Associate Director of Sponsored Programs

Florida Institute of Technology; Melbourne (FL); On-site; USD 95,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Florida Institute of Technology seeks an Associate Director of Sponsored Research to manage the full lifecycle of externally funded programs, from proposal development to closeout, in collaboration with faculty, administrators, and sponsors.

You will ensure compliance with sponsor requirements and regulations, oversee budgeting and reporting, and guide pre-award and post-award activities to advance the university's research mission.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• 3+ years of progressively responsible experience in research administration, grants management, sponsored programs, or a related field.
• Knowledge of federal regulations, Uniform Guidance, sponsor requirements, and research administration best practices.
• Strong project management, analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with faculty, staff, sponsors, and senior leadership.
• Preferred experience in both pre-award and post-award research administration within higher education.

Responsibilities

• Assist in oversight and administration of sponsored research throughout the full award lifecycle.
• Ensure compliance with sponsor requirements and regulations.
• Review proposals and budgets for accuracy and adherence to requirements.
• Provide guidance and training on sponsored program administration and compliance.
• Serve as SME for pre-award and post-award activities.
• Compile, analyze, and report data related to proposals, awards, expenditures, and metrics.
• Support improvement of research administration systems and processes.
• Develop reports, dashboards, and tools for project management and compliance.
• Coordinate activities across departments and stakeholders, monitor progress, and communicate updates.

Skills

Sponsored research administration

Regulatory compliance

Project management

Communication

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Workday Grants

Cayuse

Job description

The Associate Director of Sponsored Research supports the development, submission, administration, and oversight of the university's sponsored research and other externally funded programs. Working closely with the Director, faculty, administrators, and external sponsors, this position provides leadership across the full grant and contract lifecycle, including proposal development, award management, compliance, financial monitoring, reporting, and closeout. The Associate Director serves as a resource to faculty and staff on sponsored program processes and requirements, ensures compliance with applicable regulations and policies, and supports strategic initiatives, budget oversight, and continuous improvement efforts to advance the university's research mission.

Responsibilities Include:

• Sponsored Programs Administration Assist in the oversight and administration of sponsored research and other externally funded programs throughout the full award lifecycle, including proposal development, submission, award acceptance, modifications, compliance monitoring, and closeout.
• Ensure compliance with sponsor requirements, Uniform Guidance, federal and state regulations, and university policies and procedures.
• Review grant and contract proposals and budgets for accuracy, completeness, and adherence to sponsor and institutional requirements.
• Provide guidance and training to faculty, principal investigators, and departmental staff on sponsored program administration, proposal development, and compliance requirements.
• Serve as a subject matter expert and resource for pre-award and post-award activities.
• Research Reporting and Systems Support Compile, analyze, and report data related to proposal submissions, awards, expenditures, and other research performance metrics.
• Support the administration, optimization, and continuous improvement of research administration systems and business processes.
• Develop reports, dashboards, and other tools to support sponsored project management, compliance, and institutional decision-making.
• Project Management and Strategic Initiatives Serve as project manager for major sponsored research, compliance, and institutional initiatives.
• Coordinate activities across multiple departments and stakeholders, monitor project progress, manage risks, and communicate updates to leadership.
• Support strategic initiatives that enhance research administration services, strengthen institutional research capacity, and improve operational effectiveness.

Qualifications Required:

• Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Three (3) or more years of progressively responsible experience in research administration, grants management, sponsored programs, or a related field.
• Knowledge of federal regulations, Uniform Guidance, sponsor requirements, and research administration best practices.
• Strong project management, analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, sponsors, and senior leadership.
• Preferred Experience in both pre-award and post-award research administration within a higher education environment.
• Experience with research administration and enterprise systems, including Workday Grants, Cayuse, or similar grants management platforms.
• Experience developing reports, dashboards, and business process improvements.
• Professional certification such as Certified Research Administrator (CRA), Certified Financial Research Administrator (CFRA), or related credential.

Equal Opportunity

Florida Institute of Technology does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, disability, age, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics in its activities and programs. In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Florida Tech does not discriminate on the basis of sex. Inquiries concerning the application of the Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment policy may be directed to the Equal Opportunity Director and Investigator at 150 West University Blvd, Melbourne, FL 32901, or email [e-mail], or [phone]; or to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Please notify us at least five days in advance if a reasonable accommodation for a disability is needed by calling the Office of Human Resources at 321-674-8100.

Annual Security & Fire Safety Report

The federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) requires colleges and universities, both public and private, participating in federal student aid programs to disclose campus safety information, and imposes certain basic requirements for handling incidents of sexual violence and emergency situations. Florida Tech’s 2025 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Florida Tech; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The numbers provided include crime statistics that were reported to local law enforcement agencies, campus security and other Campus Security Authorities. The report also includes institutional policy statements regarding campus safety and security measures; descriptions of prevention and awareness programs; related university procedures and important guidance; and other essential safety information. You can obtain a printed copy of this report at the Department of Security Welcome Center located at 3126 Panther Place, during normal business hours, or by accessing the following website 2025 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

Official Transcripts

Official transcripts of all collegiate work must be sent directly from the attended institution to the Office of Human Resources prior to the first day of employment. All international degrees must have a course-by-course official evaluation and translation sent to the Human Resources Office directly from an evaluation company affiliated with the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. (NACES).

We are an E-verify employer The premier private technological university in the Southeast, Florida Tech is a Tier 1 Best National University (U.S. News & World Report) and a Top Technical Institute (Fiske Guide to Colleges), as well as a Best Value University (Forbes) and a top 100 global university for graduate employability (GEURS). Florida Tech is known worldwide for its strengths in aerospace, advanced manufacturing, aviation, autism treatment, biomedical science, cybersecurity and machine-learning, and marine science. It offers more than 150 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in engineering, science, computing, aeronautics, business, psychology and the liberal arts. The university is located in the dynamic and innovative city of Melbourne in the heart of the "Space Coast," where students have been watching rocket launches from campus since the dawn of the Space Race. Learn how Florida Tech is making history and shaping the future at floridatech.edu. Find stories about our relentless pursuit of greatness at floridatech.edu/news.