Research Administrator II-Office of Research Admin (3 Openings)

University of Tennessee; Memphis (TN); On-site; USD 67,000 - 94,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Tennessee seeks a Research Administrator to review proposals and serve as the primary contact for an assigned college portfolio from funding opportunity through award acceptance.

You will ensure compliance with sponsor requirements, identify institutional commitments, and guide investigators on submission strategies while coordinating just-in-time submissions and post-submission materials. This role requires ongoing knowledge of federal rules and institutional policies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Admin, Public Admin, Research Admin, Science, Health Admin or related field (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED).
• Four years of admin, financial, or research support experience; or Master's + two years; or 8 years combined education/work.
• Knowledge of federal and non-federal sponsor requirements, Uniform Guidance and cost principles.
• Budget development knowledge and understanding of institutional commitments a proposal can create.
• Ability to review complex documents for compliance under deadlines.
• Ability to advise faculty and administrators clearly on sponsor requirements.
• Ability to escalate matters beyond delegated authority.

Responsibilities

• The Research Administrator provides institutional review of proposals and acts as the contact for an assigned college portfolio from funding opportunity through award acceptance.
• Reviews sponsored proposals for compliance with funding opportunity requirements, institutional eligibility, budget accuracy, cost principle application, and completeness.
• Identifies institutional commitments, including cost share, effort, space, and matching requirements, routing them for institutional decision.
• Advises investigators and departmental administrators on sponsor requirements, financial allowability, and submission strategies.
• Identifies recurring portfolio issues and partners with college leadership and departments to develop proactive solutions.
• Reviews notices of award and negotiated terms, confirms institutional acceptability, and prepares the award abstract handed to Sponsored Award Financial Services.
• Coordinates just-in-time submissions, progress reports, and post-submission material.
• Identifies opportunities to automate, streamline, or eliminate manual processes and coordinates improvements with system teams.
• Remains current on federal, sponsor, and institutional requirements through ongoing professional development.
• Serves as the institutional point of contact for an assigned college or set of departments.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Skills

Sponsor requirements

Budget development

Document review

Electronic submissions

Advising faculty

Escalation authority

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Master's Degree preferred

Job description

Market Range: 13
Hiring Salary: $5,566.40 - $7,792.95/Monthly

JOB SUMMARY/ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• The Research Administrator provides institutional review of proposals prepared by college and department research administrators and serves as the institutional point of contact for an assigned college portfolio from funding opportunity through award acceptance.
• Reviews sponsored proposals for compliance with funding opportunity requirements, institutional eligibility, budget accuracy, cost principle application, and overall completeness.
• Identifies institutional commitments, including cost share, effort, space, and matching requirements, and routes them for institutional decision.
• Advises investigators and departmental administrators on sponsor requirements, financial allowability, and submission strategies.
• Identifies recurring portfolio issues and partners with the college leadership and departments to develop proactive solutions.
• Reviews notices of award and negotiated terms, confirms institutional acceptability, and prepares the award abstract handed to Sponsored Award Financial Services.
• Coordinates just-in-time submissions, progress reports, and post-submission material.
• Identifies opportunities to automate, streamline, or eliminate manual processes and coordinates improvements with system teams.
• Remains current on federal, sponsor, and institutional requirements through ongoing professional development.
• Serves as the institutional point of contact for an assigned college or set of departments.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor's De gree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Research Administration, Science, Health Administration, or a related field. (Master's Degree preferred.) (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED)

EXPERIENCE :

• Four (4) years of administrative, financial, or research support experience; OR Master's Degree and two (2) years of administrative, financial, or research support experience; OR a combination of related education and work experience to equal eight (8) years.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of federal and non-federal sponsor requirements, the Uniform Guidance, and cost principles.
• Knowledge of budget development and of institutional commitments a proposal can create.
• Skill in reviewing complex documents for compliance and completeness under deadlines.
• Skill in electronic research administration and sponsor submission systems.
• Ability to advise faculty and administrators clearly on requirements they did not write.
• Ability to determine when a matter exceeds delegated authority and to **escalate** it.

WORK SCHEDULE:

This position may occasionally be required to work weekends and evenings .