Research Security Specialist

Job Summary

The Compliance Specialist IV provides support and subject matter expertise for compliance activities across the Research Security Office. A successful candidate will ensure the university's compliance with applicable laws regulating research security (e.g., foreign business relationships, foreign travel, data security). They shall review university's business practices to ensure pertinent regulations are followed, identify areas of non-compliance, and create a plan to implement changes as needed. A successful candidate will maintain a deep knowledge of regulations and stay abreast of all regulatory changes relevant to the university.

About the Role

This role requires a specialized skill set, conducts highly complex work, unsupervised and with extensive latitude for independent judgment. Shall conduct scheduled and unscheduled audits and projects related to compliance, workflow, and other duties in order to ensure accurate and timely responses to government contractors and agencies. Oversees, coordinates, and conducts audits on documentation to ensure compliance with University, State and Federal guidelines.

Responsibilities

• Support the development and implementation of the educational programs and materials for university faculty, staff, and students related to our research security, foreign influence and export control programs in conjunction with the Office of Research Education (REd).
• Provide assistance with Restricted Party Screenings through Visual Compliance for reporting/disclosures made through the University's Business Relationship Reporting system (BRR).
• Actively engage in BRR process improvement meetings and efforts with Office of Research Information Systems (ORIS).
• Manage submission and resolution of self-identified issues with BRR and/or associated reports and disclosures within BRR with the reporting party and/or ORIS.
• Participate and advocate for foreign influence best practices, and current/future needs in meetings and efforts with ORIS to evaluate and select a future operating system for research at the institution.
• Engage in discussions, meetings, and efforts to explore opportunities for streamlining processes associated with restricted party screenings (RPS) and other foreign influence & export control considerations.
• Provide assistance with foreign influence consults received from the Office of Global Health (OGH) and the Office of Global Engagement (OGE).
• Assist with associated RPS through Visual Compliance.
• Engage in discussions, meetings, and efforts to explore opportunities for streamlining processes associated with restricted party screenings (RPS) and other foreign influence & export control considerations.
• Provide assistance with foreign influence consultations received from University of Utah and ARUP personnel.
• Assist with validation/rejection of potential alerts received from RPS performed by outside offices (i.e., Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP), Technology Licensing Office (TLO), Office of General Counsel (OGC), etc.).
• Provide assistance in assessing and addressing potential alerts received from Visual Compliance in association with dynamic screenings.
• Engage in discussions, meetings, and efforts to explore opportunities for streamlining processes associated with restricted party screenings (RPS) and other foreign influence & export control considerations.
• Provide assistance in educating and training Office of Research Security staff on known matters of foreign influence and current associated institutional processes.
• Assist in managing the research security email account and necessary responses.
• Assist with efforts for institutional reporting of foreign contributions and other research security (Section 117, NSF FFDR etc.).
• Work with University Advancement and OSP to create and provide timely and accurate information for required reporting.
• Maintain access to portals necessary for reporting.
• Affiliate with any correction to a previous reporting record and/or the submission of any back-reporting, as applicable.
• Identify and participate in professional development opportunities, as needed.

Qualifications

• EQUIVALENCY STATEMENT: 1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience (Example: bachelor's degree = 4 years of directly related work experience).
• Department may hire employee at one of the following job levels: Compliance Specialist, IV: Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 8 years or a master's (or equivalency) + 6 years of directly related work experience.
• Compliance Specialist, V: Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 10 years or a master's (or equivalency) + 8 years of directly related work experience.
• Compliance Specialist, VI: Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 12 years or a master's (or equivalency) + 10 years of directly related work experience.
• Preferences: 3 years of direct experience with the implementation of an NSPM-33 compliant research security program, Export compliance experience at an academic institution or research organization, Experience with Fundamental Research Exclusion (FRE) Special Instructions Requisition Number: PRN44796B Full Time or Part Time? Full Time Work Schedule Summary: M-F 8-5 Department: 00639 - VP for Research Location: Campus Pay Rate Range: $75,000 - $95,000 Close Date: 7/21/2026 Open Until Filled To apply, visit https://utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/200507 Copyright ©2025 Jobelephant.com Inc. All rights reserved. Posted by the FREE value-added recruitment advertising agency jeid-cd1198a3bfa3de43b4068e65552e2d7f