Grant Specialist II (Part-Time/Hybrid) - Ophthalmology

Washington University in St. Louis; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 39,000 - 59,000; Full time

Job summary

Washington University in St. Louis is seeking Grants Specialists (GS) to support faculty and staff through the pre-award stage of sponsored projects, ensuring proposals meet sponsor guidelines and are submitted on time.

The role includes proposal preparation, budgeting, justifications, and compliance, with coordination among Chairs, faculty, and department administrators. Occasional post-award tasks may be included as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; 2 years of relevant experience preferred.
• Strong knowledge of sponsor guidelines and grant administration.

Responsibilities

• Performs pre-award duties following specific proposal guidelines and terms.
• Supports proposal preparation and submission with faculty.
• Manages budgeting, justifications for proposals; gathers information for protocols.
• Serves as liaison between Chair, Faculty, and Department Administrators.
• Stays current on federal and university developments regarding research administration.
• Coordinates submission, budget prep, and quotes; ensures regulatory compliance.
• Prepares and reviews agency forms for submission and enters budgeting documents.
• Coordinates with Post-award to ensure timely contracts/subcontracts.

Skills

Proposal management

Grant administration

Budgeting

Pre-award processes

Regulatory compliance

Stakeholder coordination

Communication

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

IBM Cognos Analytics

Workday Software

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Office

Microsoft OneNote

Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Word

Adobe Acrobat

Job description

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

Proposal / Grant Management

Location

St. Louis, MO 63110

Scheduled Hours

20

Position Summary

Grants Specialists (GS) play a vital role in the sponsored project life cycle, ensuring that research proposals adhere to sponsor guidelines and are successfully submitted. The GSII supports faculty, center directors, and staff throughout the pre-award stage of sponsored projects, including proposal preparation and submission, just-in-time requests, and compliance. May assist with activities associated with a portfolio of faculty post award and payroll sourcing with minimal supervision/oversight, particularly for research-intensive departments.

Job Description

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

Proposal / Grant Management

• Performs pre-award job duties in response to specific proposal guidelines and terms and conditions.
• Works with faculty in proposal preparation and submission.
• Manages budgeting, analysis, justifications for proposals; gathers information for protocols and non-technical proposal components as needed.
• Serves as a liaison between the Chair, Faculty, and Department Administrators (DAs).
• Stays current on federal and university developments regarding research administration and complex regulations.
• May coordinate the submission, work with PI to prepare budget, and obtain pricing quotes from other departments.
• Compiles and ensures accurate regulatory compliance of necessary data collected from various sources.
• Works with Principal Investigator to compile and submit the entire grant according to established agency/university guidelines.
• Prepares and reviews all agency forms for submission.
• Enter grant budgeting documents on line, as needed.
• Obtains PI and institutional signatures for proposal submissions.
• Initiates subaward setup through SUBS system (new process/system). Uploads pre-award documents and hands it off to Post-award to enter fund number.
• Coordinates with the Post-award unit and OSRS to ensure timely implementation of contracts and subcontracts by examining and supplying the necessary requirements in the SUBS system.

Award Management

• Provides internal notice of award (NOA), including sponsor award documents, to SPA and PI, noting any special terms and conditions as well as committed effort.
• Monitors and works with PI to submit annual agency reports (e.g., Research Performance Progress Reports/RPPRs).
• Teams with the Post-Award unit on revised budgets.
• Oversees and coordinates the proper transfer of PI grants and contracts into Wash U.

Research Compliance

• Coordinates the necessary support with internal and external requests for grant-related information (i.e. current biosketches, trainee information, and human/animal protocol approvals, other support).

Research Reporting

• Tracks and maintains online database of grants submitted, awarded, rejected, etc.

Grant Closeout

• Serves as responsible for closure of sponsored projects accounts.
• Submits final progress report and invention statement (if applicable) to the appropriate agency.
• Follows up with PI and facilitates submission of delinquent final technical, outcomes, patent, and property reports.

May assist with some post award activities

• Manages and monitors sponsored projects budgets and ensures appropriate and timely expenditures and reconciliation of funds.
• Approves purchasing documents and provides guidance to purchasing staff on appropriate expenditures according to specific grant policies.
• Checks for accuracy and provides complex troubleshooting error resolutions/solutions for fund profile setups and financial reports.
• Prepares monthly financial reports on all research accounts and distribute/discuss with PIs and senior leadership.
• Assists DA in reconciling funds and monitoring spending levels, overdrafts, and cost sharing commitments.

Assists senior leadership with special projects as requested.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Working Conditions

Job Location/Working Conditions

• Normal office environment.
• May travel to attend training sessions / seminars.

Physical Effort

• Typically sitting at desk or table.
• Repetitive wrist, hand or finger movement.

Equipment

• Office equipment.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.

Education

Required Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree or combination of education and/or experience may substitute for minimum education.

Certifications/Professional Licenses

No specific certification/professional license is required for this position.

Work Experience

Relevant Experience (2 Years)

Skills

Not Applicable

Driver's License

A driver's license is not required for this position.

Preferred Qualifications

No additional education unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Certifications/Professional Licenses

No additional certification/professional licenses unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Work Experience

No additional work experience unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Skills

Accounting, Adobe Acrobat, Analytical Thinking, Computerized Accounting, Computer Literacy, Deadline Management, Grant Administration, IBM Cognos Analytics, Interpersonal Communication, Learning New Technologies, Maintaining Composure, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office, Microsoft OneNote, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Word, Oral Communications, Workday Software, Written Communication

Grade

G11-H

Salary Range

$27.21 - $43.56 / Hourly

The salary range reflects base salaries paid for positions in a given job grade across the University. Individual rates within the range will be determined by factors including one's qualifications and performance, equity with others in the department, market rates for positions within the same grade and department budget.

Questions

For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ.

Accommodation

If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email [e-mail] or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.

All qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

Pre-Employment Screening

All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.

Benefits Statement

Washington University in St. Louis is committed to providing a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to our employees. Benefits eligibility is subject to employment status, full-time equivalent (FTE) workload, and weekly standard hours. Please visit our website at https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/ to view a summary of benefits.

EEO Statement

Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, citizenship (where prohibited by federal law), age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.