Post-Award Services Associate

East Carolina University; Greenville (NC); On-site; USD 35,000 - 49,000; Full time

Job summary

East Carolina University is seeking a Post-Award Services Associate to support sponsored projects within the Office of Research Administration. The role reports to the Financial Analyst and handles financial transactions, award setup, and effort reporting with a focus on compliance and audit readiness.

The position requires a high school diploma or equivalent plus one year of related office experience and proficiency with Microsoft Office applications. Monday–Friday, Greenville, NC location.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalency and one year of related office experience.
• Demonstrated organizational skills, attention to detail.
• Experience in higher education research administration, accounting, or business administration preferred.
• Intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams).
• Familiarity with complex institutional, state, federal and sponsor regulations.

Responsibilities

• Initiating and processing financial and administrative transactions and journal entries (60%).
• Assists with initial award setup at project initiation (10%).
• Serves as primary resource for processing personnel and effort administration (20%).
• Maintain accurate documentation for all transactions (5%).
• Special projects and other duties as assigned (5%).

Skills

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Microsoft Office

Research administration experience

Education

High school diploma or equivalency

One year related office experience

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Outlook

Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Teams

Job description

Position Details

Job Title: Post-Award Services Associate

Position Number: 934249

Vacancy Open to: All Candidates

Time-Limited: No

Position Location (City): Greenville

Job Category: Staff

Department Homepage: https://rede.ecu.edu/ora/

Advertising Department: RESEARCH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ENGAGEMENT

Division: Academic Affairs

Classification Title: 10422 Administrative Support Specialist

Competency Level: 2 - Journey

Working Title: Post-Award Services Associate

Number of Vacancies: 1

Full Time Equivalent (FTE): 1.0

Full Time or Part Time: Full Time

Recruitment Range: $34,602 - $49,406

Anticipated Hiring Range. Salary offered may be outside of this range as impacted by budget, UNC salary administration, and/or candidate qualifications.: $39,625 - $44,028

Salary Grade Equivalency: NC09

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday

Work Hours: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Open Until Filled: No

Be a Pirate!

East Carolina University (ECU) is consistently ranked among the nation's top public universities for its commitment to research, innovation, social mobility, and public service. Classified as a R1 institution by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education, ECU is among the top 5% of research universities in the United States, an elite designation reflecting the highest levels of research activity, funding, and doctoral output.

Founded in 1907, ECU is a public, four-year university located in Greenville, N.C., which is widely regarded as the cultural, educational, economic, and medical hub of eastern North Carolina. Through education, research, healthcare, community engagement, athletics, cultural enrichment, and service, ECU enhances the quality of life for its students, the state and communities around the world. It is a great place to work, teach, and learn.

ECU's commitment to impactful scholarship is further demonstrated through its repeated Carnegie Community Engagement Classification (2010, 2015, 2024), as well as its 2024 designation as a Carnegie Leadership for Public Purpose institution. These distinctions recognize the university's leadership in translating research into meaningful community partnerships and measurable societal benefits.

The university supports its workforce through a wide range of professional development opportunities designed to foster career growth and skill advancement. Eligible employees also benefit from a comprehensive benefits package that promotes a healthy work-life balance.

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit

Academic Affairs, led by the Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, comprises the university's colleges, schools and libraries, along with other academic support and administrative units. Academic Affairs works collaboratively to strengthen ECU's culture of academic excellence in line with our mission to be a national model for student success, public service and regional transformation.

Research, Economic Development and Engagement (REDE), led by the Senior Vice Provost for Research and Innovation, provides strategic leadership for East Carolina University's research, innovation, economic development, and community engagement enterprise. REDE advances discovery, workforce development, and societal impact through research administration and development, industry engagement, technology transfer and commercialization, economic development initiatives, community-engaged partnerships, continuing education, and collaborations with federal agencies and national security partners. REDE also oversees research integrity, compliance, and responsible research practices.

Post-Award Services, part of the Office of Research Administration (ORA), advances the effective stewardship of sponsored projects through coordinated financial, administrative, and compliance support. The team oversees award setup, financial management, billing and revenue, and compliance monitoring; strengthening accountability, operational excellence, and institutional impact aligned with ECU's mission of public service and research integrity.

Primary Purpose of Position

The primary purpose of the ORA Post-Award Services Associate (PSA) is to provide transactional, administrative, and record management support for sponsored projects. Reporting to the Financial Analyst, this position initiates financial transactions; maintains organized, audit-ready project documentation; and supports effort reporting and billing activities. Administrative and documentation support includes preparing and routing routine post-award actions, ensuring required sponsor and institutional documents are complete and accurate, and maintaining orderly records that support compliance and audit needs. The role ensures timely and accurate completion of post-award processes in accordance with sponsor, federal, and institutional requirements.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Initiating and processing financial and administrative transactions and journal entries (60%)
• Assists with initial award setup at project initiation (10%)
• Serves as primary resource for processing personnel and effort administration (20%)
• Maintain accurate documentation for all transactions (5%)
• Special projects and other duties as assigned (5%)

Minimum Education, Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

High school diploma or equivalency and one year of related office experience; or equivalent combination of training and experience.

Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

• Demonstrated organizational skills, attention to detail
• Experience in higher education research administration, accounting, or business administration experience preferred
• Intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams).
• Familiarity with complex institutional, state, federal and sponsor regulations.

License or Certification required by statute or regulation

None

Special Instructions to Applicant

• Please ensure your full range of knowledge, skills, abilities, experience and education are listed on your application. Do not write 'see resume' on your application when completing the job duties section.
• If you answer the questions at the end of the application, please ensure your application reflects the knowledge, skills, abilities and experiences to support your answers (see job duties section of previous employment).
• Failure to answer the questions at the end of the application will not preclude your application from being considered but may result in your application not receiving full consideration of your knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.
• Unless otherwise identified in the applicable job posting and consistent with University policy, the University will principally employ individuals who reside in the State of North Carolina to the greatest extent practicable. As such, most positions at East Carolina University require employees to live and work in North Carolina (or live within a reasonable daily commuting distance from their duty station) after hire. Candidates should be prepared to relocate within a reasonable, agreed-upon time after an offer of employment has been made and accepted to meet this requirement.

Job Open Date

11/02/2026

Job Close Date - Positions will be posted until 11:59 p.m. EST on this date; If no closing date is indicated, the position will be posted until filled and may close at any time after the recruitment has been completed.

11/16/2026

Quick Link for Direct Access to Posting

https://ecu.peopleadmin.com/postings/98093

Alternate Option

If no applicants apply who meet the required competency level and training & experience requirements, then management may consider other applicants. Salary would be determined based on budget, UNC salary administration, and/or candidate qualifications.

Nondiscrimination Statement

East Carolina University is committed to workforce success and cultivating a culture of care for our employees. ECU prohibits unlawful discrimination and harassment based on race/ethnicity, color, genetic information, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, political affiliation, and veteran status. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their protected veteran status or disability.

Individuals requesting accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) should contact the ADA Coordinator at [phone] (Voice/TTY) or [e-mail].

Eligibility for Employment

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. ECU 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. If highest degree earned is from an institution outside of the U.S. and its territories, final candidates are required to have their degree validated as equivalent to the degree conferred by a regionally accredited college or university in the U.S.

Department for People Operations, Success, and Opportunity

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the Department for People Operations, Success, and Opportunity at [phone] or toll free at 1-866-489-1740 or send an email to [e-mail]. Our office is available to provide assistance Monday-Friday from 8:00-5:00 EST.