Grants and Contracts Specialist

University of Texas; Austin, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plans

Paid leave

Job summary

University of Texas at Austin is seeking a Grants and Contracts Specialist in the College of Education to manage post-award activities for sponsored projects. The role emphasizes financial stewardship, data reporting, and collaboration with principal investigators and COERA across central offices.

The position requires a bachelor’s degree and at least three years of experience in research administration, with strong organizational and MS Office skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• At least three years of experience in research administration or related professional exposure.
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with MS Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook) and Adobe Pro.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate post-award activities for sponsored projects.
• Prepare and review financial reports and budget-related data.
• Support appointment processes and cost allocations.
• Assist with subaward invoicing and post-award transactions.
• Liaise with PI, COERA, and central offices to ensure compliance.

Skills

Bachelor's degree

3+ years experience

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Job Posting Details

Job Posting Title: Grants and Contracts Specialist ---- Hiring Department: College of Education ---- Position Open To: All Applicants ---- Weekly Scheduled Hours: 40 ---- FLSA Status: Exempt from FLSA ---- Earliest Start Date: Sep 21, 2026 ---- Position Duration: Expected to Continue ---- Location: UT MAIN CAMPUS

Job Details

General Notes The university provides employees a competitive benefits package that includes health insurance (premiums covered 100% for full-time benefits-eligible employees), retirement plans, and paid leave, in addition to other programs and services. We offer robust free training access through LinkedIn Learning, professional conference opportunities, an expansive employee discount program, including athletic tickets. Free access to UT Austin's libraries and museums with a staff ID card. Free rides on all UT Shuttle and Austin CapMetro buses with a staff ID card. For more details, please see: https://hr.utexas.edu/prospective/benefits and https://hr.utexas.edu/current/services/my-total-rewards

Purpose

The Research Administrator/Grants and Contracts Specialist is a cooperative individual contributor responsible for managing and coordinating post-award activities for sponsored projects within the College of Education. The position provides operational, financial, and administrative support related to award management, appointments, transactions, reporting, and compliance, while serving as a key liaison among principal investigators, departments, COERA colleagues, and central university offices. Working collaboratively within the COERA Post-Award team, this role shares responsibility for supporting the College's sponsored research portfolio through a defined constituency assignment alongside a peer Research Administrator/Grants and Contracts Specialist. The position promotes accurate financial stewardship, effective communication, customer-focused service, and the timely execution of post-award processes to ensure compliance and support the success of the College's research enterprise.

Responsibilities

ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS: Provide highly organized and monitored central email inbox coordination, workflow information dissemination, and electronic file record organization. Provide direct response and management of actions related to role duties and assist with the coordinated response of those actions involving multiple people. Establish and maintain centralized reminder system/task list for important, sponsored project data of financial reports, subaward invoicing, and COERA Post-Award action due dates. Track and follow up on correspondence and pending actions submitted to OSP’s Postaward Liaison. Provide direct response and management of actions related to role duties. AWARD REPORTING: Coordinate with Assistant Director of Postaward on financial data for sponsor requested financial report of expenditure utilizing a mixture of DEFINE, Workday, and other financial data sources. Support Assistant Director of Postaward on annual and ad hoc sponsor requested financial reporting that contains pre and post award financial data. POST-AWARD: Provide ad hoc projected expenditure reports to researchers as necessary for appointment and costing planning. Project, document, and perform budget transfers on sponsored research accounts as needed. Coordinate and process postaward account actions (end date adjustments, etc.) as needed. Process subaward invoices. Attend project kickoff meeting and provide guidance on subaward invoicing and other transactional allowability. Coordinate with Assistant Director of Postaward with OSP Postaward to rectify sponsor invoicing and/or receivables issues, as well as provide cost share, invoicing, and financial reporting guidance. TRANSACTIONS: Provide oversight for sponsored project transaction review requests through COERA. Guide PI in interpreting grant needs and restrictions, costing allocation considerations, and appropriate justification documentation and information gathering. Coordinate with appropriate COERA staff on follow-up actions and determinations. Coordinate with appropriate Center or Department staff for further transaction actions. APPOINTMENTS: Coordinate with Assistant Director of Postaward for the semesterly appointment process. Co-lead with COERA Postaward team and PI and department in appointment planning across all account types. Lead preparation of assigned appointment and costing allocation worksheet information. Collaborate with Assistant Director of Postaward review of all salary and tuition transactions for semesterly appointment auditing and effort verification. OTHER: Serve as backup for and cross train with other COERA positions. Provide sponsor, university, and other regulation updates to faculty as needed. Attend mandatory weekly/monthly meetings for team planning and office functionality. Attend conferences, presentations, and related campus organizations for research administration topics in order to stay abreast of new rules and trends in research administration.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree and at least three years of experience in research administration or documented professional exposure. Strong problem-solving skills, high level of organizational skills, and attentiveness to detail. Able to work independently and/or in a team environment. Able to work well managing deadlines on a daily basis. Proficient use of MS Office Suite, including Excel, Word, and Outlook; and Adobe Professional, along with the ability to navigate various online portals and systems. Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

More than the required amount of experience. Experience with the UT *DEFINE accounting system, FRMS, and Workday Knowledge of university structure, policies, rules, and procedures. Familiarity with UT Austin central administrative offices including Office of Sponsored Projects, Accounts Payable, Travel, etc.

Salary Range

$60,000 + depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

Typical office environment Repetitive use of a keyboard workstation Work Shift Flexible between the hours of 7am - 6pm This position is eligible for full-remote work with limited on-location days throughout the year. The position provides for work-life balance with a typically 40- hour work week that includes flexible work arrangements.

Employment Eligibility

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

Retirement Plan Eligibility

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

Background Checks

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Pay Transparency

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

Employment Eligibility Verification

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

E-Verify

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following: E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF] Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF] Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

Compliance

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and the Clery Act. If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031. The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.

Comments and Inquiries

Email comments to [e-mail]. For questions or concerns regarding equal opportunity only, contact Equal Opportunity Services. Additional information for applicants can be found on the Human Resources web page: Applying for Employment. For more job information, call the Human Resource Service Center at [phone], or toll-free at [phone]. UT Austin is a Tobacco-free Campus