Unit Research Administrator

University of South Florida in; Saint Petersburg (FL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and life insurance

Retirement plan options

Employee tuition programs

Paid leave and holidays

Employee perks and discounts

Job summary

University of South Florida (USF) is seeking a Unit Research Administrator (Finance) to support College of Marine Science research operations. You will coordinate grants and contracts between principal investigators and USF Research & Innovation, prepare budget projections, and ensure compliance throughout proposal review and post-award processes.

Ideal candidates have a strong foundation in research administration with 5+ years preferred; a bachelor’s degree is required, with additional

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 1 year of professional administrative experience required; or a Master’s degree.
• Progressively responsible related experience may substitute for the required education on a year-for-year basis.
• Degree Equivalency Clause: Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree.

Responsibilities

• Supports research administration operations for the College of Marine Science and serves as liaison between PIs and USF Research & Innovation on grants and contracts.
• Prepares budget projections, develops materials for compliance analysis, and advises researchers on proposal reviews by USFRI.
• Reviews award budgets and expenditures for compliance with grant terms and unit guidelines; submits budget and activity reports for active grants.
• Acts as liaison with fiscal office on setting up new accounts; reviews expenditures; may prepare financial statements.
• Participates in preparing and delivering research training materials; generates effort reports (PERTs) quarterly.
• Responsible for setup of subcontracts and Purchase Orders; processing invoices for subawards.

Skills

Grant administration

Budget projections

Proposal submission

Compliance analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Tools

USF Research Portal

Budget tracking software

Job description

Unit Research Administrator (Finance)

The College of Marine Science (CMS) at the University of South Florida seeks to fill one Unit Research Administrator position. CMS is a comprehensive graduate research program whose excellent faculty and outstanding graduate students, at both the MS and PhD levels, interact together to solve complex scientific problems in all oceanographic environments. The College is a strong interdisciplinary group that transcends the traditional oceanographic fields using the latest technologies, much of which is developed within its own program. The primary mission of the College is to conduct basic and applied research in ocean science. The College has 29 full-time ranked faculty, with support from research associates and assistants, professional administrative staff, support staff and technical staff, approximately 100 Graduate Students, and approximately $15 million per year in research funding. Partners include: United States Geological Survey, NOAA, Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Institute of Oceanography, and other USF colleges and departments.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Unit Research Administrator supports the research operations for the College of Marine Science. This position serves as an expert in research administration and is the liaison between Principal Investigators and USF Research & Innovation (USFRI) on the development, review, and administration of grants and contracts. The Unit Research Administrator supports researchers in the College by preparing budget projections, developing and monitoring materials for compliance analysis, coordinating proposal submission, and advising researchers concerning USFRIs review of proposals. The position supports all research activities within the college.

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum : This position requires a Bachelor's degree and 1 year of professional administrative experience; or a Master's degree. Progressively responsible related experience may substitute for the required education on a year for year basis.

Degree Equivalency Clause: Four years of direct experience for a bachelor's degree.

• Senate Bill 1310- The Florida Senate (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1310) is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.
• SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements
• A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed:
• (a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree;
• (b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelor's degree;
• (c) Six years of direct experience for a master's degree;
• (d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or
• (e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree
• Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment.
• Minimum Qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310.

Preferred : At least 5 years of experience working with grant development and/or sponsored research administration in a university or research setting. Work experience with USF research administration is preferred.

Working at USF

With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF's rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida's best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state's 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.

About USF

The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF's Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.

Compliance and Federal Notices

This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

• Supports research administration operations for the College of Marine Science. Serves as the liaison between Principal Investigators and USF Research & Innovation on the development, review, administration, and compliance of grants and contracts for the College of Marine Science. Coordinates proposal submission and approval; monitors compliance concerns; and works with faculty regarding budget questions and resource commitments.
• Prepares budget projections, develops materials for compliance analysis, and advises researchers concerning the review of the proposals by Sponsored Research. Reviews award budget and expenditures (expenses, equipment, and salaries) for compliance with grant terms and unit guidelines. Submits budget and activity reports on active grants and keeps statistics on college research activities.
• Acts as liaison with fiscal office on setting up new accounts. May review expenditures on the grant on behalf of the college. May prepare financial statements.
• Participates in the preparation and delivery of research training materials to inform faculty and department staff of rules and roles in the College research enterprise.
• Generates PERTs (effort reports) on a quarterly basis
• Responsible for the set up of subcontracts on new or existing awards and set up of Purchase Orders (POs)
• Processing invoices for subawards
• Knowledge of USF's research portal and other application portals for varying federal, state and private awards
• Collaborate with USFRI for award set up, including GBRs and subaccount set ups
• Monitoring of account activities
• Performs other duties as assigned, including but not limited to costing, purchasing, travel, and review and reconciliation of other College accounts