Research Financial Analyst

University of California - San Francisco; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of California - San Francisco is seeking a Research Financial Analyst to apply advanced contract and grant concepts. This role involves managing high-volume transactions and ensuring compliance with institutional policies.

The ideal candidate should possess a Bachelor's degree and at least 3 years of relevant experience, along with strong financial analysis and organizational skills.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of related experience.
• Ability to manage a significant volume of transactions.
• Maintains current knowledge of compliance regulations.

Responsibilities

• Provide post-award financial administration and management.
• Review portfolio status and provide guidance on research administration.
• Participate in training for professional research administration concepts.

Skills

Financial analysis

Research administration guidelines

Spreadsheet and database software

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a related area

Job description

Job Summary

The Research Financial Analyst applies advanced contract and grant concepts to manage high-volume, high-complexity transactions. Responsible for complex analysis and coordination of the financial aspects of contracts, grants, gifts, endowment funds, and other discretionary funds for Principal Investigators (PIs), their laboratories, and the divisions. The role includes interfacing with the Departmental Finance Office, UCSF Office of Research, UCSF Controller's Office, Supply Chain Management, UCSF Development Office, UCSF Human Resources Office, and extramural and intramural sponsors.

Review financial and administrative management requirements for research contracts, grant proposals, budgets, awards, and transactions to ensure compliance with institutional and sponsor policies. Coordinate between multiple sites, institutions, and investigators, navigating complex funding agency guidelines. Execute a wide range of independent responsibilities, including post‑award support, general fund management, and prioritizing all aspects of the workflow.

Department Overview

The Department of Pediatrics is one of the largest and most complex departments in the School of Medicine. The department is comprised of 20 divisions and employs over 500 faculty, 100 fellows, 91 residents, 31 postdoctoral fellows, non‑faculty academics, and 170 staff. Annual clinical income from inpatient and outpatient activities totals over $100 million, and annual extramural funding (contracts and grants) exceeds $40 million. The department ranks 12th in the nation among pediatric departments for funding from the National Institutes of Health.

The Department’s clinical enterprise is based at the 183‑bed UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco, the 191‑bed UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, Mount Zion, Zuckerberg San Francisco General, and at a number of outreach clinics throughout Northern California, providing an unrivaled opportunity to meet the needs of infants, children, and young adults throughout the Bay Area. In 2019, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals ranked in all 10 children’s specialties in U.S. News and World Report.

Duties & Essential Job Functions

Essentials are categorized by the percentage of time devoted to each function.

• 70% – Provide post‑award financial administration and management of contracts, grants, gifts, endowments, and privately funded projects for faculty research programs in accordance with organization policy and agency requirements. Manage complex financial aspects of contracts, grants, clinical trials, and discretionary funds for PIs and their laboratories. Interface with departmental divisions, finance, and various UCSF offices. Ensure rigorous management of awards/funds, following sponsor, UC, and departmental requirements and efficient budgeting and spending practices that minimize audit risk.
• 10% – Meet monthly (at least quarterly) to review portfolio status, planning, and provide guidance on complex research administration matters, including compliance regulations, to principal investigators and department administrators.
• 5% – Participate in training and educational sessions designed to increase knowledge of professional research administration concepts, practices, and funding agency processes and policies.
• 5% – Assist PIs and collaborate with the pre‑award team to prepare complex proposal budgets and support documents required by proposal guidelines.
• 5% – Assist in audit support as directed by senior staff and performance division financial support through updating funding distribution and journal processing.
• 5% – Independently gather information to perform financial analysis and other ad hoc assignments as needed.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related area or equivalent experience/training.
• Minimum 3+ years of related experience.
• Thorough understanding of research administration guidelines of federal and non‑federal sponsors supporting research and educational activities, preferably in a university environment.
• Ability to manage a significant volume of transactions.
• Ability to perform complex financial analysis and customized reporting.
• Demonstrated competence in the use of spreadsheet and database software for financial analysis, fiscal management, and financial reports.
• Ability to maintain independent judgment; strong organization and communication skills; and a customer service focus across broad and diverse subject areas.
• Maintains current knowledge of compliance regulations in all areas of research administration.
• Demonstrated knowledge of effective grant funding processes, procedures, and techniques.
• Strong writing skills in a variety of styles to draft persuasive text for a variety of audiences while ensuring adherence to funding sponsors’ guidelines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Thorough knowledge of applicable compliance requirements related to the use of human or animal subjects in research, financial conflict of interest, biosafety, etc.
• Demonstrated knowledge of generally accepted accounting, fiscal, and reporting principles.
• Experience with clinical trials research administration.
• Experience with UCSF post‑award management, compliance, and cost transfers.