Research Accountant III

Colorado School of Mines; Colorado; Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible health and dental care options

Generous sick/vacation time

Tuition benefits

Access to recreation center and daycare

Job summary

Colorado School of Mines is looking for an Accountant III – Research to lead expense management for research grants. This hybrid position requires experience in research accounting, effective communication skills, and independence in financial analysis.

The role involves creating accounts, reconciling budgets, and preparing reports, while providing support to faculty on financial matters related to research awards.

Salary ranges from $75,000 to $85,000, with excellent benefits including health care options and tuition benefits.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of sponsored research accounting experience.
• Ability to serve as subject expert in research accounting.
• Proficient with spreadsheets and databases.

Responsibilities

• Create and amend research accounts in financial systems.
• Monitor and reconcile award budgets and expenses.
• Prepare and submit required financial reports.

Skills

Research accounting expertise

Federal regulations knowledge

Analytical problem-solving

Customer service skills

Effective communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or equivalent experience

Tools

Banner

Cognos

Enterprise financial systems

Job description

Engineering a world of possibilities. Bring your Research Accounting skills to Colorado School of Mines! Colorado School of Mines is seeking an Accountant III – Research to lead the expense management of research grants and contracts in the Office of Research Administration (ORA). The role is a key member of the research team and serves as a resource to faculty and administrators in the financial administration of sponsored research awards.

Essential duties include set‑up of new awards in the financial system, expense and account monitoring, financial reporting, financial closeout and other post‑award financial analysis and support for sponsored awards.

The Accountant III – Research interprets federal, state and Mines’ terms and advises the research community on their application. This position requires critical thinking, regulatory interpretation, independent financial data analysis, and collaboration with campus constituents. It requires regular campus presence in Golden, Colorado; the current arrangement is hybrid with at least two days per week in the office.

Primary Responsibilities

• Create new research accounts and amend existing accounts in Mines’ financial system and ORA’s enterprise project tracking system.
• Recognize gaps and develop, improve best practices and SOPs as new policies, terms, clauses arise to better perform award setup.
• Monitor, review and reconcile award budgets, balances and expenses, including deficit monitoring and expense review pre‑ and post‑expenditure.
• Work with the ORA team to review deficit spending requests and determine financial risk under current policy.
• Review, approve, and perform salary redistributions and journal entries to ensure proper accounting.
• Identify, investigate and resolve discrepancies or errors in research accounts, coordinating with faculty, ORA staff, other departments or sponsors.
• When allowed by agreement terms, approve faculty requests for no‑cost time extensions, budget deviations and pre‑award spending.
• Assist the Property Manager to ensure all equipment is titled, accounted and tagged properly.
• Develop and/or update ad‑hoc reports using data from Banner, Cognos or other database applications for tracking, diagnostics and financial analysis.
• Create templates to improve acceleration of financial administration of awards (e.g., tuition proportionate to salary calculations, re‑budgeting, closeout workbook).
• Serve as subject expert on financial monitoring and provide training in financial and non‑financial reporting applications.
• Prepare and submit required financial reports within sponsoring agency timeframes.
• Analyze the financial statements and supporting documentation for each research account to ensure accurate reports.
• Prepare and submit required non‑financial reports within sponsoring agency timeframes (property reports, patent reports, cost share reports).
• Use Banner, Cognos, and ORA’s project software to extract data needed for reports.
• Navigate sponsor reporting systems to submit required reports.
• Determine and perform all closeout actions required by sponsor and Mines policy.
• Maintain a detailed tracking of closeout activities and all outstanding accounts receivable actions to coordinate financial closeout.
• Perform final expense review and account reconciliation.
• Act as subject expert of award closeout and provide training to staff.
• Act as reviewer of award setups and pull quality control reports to ensure accuracy.
• Act as approver for journal vouchers and salary redistributions performed by the Post Award team at ORA.
• Lead and provide staff training on policies and procedural changes that impact sponsored awards.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration or equivalent experience.
• Five or more years of sponsored research accounting experience.
• Ability to serve as subject expert in research accounting and post‑award administration.
• Experience with a high‑volume portfolio of diverse sponsors.
• Ability to lead strategic initiatives and improve standard practices.
• Working knowledge of federal and other research regulations.
• Proficient with spreadsheets, databases, presentation software, and enterprise financial systems.
• Demonstrated customer service skill and ability to work with diverse constituencies.
• Analytical and problem‑solving skills with independent judgment.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Successful completion of a background investigation is required for this position.

Preferred Qualifications

• Higher education, and/or government accounting experience.
• Uniform Guidance knowledge.
• GASB knowledge.

Salary and Benefits

Salary: $75,000 - $85,000. Mines takes into consideration a combination of candidate’s education, training and experience as well as the position’s scope and complexity, the discretion and latitude required in the role, work location, and external market and internal value when determining a salary level for potential new employees.

• Flexible health and dental care options
• Generous sick/vacation time: 13 paid holidays per year – including a week‑long winter break for the entire campus
• Fully vested retirement plan on first day of employment, with generous employer contribution
• Tuition benefits (6 credits per year for employees, 50% discount for dependents)
• Free RTD Ecopass
• Discount programs through the State of Colorado and free tickets for Mines Athletics home games
• Access to recreation center, swimming pool, and other outdoor recreation facilities
• On‑campus daycare center access

Equal Opportunity

Mines is committed to equal opportunity for all persons. The Colorado School of Mines does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), ancestry, creed, marital status, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, or current military service. Further, Mines does not retaliate against community members for filing complaints regarding or implicating any of these protected statuses. Mines’ commitment to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and equal access is reflected in the administration of its policies, procedures, programs and activities and in its efforts to achieve a diverse student body and workforce. Through its policies, procedures and resources, Mines complies with federal law, Colorado state law, administrative regulations, executive orders and other legal requirements to prevent discrimination (including harassment or retaliation) within the Mines campus community and to address potential allegations of inequality or concerns for safety.