SAGEST Center Administrator

The Rector & Visitors of the University of Virginia; Charlottesville (VA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

The School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Virginia is seeking a Research Center Administrator to support the newly established PSAAP IV SAGEST center.

Reporting to the Center Director, this role coordinates daily operations, events, communications, and administrative systems to enable center leadership to focus on program growth and scientific impact. The position is based in Charlottesville, VA and requires on-site work.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's Degree or combination of education and related experience in lieu of a degree required.
• Experience: 3+ years of relevant administrative, operational, program coordination, or project support experience.
• U.S. Citizenship required for this position.

Responsibilities

• Manage the Director's administrative priorities, coordinate competing requests, track action items, and support strategic initiatives.
• Budget & financial administration: monitor project expenditures, assist with financial reporting and documentation.
• Project coordination: maintain project management systems, milestones, and deliverables; manage documentation and databases.
• Communications & outreach: assist with reports, presentations, and develop/maintain center communications and materials.

Education

Bachelor's Degree

MS or PhD degree

Job description

The School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Virginia is seeking qualified candidates for a Research Center Administrator position in a newly established PSAAP IV predictive simulation center-Center for Stochastic Simulations of Ablative Geometries with Error-Learning in Space and Time (SAGEST).

The Research Center Administrator provides administrative, logistical, and operational support to ensure the efficient functioning of the research center. Reporting to the Center Director, Dr. Xinfeng Gao, this position coordinates daily operations, supports events and outreach activities, maintains administrative systems, and assists with communications, enabling center leadership to focus on strategic priorities and program growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Operations & Logistics: Manage the Director's administrative priorities, coordinate competing requests, track action items, and support strategic initiatives. Schedule meetings, manage calendars and travel arrangements, and oversee day-to-day center operations. Serve as a primary point of contact for routine inquiries and coordination activities. Plan and coordinate program reviews, workshops, seminars, outreach events, and stakeholder engagements in collaboration with the UVA Events Office and external partners.
• Budget & Financial Administration: Monitor project expenditures and budget status in coordination with UVA research administration offices. Assist with financial reporting, subaward management, compliance requirements, and documentation to ensure accurate tracking of project resources and deadlines.
• Project Coordination & Administration: Maintain project management systems, monitor key milestones, deadlines, and deliverables, and facilitate coordination among collaborating institutions. Manage documentation, databases, shared drives, and tracking systems.
• Communications & Outreach: Assist with preparing reports, presentations, meeting materials, and correspondence. Coordinate and distribute internal and external communications and support the development and maintenance of the center's website, newsletters, social media content, annual reports, and other outreach materials.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's Degree or combination of education and related experience in lieu of a degree required.
• Experience: 3+ years of relevant experience required. (Relevant experience includes administrative, operational, program coordination, or project support experience)
• U.S. Citizenship required for this position

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in science or engineering, or a related field preferred.
• Recent MS or PhD graduates.
• Experience in a university or research environment preferred.
• Experience in data science.
• Experience supporting federally funded research programs.
• Experience coordinating events involving external stakeholders.
• Proficiency with AI/ML tools, Microsoft Office, and administrative systems.
• Familiarity with UVA Workday, data analytics tools, Concur, Excel, and collaborative project management tools.

The ideal candidate will possess strong organizational, communication, and multitasking skills, with a high level of attention to detail. They will have experience working across multiple organizations or institutions and be comfortable working in an interdisciplinary, collaborative academic environment. The ideal candidate will also demonstrate the ability to exercise discretion, sound judgment, and independent judgment in managing responsibilities and making decisions. They will also be able to manage multiple priorities independently.

Physical Demands

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

Salary Range:

$65,000 to $70,000, commensurate with education and experience.

Position Type & Work Location

• This is an exempt-level, benefited position. Learn more about UVA benefits.
• This is a restricted position, which is dependent on funding and is contingent upon funding availability.
• This position has a term limit of one year, after which continued employment will depend on department need and funding.
• This position is based in Charlottesville, VA, and must be performed fully on-site.

To learn more about UVA and in the Charlottesville area, visit UVA Life and Embark CVA.

The position will remain open until filled.

Additional Requirements

• Background checks will be conducted on all new hires prior to employment.
• This position will not consider candidates who require immigration sponsorship now or in the future.

Reference checks will be completed by UVA's third-party partner, SkillSurvey, during the final phase of the interview. Five references will be requested, with at least three responses required.

For questions about the application process, please contact Karon Harrington, [e-mail].

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA's commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.