Research Operations Specialist - Office of Entrepreneurship

Penn State University; University Park (TX); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Penn State University’s Office of Entrepreneurship seeks an organized Research Operations Specialist to support the Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub with financial tracking, budgeting, and project coordination.

Reporting to Administration, the role covers procurement, grants, reporting, and event logistics, requiring advanced Excel, strong collaboration, and careful handling of sensitive information in a dynamic university setting.

Qualifications

• Advanced Microsoft Excel with formulas, PivotTables, charts, data analysis, and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Develop and analyze financial and operational tracking tools for forecasting and reporting.

Skills

Excel proficiency

Budgeting

Analytics

Project management

Attention to detail

Multitasking

Independent worker

Communication

Confidentiality

Adaptability

Tools

Workfront

Workday

SIMBA/SAP

Power BI

SharePoint

Teams

Job description

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.

POSITION SPECIFICS

The Office of Entrepreneurship, within Penn State’s Office of the Senior Vice President for Research, seeks a highly organized, analytical, and collaborative Research Operations Specialist to provide operational, financial, project management, and administrative support for the Office of Entrepreneurship and the Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub.

This position will be filled at the Research Operations Specialist - Advanced Professional OR Senior Professional level.

Reporting to the Director of Administration, this position serves as a key operational partner supporting the day-to-day and long-range needs of a complex, multidisciplinary organization. The successful candidate will combine strong financial, analytical, organizational, project management, communication, and problem-solving skills to support operations, financial management, projects, events, administrative processes, and the effective operation of the Innovation Hub.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and analyze financial and operational tracking tools to support forecasting, resource planning, reporting, and leadership decision-making.
• Monitor budgets, expenditures, commitments, grants, and funding activity across multiple programs and projects.
• Assist with budget development, forecasting, financial reporting, account monitoring, reconciliations, and other fiscal activities.
• Utilize advanced Excel skills to analyze data, maintain complex spreadsheets, prepare reports, identify trends or discrepancies, and provide actionable information to leadership.
• Support procurement and financial transactions, including purchase orders, invoices, travel, reimbursements, labor distributions, contracts, speaker agreements, vendor registrations, and other expenditures.
• Maintain accurate financial and operational documentation and support audit, compliance, grant, and reporting requirements.
• Partner with the Director of Administration to coordinate operational priorities and special projects.
• Support daily operations of the Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub, including building activities, space coordination, visitors, meetings, programs, operational requests, and special initiatives.
• Manage projects, workflows, assignments, dashboards, reports, deadlines, and operational requests within the assigned project management system.
• Monitor project milestones and deliverables, communicate deadlines, follow up on assignments, and identify or elevate potential delays or operational concerns.
• Coordinate operational and logistical needs for meetings, workshops, conferences, entrepreneurship and research programs, donor and stakeholder events, and related activities.
• Manage event logistics, including space, schedules, vendors, procurement, materials, technology, building access, staffing, and onsite operations.
• Provide administrative support through meeting coordination, scheduling, correspondence, documentation, records management, and preparation of reports and materials.
• Develop, document, and maintain standard operating procedures; identify and implement process improvements.
• Maintain databases, calendars, records, tracking systems, and other tools supporting organizational priorities.
• Support research and program administration activities, including grant and sponsored program tracking, financial monitoring, documentation, deadlines, and reporting.
• Collaborate with Finance, Research Administration, Procurement, Facilities, Human Resources, and other University offices to address operational needs.
• Provide guidance on University processes and procedures to employees, students, and stakeholders.
• Assist with onboarding, student employment, and workforce-related activities.
• Coordinate the work of student employees, interns, temporary staff, or other support personnel, as needed.
• Perform additional operational, administrative, and special project duties in support of evolving organizational needs.

Required Skills And Experience

• Advanced Microsoft Excel proficiency, including formulas, functions, PivotTables, charts, data analysis, reporting, and management of complex spreadsheets.
• Experience working with budgets, financial information, operational data, and business processes.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and project management skills, with exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and take ownership of assignments through completion.
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, and stakeholder relationship-building skills.
• Ability to manage confidential and sensitive information appropriately.
• Demonstrated initiative, adaptability, and willingness to support multiple functional areas in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Skills And Experience

• Financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, account monitoring, or financial administration.
• Advanced Excel reporting, data analysis, and development of financial or operational tracking tools.
• Workfront or other enterprise project and workflow management systems.
• Workday, SIMBA/SAP, Power BI, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, or similar enterprise systems.
• Research administration, sponsored programs, grant administration, or post-award financial support.
• Procurement, purchasing, travel, reimbursement, or contract administration.
• Event planning and operational logistics.
• Facilities, building, or space operations.
• Process improvement and standard operating procedure development.
• Higher education, research, entrepreneurship, innovation, or other complex organizational environments.

Work Arrangement

This position is based at the Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub in downtown State College, Pennsylvania, and is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement consistent with University policies and operational needs.

Because the role provides direct operational support