Research Grants & Contracts Specialist

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Urbana (IL); Hybrid; USD 58,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work options

Job summary

The Siebel School of Computing and Data Science at the Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, seeks a Research Administration Specialist to support pre- and post-award functions for externally funded sponsored research.

The role involves developing proposals, managing budgets, ensuring compliance with sponsor and university guidelines, and coordinating with SPA to ensure timely submissions and accurate financial reporting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, accounting, finance, economics, or a related field.
• Two years of office work experience in a business, government, or higher education environment.

Responsibilities

• Support faculty on research proposal preparation and internal routing.
• Interpret sponsor guidelines and ensure compliance with university policy.
• Assist faculty with proposal budgets, budgets justifications, and related documents.
• Coordinate with Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) for submissions and reviews.
• Prepare financial reports and analyses to support sponsored research projects.
• Review proposals and budgets for accuracy and adherence to guidelines.
• Monitor proposal status and update databases; assist with grant/contract negotiations as needed.

Skills

Self-management

Prioritization

Communication

Budgeting

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

The Siebel School of Computing and Data Science at the Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, seeks a Research Administration Specialist to support pre- and post-award functions for externally funded sponsored research.

The role involves developing proposals, managing budgets, ensuring compliance with sponsor and university guidelines, and coordinating with SPA to ensure timely submissions and accurate financial reporting.