Research Center Coordinator

This position reports to Dr. Zhen Yan, Director for the Center for Exercise Medicine at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. The coordinator maintains a working knowledge of stakeholders, collaborators, and research objectives to support the center’s operations.

Responsibilities

• Schedule and organize meetings, prepare regulatory submissions for internal and commercial IRBs and federal agencies.
• Assist in purchasing and reimbursement requests.
• Generate travel and meeting itineraries for team members and guests.
• Manage calendar and meeting requests, including coordination with senior Virginia Tech personnel (Deans and VPs).
• Coordinate logistics for scheduled meetings, requiring high confidentiality, flexibility, and collaboration across a matrixed organization.
• Book domestic and international travel arrangements for team members.
• Maintain supply inventories and process financial reimbursements.
• Screen and manage correspondence, inquiries, and reports by routing to relevant staff members accurately and timely.
• Maintain working relationships with departments throughout the Institute and main campus, including Admin, Human Resources, Finance, and Facilities.
• Perform other administrative duties as assigned.
• Proficiently use EndNote to maintain the PI’s reference database.

Requirements

• Experience providing administrative support to senior administrators/executives with calendaring, complex scheduling, and meeting support.
• Excellent communication skills with precision in written and oral communications.
• Experience working in a demanding, fast-paced environment.
• High level of organization and time management skills to handle time-sensitive and competing priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills, with the ability to interact respectfully with all individuals.
• Proven ability to cultivate positive working relationships, build and maintain a team-based approach, and gain trust and respect across all levels of internal and external constituencies.
• Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive and confidential matters with professionalism, discretion, judgment, diplomacy, and tact.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience with standard business office equipment and commonly used software (e.g., Microsoft Office, Outlook, search engines, schedulers).
• Demonstrated program or project management skills and/or experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior work experience in a professional research environment.
• Familiarity with policies and procedures related to financial administration (e.g., travel processes, purchasing, reimbursements).
• Familiarity with budget justifications, data storage, public access submissions, and other documents related to federal and private grants.
• Ability to generate and/or incorporate multi-faceted computer-based reports and materials.
• Bachelor’s degree or specialized training and/or significant experience equivalent to a degree.

Benefits

• Eligible for overtime (non-exempt status).
• 40 hours per week.
• Opportunities for professional development and participation in university shared governance.

Lab website: Center for Exercise Medicine.