Research Financial Administrator - Finance

Wistar; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); Hybrid; USD 62,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

The Wistar Institute, a Philadelphia-based research center, invites applications for a remote Research Financial Administrator in our Finance department. The role centers on grant-related financial support and reporting for scientific staff, with emphasis on pre- and post-award administration.

Ideal candidates hold a bachelor's in accounting with at least two years in federal grant accounting, strong Excel/Word skills, and effective communication.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting.
• Minimum 2 years' experience in federal grant financial administration.
• Proficient with spreadsheets and word processing; strong communication.
• Workday experience desirable; data analysis a plus.

Responsibilities

• Provide high level financial support to Scientific Staff.
• Manage pre- and post-award financial administration of grants.
• Prepare financial aspects of federal and non-federal proposals.
• Act as liaison between funding agencies and scientific staff.
• Administer awards in compliance with agency and institutional policies.
• Prepare invoices and reports of expenditures for sponsoring agencies.
• Prepare financial analyses to determine annual budgets and projections.
• Consult with staff to allocate personnel efforts to funding sources.
• Review account activity for policy compliance; review POs and salary allocations.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Data analysis

Spreadsheets

Word processing

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting

Tools

Workday

Job description

Research Financial Administrator - Finance

The Wistar Institute, 3601 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America

Job Description

Posted Monday, August 31, 2026 at 4:00 AM

The Wistar Institute has an opening for a remote Research Financial Administrator (RFA) to join our Finance department. The RFA will provide grant-related administrative and financial support to Scientific Staff at the institute. This position will also provide support to the Research Administration staff through preparation and submission of financial reports and invoices to sponsoring agencies.

Responsibilities:

• Provide high level of financial support to Scientific Staff.
• Responsible for pre- and post-award financial administration of grants, this will include:
• Prepare financial aspects of federal and non-federal proposals.
• Act as liaison between funding agencies and scientific staff.
• Administer awards in compliance with agency and institutional policies.
• Fiscal management of grant budgets.
• Prepare invoices and reports of expenditures for sponsoring agencies.
• Prepare financial analyses of funding support for Scientific Staff to determine annual budget and projections for future balances.
• Consult with Scientific Staff to ensure that personnel efforts are allocated to the appropriate funding sources.
• Review account activity to ensure compliance with both Institute and funding agency policies including the review of purchase orders, salary allocations and fringe benefit charges, and travel authorizations/expense vouchers.
• Prepare and process journal entries for cost transfers between awards for account reconciliation and close-out as needed.
• Prepare financial reports (including final reports) to reconcile expenditures in alignment with funding agencies and Institute policies.
• Update and maintain financial system database with grant and award information.
• Update and maintain labor accounting database.
• Complete additional tasks or projects when needed.

A bachelor’s degree (or equivalent combination of education and experience) in accounting is required. The ideal candidate(s) will have a minimum of two years of experience in financial administration of federal grants or grant-related accounting. Professional experience working with Workday is desirable. Successful candidates will have extensive familiarity with spreadsheets and word processing computer software programs. Strong verbal and written communication skills are required. Analytical skills/data analysis on larger data sets is a plus.

Remote Work & Location Requirement

This is a fully remote position; however candidates must reside in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, or Delaware. Successful candidate may need to attend meetings or otherwise be present in our Philadelphia office when necessary.

In compliance with the New Jersey Pay and Benefit Transparency Act, this posting includes the salary range and a general description of benefits applicable to this role.

Salary Range: $62,284 - $77,858

The Wistar Institute provides a comprehensive benefits package tailored to eligible employees based on their designated titles. This package includes Medical, Dental, and Vision health coverage. Wistar offers paid vacation, sick time, and observed holidays. Additional benefits include our retirement program with a defined contribution (403(b), long term and short-term disability coverage as well as tuition benefits.

The Wistar Institute is a world leader in early-stage discovery science in the areas of cancer, immunology, and infectious disease. Wistar is committed to accelerating research advances from bench to bedside through brilliant science and distinctive approaches to collaboration among scientific investigators and academic and industry partners. Wistar’s dynamic environment supports the advancement of discoveries that will change the future of human health.

The Wistar Institute is located in the University City area of Philadelphia, in the heart of the University of Pennsylvania Campus. Wistar provides resources to its faculty and staff that enable them to conduct cutting edge collaborative research and provides for outstanding intellectual environments and state-of-the-art facilities.

We offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits package.

For more information about The Wistar Institute visit our website at www.wistar.org .

It is the policy of the Institute to provide equal employment opportunities to all individuals regardless of race, citizenship, ethnicity, color, creed, religion, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, veteran status, mental or physical disability (including HIV and AIDS), pregnancy, caregiver status, domestic or sexual violence victim status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or on the basis of genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law, with respect to all terms and conditions of employment.

The Wistar Institute, 3601 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America