Research Administrator Intermediate

University of Michigan; Ann Arbor (MI); Remote; USD 60,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Michigan's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science seeks an experienced Research Administrator to handle pre‑ and post‑award activities for sponsored projects. You will coordinate budgets, ensure compliance, and act as a primary contact for faculty and sponsors.

Work is primarily remote with occasional onsite needs; you will collaborate with the Research Admin team to support timely proposals, monthly financial reporting, and adherence to university policies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree plus a minimum of three years experience in grant administration or higher-level financial activities.
• Prior experience with contract and grant administration or relevant experience with regulatory requirements.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and exercise good judgement, with attention to detail.
• Ability to interpret and communicate Department, University, and Sponsor guidelines.
• Experience with multi-project financial review and analysis and forecasting.
• Knowledge of U‑M financial practices and processes.
• Experience with federal funding agencies such as NSF, DOD, DoE, ARPA‑E.
• Mastery of Excel and adaptability to changing technology.
• Ability to work in a team and provide excellent customer service.
• Ability to organize and synthesize complex financial information.
• Demonstrated sound judgment and ability to meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated excellence in verbal and written communication.

Responsibilities

• Pre‑Award: develop budgets, budget justifications, and proposal documents; support submission packages.
• Pre‑Award: coordinate cost-share requests and ensure deadlines are met for proposals.
• Post‑Award: reconcile project grants across funds and prepare monthly financial reports.
• Post‑Award: enforce sponsor guidelines and respond to sponsor requests for information.
• Administrative Support: provide backup for ~25 faculty, ~12 postdocs, and 100+ students; handle travel and meetings.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Written and oral communication

Attention to detail

Customer service

Independent work

Team collaboration

Financial analysis

Interpreting guidelines

Organization

Grant administration experience

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

CRA certification

Tools

Excel

MReports

Business Objects

MPathways

U‑M eResearch systems

Job description

Who We Are

Michigan Engineers are world-class educators, researchers, students and staff who strive to build a people-first future. As part of a top national public research institution, Michigan Engineering's mission is to provide scientific and technological leadership to the people of the world, develop intellectually curious and socially conscious minds, create collaborative solutions to societal problems, and promote an inclusive and innovative community of service for the common good.

Job Summary

The Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), Electrical and Computer Engineering Division (ECE) seeks an experienced research administrator to perform duties related to sponsored pre- and post-award activities. This position requires a proactive individual who will approach the work with a customer service orientation. The research administrator will report to the Research Manager and will work collaboratively with the Research Admin team for ECE.

Research Administrators support Michigan Engineering research projects by coordinating budgets and timelines, securing funding and helping the work stay on track. This is crucial work that enables our research teams to tackle humanity's toughest problems.

To learn more about Research Administration at Michigan Engineering, view our short video here.

Responsibilities

Pre-Award Research Administration

Perform pre-award administrative activities for assigned faculty. Assist departmental faculty and researchers with proposal submissions to various federal and non-federal sponsors. Activities include but are not necessarily limited to developing budgets, budget justifications, reviewing and adhering to proposal submission guidelines, online grant systems, preparing Proposal Approval Forms, preparing and maintaining documents for submission packages, preparing just- in-time requests, facilitate the preparation of IDC waiver requests, coordinate cost-share requests and meet multiple overlapping deadlines in support of both internal and external grant submissions.

Post-Award Research Administration

Function as primary contact for faculty, managers, and other staff in a wide range of financial transactions. Reconcile assigned project/grants in a variety of funds including general, gift, recharge, and sponsored research using MReports and Business Objects, prepare monthly reports illustrating revenues, encumbrances, and projected balances to make recommendations and take actions to resolve issues. Enforce various sponsored guidelines and university policies and procedures. Respond to requests for financial information from sponsors. Finalize financial status reports and resolve Uniformed Guidance Monitored Cost issues with Sponsored Programs. Prepare journal entries as required. Review financial reports and alert faculty to areas of concern. Assist with progress reports and manage faculty other support documents.

Administrative Support

Provide backup for administrative duties for assigned group of ~25 faculty, ~12 postdoctoral fellows, and over 100 students. Duties may include travel arrangements, expense reports, conference room reservations, maintaining email lists or websites, escorting guests to/from appointments, set up and clean up of weekly seminars.

Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree, or equivalent combination of education and experience, plus a minimum of three years experience (one year for associate level) in grant administration or higher-level financial activities
• Prior experience with contract and grant administration or relevant experience in a comparable environment with tight regulatory and compliance requirements
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Ability to work independently and exercise good judgement, along with attention to detail and dependability
• Ability to interpret and communicate Department, University, and Sponsor guidelines and policies.
• Demonstrated experience with multi-project financial review and analysis, with the ability to track and project financial activity and commitments.
• Knowledge of U-M financial practices and processes
• Prior experience with federal funding agencies such as NSF, DOD, DoE, ARPA-E
• Mastery of Excel and ability to adapt to changing technology
• Ability to work in a team environment, collaborate effectively with co-workers, and provide excellent customer service.
• Ability to organize and synthesize complex information about financial aspects, resulting in clear and comprehensive summaries.
• Routinely exhibit sound judgment, follow work through to completion, and meet high work standards, as well as set priorities and manage competing deadlines.
• Demonstrated excellence in verbal and written communication

Desired Qualifications

• Five-plus years of progressively responsible grant management experience
• CRA certification
• Previous experience with the U-M eResearch proposal management and regulatory management systems
• Previous experience with data mining in MPathways, BusinessObjects, and other complimentary systems

Why Work at Michigan?

Benefits

In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, The University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family and plan for a secure future. Benefits include:

• Generous time off
• A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions with immediate vesting
• Many choices for comprehensive health insurance
• Life insurance
• Long-term disability coverage
• Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses
• Maternity and Parental Leave

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

This position is primarily remote, with the occasional need to be onsite for meetings, events, etc.

Underfill Statement

This position may be underfilled at the associate level depending on the qualifications of the selected candidate.

Background Screening

The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.