Research Administrator, Pre-Award

Jefferson; United States; On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical (including prescription)

Tuition assistance

Retirement plans

Job summary

Thomas Jefferson University seeks a Research Administrator, Pre-Award to assist in preparing and submitting research proposals for external funding. You will guide budgets, sponsor requirements, and institutional policies, collaborating with faculty and staff to ensure compliant, timely submissions.

Role emphasizes training, process improvement, and communication across departments to support accurate pre-award administration and smooth award setup.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree required with 5 years in grants administration.
• Knowledge of federal, state, and private sponsor regulations.
• Excellent oral and written communication to training diverse stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Review proposals and budgets for accuracy and compliance before submission.
• Serve as liaison between TJU and sponsors for awards and terms interpretation.
• Provide guidance and training on proposal development and sponsor requirements.
• Coordinate with post-award, legal/licensing, and research services to ensure timely award setup.

Skills

Communication skills

Analytical thinking

Cross-department collaboration

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Job description

Number of Positions In Requisition 1 Job Details

The Research Administrator, Pre-Award assists the Thomas Jefferson University community in the preparation and submission of research proposals to secure external funding. This role ensures proposals and awards comply with sponsor requirements and institutional policies, providing guidance throughout the pre-award process. The position serves as a resource for faculty and staff, offering expertise on budgets, regulations, and terms and conditions, and collaborates closely with post-award administration to facilitate smooth award setup. The Research Administrator, Pre-Award contributes to process improvement, training initiatives, and promotes a culture of compliance, accuracy, and customer service.

Job Description Summary

The Research Administrator, Pre-Award assists the Thomas Jefferson University community in the preparation and submission of research proposals to secure external funding. This role ensures proposals and awards comply with sponsor requirements and institutional policies, providing guidance throughout the pre-award process. The position serves as a resource for faculty and staff, offering expertise on budgets, regulations, and terms and conditions, and collaborates closely with post-award administration to facilitate smooth award setup. The Research Administrator, Pre-Award contributes to process improvement, training initiatives, and promotes a culture of compliance, accuracy, and customer service.

Job Duties

• Reviews proposals and budgets for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with sponsor and institutional policies prior to submission.
• Acts as a liaison between TJU and sponsors, assisting with award negotiation, interpretation of terms, and ensuring compliance with grant conditions.
• Provides guidance, training, and support to faculty, staff, and academic departments on proposal development, sponsor requirements, and institutional policies.
• Coordinates with internal offices, including post-award administration, legal/patent/licensing offices, and research service divisions, to ensure consistency, mitigate risk, and facilitate timely award setup.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 5 years in grants administration, both federal and non-federal
• Demonstrates strong knowledge of federal, state, and private sponsor regulations, as well as institutional policies relevant to pre-award administration.
• Exhibits excellent oral and written communication skills to provide guidance and training to a diverse community of faculty, staff, and external sponsors.
• Applies analytical and problem-solving skills to review complex proposals and budgets, identifying potential risks and ensuring compliance.
• Collaborates effectively across departments, building relationships to support accurate and timely proposal submissions.
• Adapts to changing regulations, electronic research administration systems, and institutional priorities, fostering continuous improvement in pre-award processes.

Additional Qualifications

Additional Qualifications Physical Demands Lift and carry 25 lbs. frequent sitting/standing, frequent keyboard use, *patient care providers may be required to perform activities specific to their role including kneeling, bending, squatting and performing CPR.

Job Description Disclaimer

This position description provides the major duties/responsibilities, requirements and working conditions for the position. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current position, however management reserves the right to revise or change as necessary to meet organizational needs. Other responsibilities may be assigned when circumstances require.

Work Shift

Workday Day (United States of America)

Worker Sub Type

Regular Employee

Entity

Thomas Jefferson University

Primary Location Address

Primary Location Address 833 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America

About Thomas Jefferson University

Thomas Jefferson University, home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Jefferson College of Nursing, and the Kanbar College of Design, Engineering and Commerce, dates back to 1824 and today comprises 10 colleges and three schools offering 200+ undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 8,300 students.

Jefferson Health, nationally ranked as one of the top 15 not-for-profit health care systems in the country and the largest provider in the Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas, serves patients through millions of encounters each year at 32 hospitals campuses and more than 700 outpatient and urgent care locations throughout the region.

Jefferson Health Plans is a not-for-profit managed health care organization providing a broad range of health coverage options in Pennsylvania and New Jersey for more than 35 years.

Jefferson is committed to providing equal educational and employment opportunities for all persons without regard to age, race, color, religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, military status, veteran status, handicap or disability or any other protected group or status.

Benefits

• medical (including prescription)
• supplemental insurance
• dental
• vision
• life and AD&D insurance
• short- and long-term disability
• flexible spending accounts
• retirement plans
• tuition assistance
• voluntary benefits, which provide colleagues with access to group rates on insurance and discounts
• Colleagues have access to tuition discounts at Thomas Jefferson University after one year of full time service or two years of part time service.
• All colleagues, including those who work less than part-time (including per diem colleagues, adjunct faculty, and Jeff Temps), have access to medical (including prescription) insurance.
• For more benefits information, please click here

Additional Information

In keeping with Jefferson's Mission, We Improve Lives, it is our goal to recruit, retain, develop and reward highly-qualified employees. If you are enthusiastic, caring and dedicated to service excellence, we invite you to consider joining Jefferson. Jefferson encourages its employees to expand their knowledge and develop their careers through growth opportunities and continuing education. With a long standing history, Jefferson has been advancing the medical field from the heart of Center City Philadelphia for nearly 200 years. Our Mission, We Improve Lives, expands to every corner of the organization. From our weekly farmer’s market, to our new Jefferson Accelerator Zone for innovation, our employees’ passion for the community is evident by the daily gestures towards our patients, students and each other.