Research Administrator II/III

About the Role

Manage a sponsored project portfolio and serve as a primary research administration contact for faculty, staff, and university partners in the CLAS Research Office. The office values thoughtful improvement, shared knowledge, professional development, and consistent service, and team members are encouraged to contribute ideas and help build practices that benefit both the office and the faculty it supports.

Responsibilities

• Reviewing sponsor requirements, funding opportunities, award terms, deadlines, and reporting obligations.
• Developing and reviewing budgets, justifications, projections, financial reports, and sponsored project documentation.
• Coordinating proposal submissions, subrecipient documentation, cost sharing, Just-in-Time requests, award setup, modifications, reporting, and closeout.
• Monitoring expenditures, payroll, balances, commitments, project timelines, and financial performance.
• Preparing or coordinating financial and administrative transactions and resolving outstanding portfolio issues.
• Advising faculty and staff on administrative, financial, and compliance requirements.
• Reviewing proposals, budgets, expenditures, award actions, and documentation for accuracy and compliance.
• Monitoring effort, cost sharing, salary limitations, participant support, subrecipients, foreign activities, and applicable research compliance requirements.
• Identifying risks, recommending corrective actions, escalating complex matters, and maintaining audit-ready documentation.
• Communicating regularly regarding proposal deadlines, award activity, financial status, compliance needs, and recommended actions.
• Coordinating with departments, centers, central offices, sponsors, and collaborating institutions.
• Supporting effective transitions between pre-award and post-award administration.
• Preparing portfolio, financial, workload, and operational reports as needed.
• Developing and improving procedures, tools, templates, training materials, and internal controls.
• Identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and service delivery.
• Participating in onboarding, training, knowledge sharing, special projects, committees, and workgroups.

Appointment Levels

Research Administrator II — Independently manages routine to moderately complex research administration activities with general supervision. Applies established policies and procedures, manages competing priorities, identifies administrative or financial concerns, recommends solutions, and escalates complex matters appropriately.

Research Administrator III — Works with a higher degree of independence and may manage complex, high-volume, high-risk, collaborative, or time-sensitive portfolios. Independently interprets complex sponsor and institutional requirements, resolves advanced administrative and financial issues, and provides strategic guidance to faculty and staff. May also lead or contribute to process improvement initiatives, assist with reviewing complex work, and serve as a technical resource, trainer, or mentor to other research administrators. This position does not have formal supervisory responsibility.

Minimum Requirements

• Research Administrator II — Bachelor's degree and two years of experience in grant and contract administration; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Research Administrator III — Bachelor's degree and three years of experience in grant and contract administration; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Qualifications

• Ability to identify administrative, financial, or compliance concerns and develop practical recommendations.
• Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, written communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to explain complex requirements clearly to individuals with varying levels of research administration experience.
• Demonstrated commitment to professionalism, integrity, collaboration, customer service, and continuous improvement.
• Experience working with faculty, department and center staff, central administrative offices, sponsors, and other institutional partners.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and experience with electronic research administration, financial, and sponsor systems.
• Experience with UFIRST, myUFL, PeopleSoft, myInvestiGator, Grants.gov, Research.gov, ASSIST, NSPIRES, or comparable systems.

Preferred Qualifications for Research Administrator III

• Significant experience independently managing complex or high-volume sponsored project portfolios.
• Experience supporting high-risk, collaborative, multi-institutional, or time-sensitive proposals or awards.
• Experience with complex requirements involving multi-project submissions, subawards, cost sharing, salary limitations, participant support costs, effort reporting, carryforward, international collaborations, or institutional commitments.
• Advanced budget development, financial analysis, forecasting, reconciliation, and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to independently interpret complex sponsor and institutional requirements and provide authoritative guidance.
• Experience developing procedures, improving processes, training or mentoring staff, reviewing complex work, or serving as a subject matter resource.

Pay & Benefits

• Research Administrator II — $61,000–$70,000
• Research Administrator III — $70,000–$80,000
• This is a TEAMS position eligible for a suite of excellent benefits, retirement options, and paid leave.