Researcher Affairs Specialist: Academic Appointments & Compliance

Harvard University; Massachusetts; Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous paid time off

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Tuition assistance and reimbursement

Commuter benefits

Job summary

Harvard University is seeking a Researcher Affairs Specialist to administer a portfolio of researcher appointments from hiring through payroll, ensuring compliance with university policies and immigration regulations. The role partners with multiple offices to facilitate onboarding and appointment completion while supporting a diverse research community.

Ideal candidates will have strong organizational skills, customer-service orientation, and experience handling confidential personnel

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent; three years of administrative experience in academic, research, or higher education setting.
• Experience administering academic or research appointments.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to prioritize competing demands and manage multiple time-sensitive priorities.
• Demonstrated discretion with confidential personnel information.

Responsibilities

• Administer researcher appointments and lifecycle actions (hiring, onboarding, changes, visa coordination, payroll-related transactions).
• Process and maintain researcher records in accordance with FAS policies.
• Coordinate visa screening, I-9 processing, and onboarding with university offices.
• Assist departments with researcher transactions and policy interpretation.
• Provide responsive stakeholder support and issue resolution across offices.

Skills

Administrative experience

Customer service

Analytical thinking

Strong communication

Prioritization

Discretion

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

HRIS / HR systems

Document management systems

Job description

Harvard University is seeking a Researcher Affairs Specialist to administer a portfolio of researcher appointments from hiring through payroll, ensuring compliance with university policies and immigration regulations. The role partners with multiple offices to facilitate onboarding and appointment completion while supporting a diverse research community.

Ideal candidates will have strong organizational skills, customer-service orientation, and experience handling confidential personnel