Researcher Affairs Specialist: Onboarding, Compliance & Visas

Harvard University; Cambridge (MA); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Health insurance

Retirement plans

Wellbeing resources

Tuition assistance

Commuter benefits

Job summary

Harvard University is seeking a Researcher Affairs Specialist to administer a portfolio of researcher appointments throughout the employee lifecycle. The role supports faculty, departments, and research centers in onboarding, visa coordination, payroll processing, and compliance with university policies and federal regulations.

The successful candidate will partner with university offices to ensure accurate, timely actions and adherence to contracts, CBAs, immigration rules, and reporting

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent required.
• Three (3) years of administrative experience in an academic/research setting.
• Experience administering research appointments or lifecycle management.

Responsibilities

• Process researcher appointment actions, including onboarding, changes, and compliance.
• Coordinate visa initiation and employment eligibility requirements.
• Monitor payroll transactions and funding implications for researchers.
• Respond to department inquiries and provide guidance on appointment types and policies.
• Triages issues and escalates high-risk matters to the Researcher Affairs Manager.
• Collaborate with HR and university offices to ensure timely onboarding and appointment completion.

Skills

Academic appointments admin

Research lifecycle management

HR systems (enterprise)

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Discretion/confidentiality

Customer service orientation

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office suite

HRIS systems

Database management

Document management systems

Job description

Harvard University is seeking a Researcher Affairs Specialist to administer a portfolio of researcher appointments throughout the employee lifecycle. The role supports faculty, departments, and research centers in onboarding, visa coordination, payroll processing, and compliance with university policies and federal regulations.

The successful candidate will partner with university offices to ensure accurate, timely actions and adherence to contracts, CBAs, immigration rules, and reporting