IR-4 Project Senior Research Administrator

NC State University; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 72,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision

Flexible Spending Account

Retirement programs

Disability plans

Life insurance

Accident plan

Paid time off

Holidays and leave

Tuition & Academic Assistance

Job summary

NC State University’s IR-4 Project seeks a Senior Research Administrator to manage post-award finances, budgets, and sponsor reporting across national headquarters. You will monitor resources, provide financial projections, and work with NC State units and partners to ensure compliant grant administration.

The role requires a bachelor’s degree and 3 years’ related experience, strong analytical skills, and proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google Suite. On-site work in Raleigh, NC is expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 3 years of progressively responsible experience in grant or financial administration.
• Strong Microsoft Office and Google Suite proficiency.
• Ability to manage complex grant finances with minimal supervision.
• Excellent organizational and writing skills, with ability to work with diverse stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day post-award financial management for IR-4 Headquarters grants.
• Monitor budgets, expenditures, commitments, balances, and resource allocations; identify issues and propose actions.
• Coordinate with NC State offices and partners to facilitate award modifications, budgets, and closeouts.
• Develop and maintain internal financial controls and documentation for project resources.

Skills

Budget monitoring

Financial analysis

Grant administration

Communication

Leadership

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, public administration, finance, research administration, higher education administration, or a related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Job description

Posting Number: PG195021EP

Internal Recruitment : No

Working Title: IR-4 Project Senior Research Administrator

Anticipated Hiring Range: Commensurate with Experience ($72,000 - $75,000)

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 40 hours per week (occasional evenings and weekends may be required during travel status or to meet project deadlines)

Job Location: Raleigh, NC

Department : IR-4 Project

About the Department

The IR-4 Project is a nationally and internationally recognized federal-state partnership that facilitates the registration of safe and effective chemical, biological, and other pest management technologies for specialty crop producers. Specialty crops—including fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs, spices, ornamentals, and nursery crops—represent high-value sectors of U.S. agriculture but often lack sufficient market incentives for private industry to independently pursue registrations for these crops. As the nation’s primary program supporting pest management solutions for specialty crops, IR-4 plays a critical role in ensuring growers have access to the tools needed to produce safe, abundant, and economically viable crops. Without IR-4, many specialty crop growers would have limited access to crop protection products, resulting in reduced yields, increased pest damage, and fewer management options. IR-4 operates through a nationwide network consisting of four regional programs, multiple USDA and university partners, more than 20 public research farms, and analytical laboratories located throughout the United States. The program coordinates research conducted by approximately 125 scientists and technical specialists across the country. IR-4 Project Headquarters is part of North Carolina State University and located on Centennial Campus in Raleigh, North Carolina, in the Venture IV Building. Headquarters provides national leadership, scientific oversight, regulatory strategy, data management, and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) compliance for the program’s research portfolio and regulatory submissions.

Wolfpack Perks and Benefits

As a Pack member, you belong here, and can enjoy exclusive perks designed to enhance your personal and professional well-being. As you consider this opportunity, we encourage you to review our Employee Value Propositionand learn more about what makes NC State the best place to learn and work for everyone.

• Medical, Dental, and Vision
• Flexible Spending Account
• Retirement Programs
• Disability Plans
• Life Insurance
• Accident Plan
• Paid Time Off and Other Leave Programs
• 12 Holidays Each Year
• Tuition and Academic Assistance
• And so much more!

Attain Work-life balance with our Childcare benefits, Wellness & Recreation Membership, and Wellness Programs that aim to build a thriving wolfpack community.

Disclaimer: Perks and Benefit eligibility is based on Part-Time or Full-Time Employment status. Eligibility and Employer Sponsored Plans can be found within each of the links offered.

Essential Job Duties

Reporting to the IR-4 Project National Chief of Staff, the IR-4 Project Senior Research Administrator serves as a key administrative and financial professional for the IR-4 Project National Headquarters at NC State University. IR-4 is a nationally coordinated, federally funded research program that works across universities, government agencies, research institutions, and other external partners. Operating with a high degree of independence and professional judgment, this position has primary responsibility for the day-to-day financial and grant management activities supporting IR-4 Headquarters. The position monitors project resources, identifies and resolves complex administrative and financial issues, interprets and applies university and sponsor requirements, and develops processes necessary to support effective stewardship of project funds. TheIR-4 Project Senior Research Administrator serves as a primary operational resource to project leadership and staff and works directly with NC State administrative units and external partners to ensure project activities are financially sound, administratively efficient, and aligned with university, sponsor, and project requirements. Primary duties and responsibilities include:

Research Administration & Financial Operations Management — 40%

• Lead day-to-day post-award financial management and fiscal administration for IR-4 Headquarters grants, agreements, and other funding sources.
• Independently monitor budgets, expenditures, commitments, balances, and resource allocations; identify potential issues and initiate appropriate corrective actions.
• Perform regular reconciliation and analysis of project financial activity and provide leadership with accurate financial information, projections, and recommendations to support resource decisions.
• Manage and track financial and administrative activities associated with grants, subawards, contracts, procurement, invoices, travel, and other project expenditures.
• Exercise independent judgment in resolving complex financial and grant administration issues, escalating matters to project leadership or university offices when appropriate.
• Interpret and apply university, sponsor, and project requirements to financial and administrative activities and serve as an internal resource to staff on applicable processes.
• Coordinate with NC State administrative and sponsored-program offices to facilitate award modifications, budget actions, project closeouts, and other post-award activities.
• Develop and maintain internal financial controls, tracking mechanisms, procedures, and documentation to promote effective stewardship and consistent management of project resources.

Research Program & Grant Administration — 30%

• Act as the lead contracts strategist for the research group as it pertains to off-site analytical chemistry and processing laboratories.
• Independently coordinate administrative activities necessary to support a complex, nationally coordinated research program and its grant-funded activities.
• Play a critical role in pre-award meetings and pre-award grant material preparation.
• Monitor grant requirements, project schedules, milestones, and deliverables and proactively identify administrative or financial issues that could affect successful completion.
• Serve as a key administrative liaison among IR-4 leadership, scientists, NC State administrative offices, collaborating institutions, and other project partners.
• Provide guidance to project personnel regarding grant administration, procurement, travel, contracts, subawards, and other operational requirements.
• Coordinate across project leadership, scientific personnel, NC State administrative units, collaborating institutions, and other partners to facilitate effective grant and program administration.
• Develop and implement procedures and workflow improvements to increase efficiency, consistency, compliance, and effectiveness of project operations.
• Anticipate program needs and independently coordinate solutions to support changing project priorities and requirements.
• Compile, analyze, and provide financial, administrative, and program information necessary for sponsor reports, annual reports, grant deliverables, and other organizational reporting requirements.

Headquarters Operations & Administrative Management — 20%

• Independently manage assigned administrative and operational functions supporting IR-4 National Headquarters, exercising professional judgment in prioritizing work and resolving day-to-day operational issues with minimal supervision.
• Serve as a knowledgeable resource to IR-4 team members navigating NC State and project administrative processes, researching requirements and coordinating solutions when issues arise.
• Work as part of a cross-trained operations team to monitor incoming funds, ensure funds are appropriately identified and recorded, and coordinate timely acknowledgement of funding received.
• Maintain project schedules, timelines, administrative records, and operational resources necessary to support a complex national research program.
• Anticipate administrative needs, identify potential operational challenges, and independently coordinate appropriate solutions or recommendations.
• Support continuity of critical Headquarters operations through cross-training, documentation, and development of standardized administrative procedures.
• Supervise staff or student employees as assigned, including establishing priorities, providing direction, and reviewing work.

Organizational, Meeting & Stakeholder Support — 10%

• Work collaboratively with the IR-4 Operations Team to plan and execute academic forums, national meetings, workshops, stakeholder activities, and other project events.
• Act as the primary administrative point of contact for event sponsorships, including development of sponsorship materials, invoicing, monitoring and reconciliation of incoming sponsorship funds, and appropriate documentation.
• Assist the team with meeting logistics, contracts, materials, registration, and post-event activities as needed.
• Work as part of a cross-trained team to provide guidance and administrative support for travel by Headquarters personnel and project stakeholders, including interpretation of applicable university and project requirements.
• Serve as an operational resource during meetings and stakeholder activities to address administrative and financial issues as they arise.

This position is based on-site at IR-4 Project Headquarters in the Venture IV Building on NC State University’s Centennial Campus in Raleigh, NC. Regular in-person attendance is required. Occasional evenings and weekends may be required during travel status or to meet project deadlines.

Other Responsibilities

• Special projects and additional duties as assigned.

Minimum Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, public administration, finance, research administration, higher education administration, or a related field and three years of progressively responsible professional experience in grant management, sponsored-program administration, financial administration, research administration, or program operations; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Other Required Qualifications

• Significant experience with the Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) or similar.
• Experience with the Google suite (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive) or similar collaborative work spaces.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage complex grant financial administration and multiple sponsored programs, funding sources, priorities, and deadlines with limited supervision.
• Strong financial and analytical skills, including budget monitoring, reconciliations, expenditure analysis, forecasting, and preparation of financial reports and projections to support organizational decision-making.
• Ability to interpret and apply institutional, sponsor, and organizational requirements, exercise independent professional judgment, analyze complex issues, and develop appropriate solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and improve operational procedures, internal controls, tracking systems, and workflows, with advanced proficiency in spreadsheets, financial systems, databases, and administrative technologies.
• Excellent communication and relationship-management skills, with the ability to serve as a knowledgeable resource to leadership, scientists, staff, university administrators, sponsors, and external partners, while appropriately handling confidential and sensitive information.
• Excellent organizational, leadership, interpersonal, decision-making, writing/editing skills, and project management skills are required. (The applicant must be capable of doing all the described activities independently.)

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Public Administration, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related degree; or an equivalent combination of training and experience. Master’s degree preferred.
• Familiarity with agriculture, preferably including specialty crops, agricultural research, or related programs.
• Experience managing financial and administrative activities for federally funded grants or sponsored research, including post-award administration, budgets, contracts, subawards, procurement, and sponsor reporting.
• Knowledge of federal sponsored-program requirements and university research administration practices, with experience in a university, government, nonprofit, or research-intensive environment.
• Experience preparing financial projections, reconciliations, management and sponsor reports, and developing effective administrative procedures, financial controls, workflows, and tracking systems.
• Familiarity with NC State University financial, sponsored-program, procurement, and travel systems and processes, with experience supervising or directing staff or student employees preferred.

Required License(s) or Certification(s)

• Valid NC driver’s license or the ability to obtain within 60 days of start.

Valid NC Driver's License required

Yes

Commercial Driver's License required

No

Job Open Date

11/09/2026

Anticipated Close Date

11/23/2026; if posting is still active we are accepting and reviewing applications.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Required documents: Cover letter, Resume/CV, Contact Information for at least three Professional References

Position Number

00112443

Position Type

EPS/SAAO

Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week)

1.00

Appointment

12 Month Recurring

Mandatory Designation - Adverse Weather

Non Mandatory - Adverse Weather

Mandatory Designation - Emergency Events

Non Mandatory - Emergency Event

Department ID

110313 - IR-4 Project

EEO

NC State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal opportunities for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. The University encourages all qualified applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, to apply. Individuals with disabilities requiring disability-related accommodations in the application and interview process are welcome to contact 919-513-0574 to speak with a representative of the Office of Equal Opportunity.

If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at [phone] or [e-mail].

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit.

NC State University participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.