Group Administrator - Sensor Systems Engineering

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab; Laurel (MD); On-site; USD 33,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Education assistance

Retirement plans

Health insurance

Paid time off

Training and development

Job summary

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) seeks a Group Administrator to support a team of 55 engineers, scientists, and professionals. You will help with staff engagement, recruiting, budgeting, meetings, and events while ensuring a well-organized, secure environment.

You will work closely with group leadership to coordinate calendars, travel, contracts, onboarding, and day-to-day administrative tasks. This on-site role emphasizes collaboration and process improvements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, management, communications, or a related field.
• >1 year of experience supporting administrative, business, program, or organizational operations.
• Effective communication and ability to build relationships with staff and leadership.
• Ability to work independently, learn processes, and follow through to completion.
• Experience with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Discretion with sensitive or confidential information.
• On-site work five days per week to support staff and operations.
• Eligibility to obtain a Secret security clearance; U.S. citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Support group operations and leadership; coordinate schedules, meetings, records, and requests.
• Coordinate purchasing, travel, reimbursements, shipping, software renewals, contracts, and documentation.
• Support recruiting, interviews, hiring, and onboarding; help plan staff meetings and events.
• Coordinate property and workplace needs; manage equipment and office moves.
• Support group security; liaise with security organizations and inspections.
• Identify process improvements and help evolve group operations.

Skills

Communication

Organization

Team collaboration

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/management/communications

Tools

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Job description

Description

Are you interested in helping a technical organization and its people succeed?

Would you enjoy working alongside a dedicated team of engineers and technical professionals solving complex systems engineering, hardware, integration, and test and evaluation challenges?

Do you take pride in keeping a team organized, connected, and moving forward?

If so, we're looking for someone like you to join our team at APL.

We are seeking a driven, organized, and collaborative Group Administrator to support a group of more than 55 engineers, scientists, and technical professionals making critical contributions to programs that support our national security. As an important member of the group, you will play a key role in helping our people and organization succeed. You will work closely with group leadership and staff and contribute to a broad range of activities, including staff engagement and group morale, recruiting and hiring, publications and communications, purchasing, budgeting, meeting and event coordination, and the day-to-day administrative functions that keep the organization running effectively. This position provides an opportunity to become an integral part of a highly collaborative technical team while helping create an organized, welcoming, and effective environment in which our staff can do their best work.

As the Group Administrator, you will be an integral member of the A2B team working closely with group leadership and staff to keep our organization running smoothly. You will:

• Support group operations and leadership. Coordinate schedules, meetings, records, administrative requests, and recurring activities for a group of technical staff. Help staff navigate APL processes and connect with the right resources.
• Coordinate business activities. Support purchasing, travel, reimbursements, shipping, software renewals, contracts, and related documentation. Partner with leadership on overhead, capital, and other group planning activities.
• Support our people and culture. Coordinate recruiting, interviews, hiring, and onboarding. Help plan staff meetings, town halls, training, networking opportunities, and group events that strengthen communication and connection across the team.
• Coordinate property and workplace needs. Serve as the Group Property Associate and help manage equipment, inventories, computing lifecycle activities, office moves, common spaces, and equipment repair or calibrationY.
• Support group security. Serve as the Group Security Representative and partner with APL security organizations to help staff meet security requirements. Maintain required resources and records and support security inspections and classified activities as appropriate.
• Help us improve how we work. Build relationships across the group, anticipate upcoming needs, and identify practical ways to improve recurring processes. As priorities evolve, you will have opportunities to learn, grow, and expand your contribution across the group and Branch.

Qualifications

You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you…

• Have a bachelor's degree in business administration, management, communications, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
• Have more than 1 year of experience supporting administrative, business, program, or organizational operations in a professional environment.
• Communicate effectively and build productive working relationships with staff, leadership, and organizational partners.
• Can work independently, learn new processes and systems, solve problems, and follow activities through to completion.
• Have experience with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Can exercise discretion when working with sensitive or confidential information.
• Are able to work on-site five days per week to support staff, leadership, laboratories, and group operations.
• Are able to obtain a Secret security clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

You'll go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you…

• Have experience supporting a technical, engineering, research, government, or similarly complex organization.
• Have supported recruiting, interviewing, hiring, or onboarding activities.
• Have experience working in a classified environment, supporting security activities, or hold an active Secret or higher-level clearance.
• Have improved administrative processes or developed new approaches that helped a team operate more effectively.

About Us

Why Work at APL?

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to our nation’s most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. While we are dedicated to solving complex challenges and pioneering new technologies, what makes us truly outstanding is our culture. We offer a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere where you can bring your authentic self to work, continue to grow, and build strong connections with inspiring teammates.

At APL, we celebrate our differences of perspectives and encourage creativity and bold, new ideas. Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance. APL’s campus is located in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Learn more about our career opportunities at https://www.jhuapl.edu/careers.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. APL is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals of all abilities, including those with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contact [e-mail].

The referenced pay range is based on JHU APL’s good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level with consideration for internal parity. For salaried employees scheduled to work less than 40 hours per week, annual salary will be prorated based on the number of hours worked. APL may offer bonuses or other forms of compensation per internal policy and/or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be provided in the form of a sign-on bonus, relocation benefits, locality allowance or discretionary payments for exceptional performance. APL provides eligible staff with a comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Minimum Rate

$24.25 Hourly

Maximum Rate

$44.30 Hourly