CLASSIFICATION TITLE:

Research Administrator I

JOB DESCRIPTION:

This University of Florida Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering (HWCOE) position is assigned to the Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering (MAE) reporting directly to the Associate Director of Administrative Services (AD). Primarily this position assists a sub-set of MAE faculty with post-award fiscal administration, management and reporting, and Research compliance. This position will also serve as a back-up as needed for pre-award administration. This position will require a comprehensive understanding of the current Uniform Guidance to be a successful research administrator.  The successful candidate must be able to work both independently and within a team construct.

Post-Award Fiscal Administration

This position is responsible for working with the Associate Director(AD), Post Award Lead and Research Administrator II on the financial management of sponsored research awards for an assigned sub-set of MAE faculty.  This includes review and approval of all financial transactions direct charged to sponsored awards to ensure compliance with cost principles as defined in the Uniform Guidance and individual award agreements.  Financial transactions may include but are not limited to payroll, consumable laboratory supplies, equipment, travel, animal care costs, and participant support costs.  Transactions for review and approval present by PCard, travel and expense, procurement requisition, invoice, and/or expense to reimbursement (E2R).  In the event charges are incorrectly assigned to sponsored awards, this position is expected to coordinate cost transfers via expense-to-expense (E2E), electronic letter of appointment (LOA), payroll retro, prior term tuition, and/or journal entry corrections with MAE HR and Fiscal Staff.

This position will assist the AD with proactive and concurrent post-award management.  This requires routine, careful, and detailed fiscal analysis in order to forecast each award’s financial trajectory for their faculty members.  The successful candidate should review their financial analysis and projections with their faculty members on a consistent (monthly, but no more than bimonthly) basis to ensure accuracy and budget adherence.

On a monthly basis, this position is responsible for reviewing and compiling ledgers and supporting documents for the sponsored awards to ensure compliance and congruence with the University’s fiscal responsibility requirements.

At the culmination of each sponsored award, the successful candidate will assist with and facilitate closeout procedures.  This task often includes making certain all expenditures are appropriate, open encumbrances are closed, the award does not have a negative balance (will investigate and rectify if so), expected effort commitments have been met, and all cost sharing requirements have been satisfied. This position will also include reporting to sponsors and providing any necessary backup documentation needed to our Contracts & Grants team, and agencies monthly or as needed.

Research Compliance

The employee must develop an understanding of the OMB Uniform Administrative Requirement, Cost Principles, and Audits Requirements for Federal Awards (2CFR 200) to effectively manage sponsored awards and stay abreast with the mandatory training requirements to meet College and University policies.  In addition, the successful candidate must become familiar with a variety of other aspects of sponsored research such as – CAS (Cost Accounting Standards), OMB (federal circulars that dictate operational administration of and fiscal requirements on federal awards, IRB (human subjects in research), IACUC (animal subjects in research), COI (employee conflict of interest) EC (Federal export control on technology) and EHS (environmental health and safety with regard to toxic and controlled substances). 

Post-Award Management and Reporting

This position will assist an assigned subset of the MAE faculty with the post award management and reporting of their sponsored award(s).  This includes budget transfers, incremental funding releases, budget modification and adjustments, advance funding requests, supplemental funding requests, subcontract maintenance, no cost extensions, non-financial report submission, effort reporting, etc.

In order to complete this work, the employee will be required to work with DSP to input the necessary modification in Ufirst.  The employee will also need to communicate with grantors, in order to assist DSP in contract negotiation, periodic reporting requirements, and budget negotiations.  This information varies from sponsor to sponsor, but usually includes drafting new budgets, completing standard administrative subcontract documents, connecting sponsors with the correct offices at UF to complete the award process, etc.

With guidance from the AD and/or higher level Research Administrators within MAE, the employee may assist faculty in the interpretation of funding and sponsor policies, procedures, rules and regulations.  This will include the fiscal components of the OMB Uniform Guidance.

Pre-Award Administration

The employee will be a backup for award releases within UFirst, uploading all documentation into electronic submission systems; and updating information within UFirst modules.  The employee must be familiar with compliance related aspects of awards and University rules and policies that govern these awards.  University and Federal regulations go hand-in-hand so knowledge of both is extremely important.  Compliance is an aspect of Pre and Post proposal activities.