Assistant Director, Office of Research and Sponsored Projects

Founded in 1863, Saint Mary’s College of California is a residential institution in the Moraga Valley, 20 miles east of San Francisco, rooted in the Catholic, Lasallian, and Liberal Arts traditions. Enrolling more than 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students, the College integrates liberal and professional education within a mission shaped by the De La Salle Christian Brothers. Known for academic excellence, innovation, and responsiveness, Saint Mary’s fosters shared inquiry, meaningful student engagement, and a strong commitment to diversity, leadership, and service.

Why Join Saint Mary’s College?

At Saint Mary’s, your work has visible impact. As a close-knit residential college, employees work collaboratively across departments—your ideas, leadership, and contributions directly shape the student experience and the future direction of the institution. Colleagues partner across divisions, decisions are grounded in mission, and innovation is encouraged. If you are seeking a workplace where purpose, community, and professional growth intersect—and where your work truly matters—Saint Mary’s offers that opportunity.

About the Role

Reporting to the Director, Office of Research and Sponsored Projects (ORSP), the Assistant Director is responsible for activities that contribute to the growth of research funding and the research enterprise at Saint Mary’s College. Responsibilities fall into three areas: research development; research administration; and research compliance.

Responsibilities

Research Development

• Contribute to strategies and activities designed to increase the capacity of Saint Mary’s College and its faculty to compete effectively for research funding.
• Support Saint Mary’s investigators in developing and articulating their scholarly projects and identifying funding opportunities for those projects.
• Participate in the development and implementation of workshops and other training activities designed to support faculty in seeking extramural research funding.
• Collaborate with the director to support pre-tenured faculty in particular in seeking external research funding through activities that may include targeted email outreach; recurring meetings; and regular follow-up.
• Contribute to ORSP communications through channels such as:
  • Writing copy and developing graphics for websites;
  • Writing updated boilerplate to be used in sponsored grant proposals;
  • Creating and sharing out videos, slide decks, one-pagers, and other tutorials.
• Collaborate with the director and other campus partners to prepare annual reports and institutional eligibility applications.

Research Administration and Compliance

• Provide one-on-one services for single-investigator proposals, including:
  • Guide faculty in pre-proposal activities and the Intent to Apply process;
  • Support proposal planning to align with sponsor priorities;
  • Develop submission checklists and timelines;
  • Assist with the development of budgets and supplemental materials;
  • Guide investigators in working within electronic grant submission portals;
  • Ensure all proposal documents conform to agency specifications;
  • Coordinate institutional approvals and support the timely submission of the application by Saint Mary’s Authorized Organizational Representative;
  • Provide support through the award negotiation phase and transition to post-award.
• Engage in general research administration activities, including:
  • Serve on the proposal development team for large institutional grant applications;
  • Maintain records in ORSP systems and databases;
  • Maintain profiles in agency portals and electronic research administration systems;
  • Contribute to the development of ORSP policies and procedures.
• Serve as a post-award research administrator, including:
  • At the award transition stage, prepare a post-award budget for use by the grant project director in tracking their own post-award expenses;
  • Meet regularly with the investigator/project director regarding award management, including:
    1. Provide training in allowable and unallowable costs and budget management;
    2. Support planning for sabbaticals, no-cost extensions, or other transitions of funded personnel;
    3. Ensure submission of timely and accurate project reports to the sponsor;
    4. Other activities related to award administration.
  • Coordinate with Saint Mary’s Authorized Organizational Representative to ensure submission of no-cost extension requests or other required sponsor notifications;
  • Coordinate with Academic Affairs and Business Office staff to support time and effort tracking and reporting.
• Monitor and implement Saint Mary’s investigators’ ongoing compliance with sponsor research regulations, including:
  • Monitor investigators’ submissions of forms and disclosures related to sponsor regulations;
  • Contribute to the development of policies and procedures in response to sponsor requirements;
  • Provide proactive training and support for Saint Mary’s investigators related to compliance with research regulations.
• Provide logistical and administrative support for Saint Mary’s Institutional Review Board, which reviews methods proposed for research involving human participants to ensure that research is conducted in an ethical manner.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in Research Administration, Public Administration, Business Administration, Higher Education Administration, Communications, English, Science, or a closely related field required.
• Experience: Minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in sponsored research administration, grant proposal development, research development, research compliance, or a closely related field required. Experience in research development, research compliance, and/or higher education administration preferred.

Skills

• An interest in fostering the development of a research environment and culture at a teaching-intensive university.
• Training and presentation skills to provide outreach and workshops for faculty.
• Excellent communication skills, including writing and editing.
• Knowledge of grant budgeting principles and the ability to develop, review, and manage proposal budgets.
• Ability to learn, navigate, and effectively utilize a wide variety of sponsor electronic research administration and proposal submission systems.
• Proficient in Microsoft and/or Google suite: Excel/Sheets; Word/Docs; PowerPoint/Slides; other productivity software.
• Demonstrated attention to detail and ability to manage multiple complex projects while meeting competing deadlines.
• Ability to work independently while also collaborating effectively within multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated initiative, innovation, and creativity in developing programs, resources, and services that advance the College's research enterprise.
• Demonstrated ability to establish productive working relationships with faculty, administrators, staff, funding agencies, and external partners while providing responsive, customer-focused service.
• Ability to interpret and apply sponsor guidelines, federal regulations, institutional policies, and research compliance requirements while exercising sound professional judgment.

Pay

The anticipated hiring salary for this position is $80,000 annually.

Benefits

• Health Insurance: The College offers a range of medical plan options including PPO, HMO, and High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP).
• Eligible Dependents: Coverage may include a legally married spouse, a state-registered domestic partner, and qualifying children up to age 26.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA): Includes Health Care FSA for eligible medical, dental, and vision expenses, and Dependent Care FSA for eligible childcare or dependent care expenses.
• Life Insurance: Employer-paid basic life insurance coverage, with additional voluntary options for employee and dependent life insurance, and AD&D coverage.
• Dental & Vision Insurance: Eligible employees may enroll in dental and vision coverage, which can be elected independently of medical coverage.
• Disability Benefits: Includes Short-Term Disability (STD) and Long-Term Disability (LTD) coverage.
• Retirement Benefits: Defined contribution retirement plan with employer contributions, and voluntary employee pre-tax and/or Roth contributions.
• Additional Benefits & Campus Resources:
  • Tuition Assistance Programs
  • Access to campus fitness and wellness programs
  • Access to the College library and the Hearst Art Gallery
  • Discounts at the campus bookstore and dining services
  • Access to cultural events and campus activities
  • Community partnerships and local discounts in the Lamorinda area