Research Admin Assistant

University of Florida; Gainesville (FL); On-site; USD 29,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Florida is seeking a Research Admin Assistant on the Main Campus in Gainesville, FL, for a full-time role. You will assist with pre-award and post-award research administration, coordinating proposals, budgets, and sponsor compliance, while supporting the Dean's Office centers and initiatives.

The position requires a high school diploma with four years of relevant experience or equivalent coursework.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent college coursework.
• Four years of relevant experience or equivalent coursework in place of experience.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, especially Excel, Word, Outlook, and Teams.
• Strong organizational, analytical, communication and customer service skills.

Responsibilities

• Assist with development, review, and submission of sponsored proposals, including sponsor guideline review, budget preparation and justification, forms, and routing through UFIRST and other systems.
• Coordinate with faculty, staff, research administrators, and university offices to obtain information and approvals; monitor timelines and maintain proposal records.
• Assist with the administration and fiscal monitoring of sponsored projects throughout the award lifecycle: reconcile expenditures, prepare financial information, and participate in award actions and closeout.
• Provide pre-award and post-award support for Dean's Office centers and initiatives; assist with reporting and data requests; coordinate with departments and college units.
• Serve as backup to Research Administration Manager; support research admin meetings, training, and communications; respond to inquiries and direct to resources.

Skills

Organizational skills

Analytical skills

Communication

Customer service

Attention to detail

Education

High school diploma or equivalent college coursework

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

Word

Outlook

Teams

Job description

Research Admin Assistant

Job No: 541590

Work Type: Full Time

Location: Main Campus (Gainesville, FL)

Categories: Office/Administrative/Fiscal Support, Grant or Research Administration, Veteran's Preference Eligible

Department: 15010000 - DCP-DEAN'S OFFICE

Job Description

Classification Title: Research Admin Assistant

Classification Minimum Requirements: High school diploma and four years of relevant experience or equivalent college mcoursework in place of experience.

Job Description:

25% – Pre-Award Research Administration

Assist faculty, principal investigators, and research administrators with the development, review, and submission of sponsored proposals, including review of sponsor guidelines; preparation and review of budgets, budget justifications, forms, institutional documents, and other required materials; and preparation and routing of proposals through UFIRST and other applicable systems. Coordinate with faculty, staff, research administrators, and university offices to obtain required information and approvals, monitor proposal timelines, follow up on outstanding materials, and maintain appropriate proposal records and tracking information.

25% – Post-Award Research Administration

Assist with the administration and fiscal monitoring of sponsored projects throughout the award lifecycle, including reviewing and reconciling expenditures, encumbrances, balances, project end dates, payroll distributions, effort, cost sharing, and other financial activity. Prepare financial information and participate in project review meetings; assist with UFIRST award setup and modifications, budget revisions, no-cost extensions, and other award actions; identify and assist with resolving discrepancies; maintain supporting documentation; and assist with award closeout and coordination with university offices.

20% – Dean's Office Centers, Institutes, and Research Initiatives

Provide pre-award and post-award research administration support for Dean's Office-supported centers, institutes, and other assigned research initiatives. Assist leadership, faculty, and project personnel with proposal submissions, sponsored award administration, financial monitoring, research-related reporting, and data requests, and coordinate with departments and college units when sponsored activities involve multiple organizational areas.

15% – Research Administration Coverage and College Support

Serve as backup to the Research Administration Manager for designated activities and provide temporary pre-award and post-award support to college units during extended staff absences, vacancies, or other significant staffing transitions. Assist with research administrator meetings, training, communications, distribution of research administration information, and maintenance of college research administration website resources. Respond to routine research administration inquiries and direct faculty and staff to appropriate resources or university offices as needed.

10% – Reporting, Systems, and Administrative Support

Run and compile reports from university systems and other data sources; maintain research administration spreadsheets, tracking tools, records, and data; and assist with research-related reporting for college leadership. Support process improvements, special projects, and other research administration initiatives assigned by the Research Administration Manager.

5% Other Duties as Assigned

The percentage of time allocated to each essential function represents the anticipated distribution of responsibilities and may fluctuate based on workload, sponsored project activity, staffing needs, and College priorities.

Health Assessment Required:No

Expected Salary: $21 - $23 per hour

Required Qualifications

High school diploma and four years of relevant experience or equivalent college coursework in place of experience.

Preferred

Experience supporting research administration, sponsored programs, grants, contracts, or related financial administration. Familiarity with pre-award and post-award sponsored programs administration and university administrative systems. Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word, Outlook, and Teams. Ability to review and reconcile financial information and learn and interpret sponsor guidelines, university policies, research administration procedures, and applicable requirements. Strong organizational, analytical, communication, and customer service skills; attention to detail; ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines; and ability to work independently while recognizing when consultation or escalation is appropriate.

Applications Close: 15 October 2026

Our Commitment

The University of Florida is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

Hiring is contingent on eligibility to work in the U.S. The University of Florida is a public institution and is subject to all requirements under Florida Sunshine and Public Record laws. If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392- 2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF.