Specialist, Grants & Contracts (CELS)

University of California; Kingston (RI); Hybrid; USD 50,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Rhode Island, located in Kingston, RI, invites applications for a Specialist, Grants & Contracts (CELS). This full-time position offers a pay range of $50,000–$55,000 and a 1.00 FTE with potential renewal through 06/26/2027.

Remote/hybrid work is eligible immediately, with duties in post-award grant administration. Responsibilities include budgeting, reporting, and compliance support for federal/state/private grants and contracts, coordination with PIs and external partners,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Minimum of two years of experience in a complex setting (academia/finance/research).
• Demonstrated grant administration (pre- and post- award) experience.
• Ability to interpret policies and communicate interpretations clearly.
• Understanding of budgetary principles.
• Computer experience with enterprise software.
• Strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency in written communication.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Ability to balance multiple priorities.
• Ability to work with diverse groups/populations.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate research support operations with Deans, Directors, and Business Managers.
• Provide post-award support for grant and contract proposals and funding.
• Interpret sponsor guidelines and advise on budgetary issues.
• Monitor compliance with federal, university, and sponsor requirements.
• Prepare and monitor budgets and related project components.
• Coordinate with PI and external partners on post-award docs and invoicing.
• Manage multiple externally funded awards to ensure compliance.
• Stay informed on federal rules and sponsor terms and conditions.
• Support monitoring of awarded funds with Business Managers and PIs.
• Advise on all applicable guidelines pre/post award.
• Liaise between departments, researchers, and Sponsored Projects.
• Assist in preparing financial and progress reports; maintain financial records.

Skills

Grant administration experience

Budgeting skills

Interpersonal and verbal communication

Organizational skills

Excel proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

InfoEd

PeopleSoft

Excel

Job description

80 Lower College Road, Kingston, RI 02881

Position Information

Posting Number SF02193

Job Title Specialist, Grants & Contracts (CELS)

Position Number 109547

FTE 1.00

FLSA Exempt

Position Type Professional Staff

Union PSA/NEA - Professional Staff Assoc

Pay Grade Range Anticipated Hiring Salary Range: $50,000 - $55,000

The position is full-time calendar year, limited to 06/26/2027 with anticipated renewal.

Job Description Summary

The University of Rhode Island enrolls approximately 17,000 students across its graduate and undergraduate programs and is the State’s flagship public research university, as well as the land grant and sea grant university, for the state of Rhode Island. The main campus is located in the historic village of Kingston, and the Bay Campus is located in Narragansett. Both campuses are near major beaches in a beautiful coastal community. URI is just 30 minutes from Providence, RI and within easy reach of Newport, Boston, and New York City.

THIS POSITION IS IMMEDIATELY ELIGIBLE FOR A REMOTE / HYBRID WORK SCHEDULE.

BASIC FUNCTION : Work with the Associate Deans, Director, Research Faculty/Administrators, and Business Managers to coordinate research support operations and activities. Provide data for use by the Deans, Director, and the Research Committee.

Duties and Responsibilities

Provide administrative support to college faculty, staff, and departmental administrators in the execution of federal, state, and privately funded grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements.

Provide professional support for post-award activities relating to grant and contract proposals and funding, including compliance monitoring, payment processing, financial and project reporting, salary allocations, and cost share commitments.

Provide budgetary guidance to researchers related to award execution by interpreting sponsor and university announcements and guidelines.

Perform work with moderate guidance and utilize knowledge of university and business drivers.

Prepare and monitor budgets and related administrative project components according to the guidelines established by the applicable sponsoring entity, and institutional policies and procedures, contacting program officials directly where any budgetary questions might arise.

Coordinate with PI and external organizations and institutions on post award documentation requests, such as subcontract requisitions and payment invoices.

Proactively manage multiple externally funded grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements to ensure compliance with university, sponsor, and federal policies, procedures, and regulations.

Continuously develop and maintain a strong working knowledge of the federal rules and regulations that govern research grants and contracts and stay informed on sponsor terms and conditions for submitting and administering grant awards.

Work with Business Managers and Principal Investigators to provide support related services for the monitoring of awarded funds.

Advise and ensure adherence to all federal and university guidelines, policies and procedures, pre/post award.

Liaise between department staff, affiliated research faculty and Sponsored Projects supporting them in a variety of activities related to the implementation of their project both pre- and post-award.

Monitor the establishment of new awards and sub-projects, with correct budgets and documentation.

Assist in the preparation of financial and progress reports (annual and/or final) as assigned.

Prepare and maintain Excel spreadsheets for financial reporting and analysis, when necessary.

Perform other duties as required.

LICENSES , TOOLS , AND EQUIPMENT : Personal computers, printers; word processing, database management, and spreadsheet software; InfoEd and other grant preparation software; Enterprise Resource Planning software (i.e., PeopleSoft).

Required Qualifications

1. Bachelor’s degree.

2. Minimum of two years of academic, finance, research, business, or public administration experience in a complex setting.

3. Demonstrated experience with grant administration (pre- and post- award).

4. Demonstrated ability to interpret institutional policies, plans, objectives, rules, and regulations and communicate the interpretation to others.

5. Demonstrated understanding of budgetary principles.

6. Demonstrated computer experience (including enterprise software).

7. Demonstrated strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills.

8. Demonstrated proficiency in written communication skills.

9. Demonstrated organizational skills.

10. Demonstrated ability to work with minimal supervision.

11. Demonstrated ability to balance multiple priorities.

12. Demonstrated ability to work with diverse groups/populations.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Demonstrated experience in a complex, research setting.

2. Demonstrated experience in a higher education setting.

3. Demonstrated experience using both InfoEd and PeopleSoft software.

4. Demonstrated knowledge of NIH , NSF , and USDA program guidelines.

EEO Statement

URI is unwavering in its commitment to equal opportunity, community, equity, and diversity. In furtherance of its mission to serve and support all learners as the state’s public flagship university, URI continues to expand efforts to recruit and retain a broadly representative workforce as well as to regularly evaluate the effectiveness of those efforts. All employment decisions, including hiring, are made without regard to protected status. Qualified individuals with disabilities may request reasonable accommodation by contacting the URI benefits office at 401-874-2416. For TTY assistance, contact R.I. Relay Services at 711.

Environmental Conditions

The incumbent is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions.

Posting Date

Posting Date 08/19/2026

Closing Date

Closing Date 09/01/2026