Faculty Support Administrator (4263C), Department of Chemistry - #89649

About the role

The Faculty Support Administrator manages and performs administrative services in support of research groups and the administrative functions of the Department of Chemistry. This position handles activities in finance and human resources, and may also include IT, facilities, organizing travel, pre-award work, working with research administrators, or student services. The role provides general management including long and short range strategic planning and directing all activities of multi-disciplinary research programs through subordinate management staff.

UC Berkeley is the number one public university in the US for 2026, with the Department of Chemistry rated the best chemistry program in the world in 2023. Since 1946, UC Berkeley has won 19 Nobel Prizes in Chemistry, most recently in 2025.

First review date: November 5, 2026. For full consideration, apply on or before this date.

Responsibilities

• Personnel Management (25%)
  • Submit hiring paperwork and appointment documentation for all group members (grad students, postdocs, visitors, undergrads, and other scientists)
  • Track group member appointments to ensure on-time reappointment and smooth exits
  • Facilitate the group's application and interview process for orienting and hiring graduate student researchers, postdoctoral scientists, and visiting scientists
  • Arrange domestic and foreign travel itineraries and submit reimbursement requests
  • Coordinate visa and work permit applications for foreign researchers; ensure proper documentation for foreign visitors/researchers on visa matters
  • Administer all activities concerning postdoctoral assistants, graduate research students, visiting professors/scholars, and undergraduate researchers
• Financial/Grant Management (15%)
  • Formulate annual operating budgets, proposal budgets, expenditure projections, analysis of financial data, and forecasting
  • Prepare long-range projections including allocations, income, and expenditures for operations
  • Integrate UCB and LBNL reports to create current and accurate financial data ensuring fiscal integrity
  • Utilize reports to anticipate and resolve operational, fiscal, or other discrepancies
  • Advise research groups on optimal fund usage and expenditure policy restrictions
  • Develop research group fiscal operating policies and procedures
  • Implement and maintain policy and procedural updates
  • On behalf of the PI or Department, coordinate, project, and review spending on all accounts
  • Track expenses, including purchases and payroll records
  • Review and reconcile monthly financial reports for UCB, LBNL, and outside agencies
  • Work with Research Administrators (RA) on reallocation of funds as necessary
  • Keep UCB and LBNL payroll offices informed regarding research personnel payroll status
  • Keep abreast of changes to University policies, procedures, and funding agency procedures and deadlines
  • Prepare all necessary forms to ensure gift checks are credited to the appropriate donor accounts
  • Establish and maintain spreadsheet programs for tracking expenditure transactions
• Material and Equipment Management (15%)
  • Facilitate procurement of highly specialized and fabricated equipment
  • Arrange purchases, repair, and maintenance of equipment
  • Coordinate with University, College, and LBNL equipment managers to conduct annual equipment inventory for research groups
  • Provide internal documentation for removal or addition of equipment
  • Maintain records on all purchases; track purchase orders, shop charges, and maintenance work on equipment and facilities
  • Obtain and renew maintenance contracts on all equipment
• Facilities Management (15%)
  • Serve as primary office contact and provide excellent customer service
  • Manage the business affairs of the office and develop operational procedures to ensure efficiency in the office and laboratories
  • Design and maintain databases, logs, and spreadsheets which facilitate efficient retrieval of information
• Reporting (10%)
  • Coordinate monthly budgetary analysis, expenditure reconciliation, and financial transfers and close-outs of contracts and grants with RA and LBNL financial officers
  • Design and implement reconciliation reports for internal reporting
  • Create and maintain a timeline for preparation of interim and final technical reports to funding agencies
  • Compile and prepare technical reports, research summaries, annual and final reports for submission to funding agencies to support continued renewal of grants
• Proposal Development & Fund Management (10%)
  • Facilitate pre-proposal preparation process for numerous sponsors
  • Assist PIs with developing proposals and fellows with obtaining fellowship letters and documents for fellowship