches our perspectives and enhances our creative approach to solving complex scientific challenges.

We strive to be leaders not only in biomedical research but also in creating an environment where excellence thrives through collaboration across cultures and backgrounds. Our mission is to advance the biomedical sciences by cultivating the next generation of scientific leaders, providing meaningful opportunities for researchers of all backgrounds to learn, innovate, and make breakthrough discoveries that improve human health.

Together, we translate science into health.

The duties and responsibilities contained in the job description are intended to be examples of the accountabilities for which the person in the position will demonstrate competency through performance. The job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list. Duties and responsibilities are subject to change and other duties may be assigned as necessary.

Position Summary:

The Center Support Associate provides high-level administrative and research support to the Sanford Burnham Prebys NCI-Designated Cancer Center. This particularly includes supporting scheduling, travel arrangements, reimbursements, special events, invited speakers and pre- and post-award processes. This position ensures the smooth operation of Center leadership activities and works in close coordination with the Cancer Center Director and the Associate Director for Administration. By driving administrative excellence, this role is critical in helping our Cancer Center achieve its mission.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Administrative Support

• Manage faculty and lab calendars; schedule internal/external meetings
• Coordinate domestic and international travel; process reimbursements and credit card reconciliation
• Interface with institutional offices on behalf of faculty
• Post and manage Cancer Center-related announcements on institutional websites and social media (LinkedIn and Bluesky)
• Support seminars, symposium, and events coordination
• Track regulatory credentials for faculty and trainees across sponsor platforms; ensure all required training and profiles (e.g., ORCID, eRA Commons) are up to date.
• Lab ordering for non-scientific supplies

Pre-Award Grant Administration

• Assist with project timelines, internal checklists, and coordination of complex applications
• Build detailed budgets and justifications
• Assist PIs and key personnel with generating NIH biosketches and current/pending support documentation using SciENcv
• Coordinate and verify submission documents from consortia, subcontractors, and collaborators
• Identify standard and targeted funding opportunities relevant for Cancer Center faculty using sponsor webpages and InfoEd SPIN; maintain internal tracking systems for LOIs and invited applications via regular communications
• Support targeted faculty through individualized communications and reminders about upcoming opportunities, deadlines, and documentation needs

Post-Award Grant Administration and Compliance

• Monitor monthly financial reports and update PIs on balances in support of Research Accounting
• Assist with preparation of progress and final reports for awarded and complex grants, including upkeep of MyNCBI, managing internal timelines and biographies/libraries as needed
• Assist faculty with patent/invention reporting and submission processes for funded research

Other Duties as Assigned

• Perform additional tasks and responsibilities as directed by the Cancer Center Director or ADA to support the broader research mission and administrative excellence of the Center.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education:

• Associate degree, or equivalent education, training and/or experience from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been attained. Bachelor’s Degree in a related field is preferred.

Experience:

• Four years prior experience providing administrative support in a high demand, challenging environment.
• Previous experience in pre- and post-award grant administration beneficial

Certifications, Licenses, etc: None

Other Knowledge, Skills and/or Abilities:

• Possesses strong analytical, time management, organizational, communication (written and verbal), and interpersonal skills
• Able to exercise sound judgement and critical thinking skills
• Able to seamlessly switch from one task to another
• Able to prioritize workload
• Works independently as well as in a team environment
• Be responsible, organized, and a problem solver
• Possesses strong attention to detail
• Effectively interacts with individuals from various cultures and backgrounds
• Professional proficiency in Microsoft Office suite; Microsoft 2016 or Office 365 is preferred – Intermediate skill in Outlook, Word, Excel and Power Point.
• Capacity to learn department-specific software tools as needed

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Direct: None

Indirect: None

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

This position is intended to be on-site. The work environment is in a standard office setting. Frequently exposed to low to moderate noise, various odors, temperature changes, and equipment with moving parts, including but not limited to computers, phones, printers, and other standard office equipment.

If working from home, you are responsible for ensuring a quiet, organized, and comfortable setting, free from significant noise or distractions. The role requires the use of standard home office equipment, including but not limited to computers and phones. As you may be exposed to minimal noise and temperature variations depending on your home setup, it's important to maintain a workspace that supports productivity and well-being. Reliable internet connectivity and a suitable workstation are essential to fulfill job responsibilities effectively.

Physical Requirements:

Ability to execute those physical activities required to perform the essential functions including, but not limited to, regular sitting and being mobile; continual communicating both in person and on the telephone; regular keyboarding; regular reading of both print and digital material; and all other activities required to perform essential functions.

Location:

This is an onsite position; candidates must be willing to work onsite in San Diego. Out-of-state applicants must disclose their willingness to relocate.

Compensation:

The expected hiring range for this role is $55,565 - $72,185/ year commensurate with skills and experience.

We welcome talented individuals of all backgrounds regardless of gender, sex, religion, race, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, perceived disability, pregnancy, pregnancy-related condition, reproductive health decisions, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDS, marital status, covered veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations. We are proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer.

As part of this commitment, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations for the hiring process. If a reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact our Benefits Team at 858 646 3100 or via e-mail at [e-mail].

Equal employment opportunity, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

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