Financial Administrator 3, Spon Act, SRS

Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Massachusetts Institute of Technology is seeking a Senior Research Administrator in the Research Laboratory of Electronics (RLE) to advise PIs on post-award matters and monitor grant finances. You will provide financial analysis, prepare internal and external reports, and ensure compliance across the award lifecycle.

The role requires strong Excel/MS Office skills, a Bachelor’s degree, and experience in federal-sponsored research administration within an academic setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field and minimum four years in accounting or finance.
• Knowledge of federal sponsored research guidelines and federal contracts.
• Experience in proposal preparation, pre-award and sponsored research awards administration.
• Proficient in Excel and MS Office; strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team; adaptable to a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Advise PIs and project leaders on post-award matters.
• Monitor financial performance of active grants and contracts.
• Provide financial analysis and prepare reports for PIs, senior admins, and sponsors.
• Ensure compliance with MIT and sponsor policies throughout the award lifecycle.
• Assist in developing budgets and administrative content for proposals.

Skills

Accounting/Finance experience

Excel proficiency

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Grants management tools

Job description

Posting Description

SENIOR RESEARCH ADMINISTRATOR, Research Laboratory of Electronics (RLE), is a member of the fiscal team in a large, interdisciplinary laboratory with a diverse sponsor base and annual activities exceeding $85M, with more than 275 federal and industrial sponsor proposal submissions per year. Serves as an advisor and primary point of contact for Principal Investigators (PI's) and project leaders on complex post-award matters (50%). Will monitor the financial performance of active grants and contracts and provide regular updates to PI's to verify the proper distribution of resources and use of funds. Will provide financial analysis and oversight, on complex matters, and prepare standard and non-standard reports for PI's, senior administrators, and sponsors. Will continually monitor sponsored research and discretionary accounts to ensure compliance with MIT and sponsor policies through the life of the award, including the close-out period at the end of a project. Will interact with PIs to develop a wide range of research proposal budgets and all administrative content of proposal submissions to a broad sponsor base. (50% effort). The position reports to the Director Research Administration. The FO will work with all members of the RLE Fiscal Team to collaborate on developing solutions for complex issues. There will also be regular interactions with the Research Administrative Service (RAS), Vice President for Finance Office, and many departments across MIT.

Job Requirements

• REQUIRED : Bachelor's degree in a related field; a minimum of four years of experience in accounting or finance; knowledge of federal sponsored research guidelines; related experience with federal contracts and financial administration experience in an academic research environment; experience with research proposal preparation, pre-award administration and sponsored research awards administration; be highly proficient in the use of Excel and be familiar with other MS Office programs; have strong work ethic and customer experience skills and focus; excellent analysis, organizational and communication skills with strong attention to detail; willingness to embrace learning new business methods and computational skills required, as well as a demonstrated record of assuming greater responsibility over time; equal ability to work independently and as a member of a productive and innovative team; and aptitude for working in a fast-paced and challenging environment and comfort with being flexible as circumstances change.
• PREFERRED : Knowledge of enterprise financial systems, grants management tools and multidimensional databases or MIT experience.

10/14/2026