Sponsored Research Administrator - Pre-Award

The University of Cincinnati, founded in 1819, ranks among the nation’s best urban public research universities. Home to more than 53,600 students, 12,000 faculty and staff, and over 360,000 living alumni, UC combines research prowess with an ambitious campus design program. UC anchors the Cincinnati Innovation District, operates the oldest cooperative education (co-op) program in the country, and contributes significantly to the regional and state economy.

About The Cooperative Grants Office (CGO)

The Cooperative Grants Office (CGO) in the Office of Research supports the development of sponsored research proposals for colleges across the University of Cincinnati. The CGO staff are responsible for proposal development, review and submission, as well as supporting post-proposal clarifications and updates.

Responsibilities

• Assist faculty and staff with administering federal, state, and private grants, contracts, and external funding sources.
• Advise faculty and staff in the design of sponsored programs.
• Provide training to departmental staff through outreach meetings and fundamentals classes.
• Advise management, co-workers, and department staff on process-related topics.
• Serve as the main point of contact for a Principal Investigator during the grant proposal development stage.
• Review proposal solicitations for requirements and coordinate with internal offices to ensure required documents are complete and accurate in time for proposal submission.
• Review grants and contracts to determine source of funds, funding level, and period of performance.
• Review, negotiate, and manage sponsored agreements, primarily the agreement’s terms and conditions.
• Interact with sponsors’ legal and contracting staff to negotiate terms and conditions of sponsored agreements.
• Prepare the final draft of the agreement.
• Advocate the university’s interests in negotiations with external entities.
• May serve as an Authorized Organizational Representative for the University.
• Oversee and ensure compliance of grants; implement policies to ensure compliance with funding agency regulations.
• Assist faculty and department staff with interpreting sponsor and university policies and practices.
• Coordinate with college and departmental staff to ensure compliance with college-specific grant requirements.
• Administer non-financial grant activities; oversee the review and submission of non-financial progress reports.
• Maintain complete and accurate records in applicable organizational systems, shared repositories, and other recordkeeping tools.
• Oversee proposal preparation and submission process, including budget setup, departmental review, and data push between systems to establish a fiscal account.
• Manually set up fiscal accounts as needed.
• Oversee the Just-In-Time (JIT) proposal review and the award acceptance process for sponsors with complex policies and procedures.
• Perform related duties based on departmental need.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree must be in business administration, public administration, or a related field. Six (6) years of relevant work experience and/or other specialized training can be used in lieu of the education requirement.
• Two (2) years of experience in grant and/or contract administration.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience negotiating industry and federal contracts and subcontracts.
• Five (5) years in a sponsored research position at an institution of higher education.
• Certifications in research administration (CRA, CPRA) or additional certificates offered through credible agencies such as NCURA or SRAI.
• Familiarity with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and other federal agency supplements (NIH, NSF, DOE, etc.), the Office of Management and Budget Uniform Guidance (UG), intellectual property, export control, and technology compliance regulations.
• Understanding of SAP, Kuali, Grants.gov, and other state and federal grant systems.
• Intermediate proficiency in MS Office Skills, e.g., Outlook, Word, and Excel.

Benefits

• Comprehensive Tuition Remission: UC provides tuition remission for you and your eligible dependents, covering tuition costs for nearly all undergraduate and graduate programs offered by the university.
• Robust Retirement Plans: Choose between state pension plans (OPERS, STRS) or an Alternative Retirement Plan (ARP), with UC contributing 14–18% of your salary based on position.
• Real Work-Life Balance: Generous time-off policy, including:
  • Vacation and sick time
  • 11 paid holidays and additional end-of-year paid time off (Winter Season Days)
  • 6 weeks of paid parental leave for new parents
• Additional Benefits Include:
  • Competitive salary based on experience
  • Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision, prescription)
  • Flexible spending accounts & wellness programs
  • Professional development & mentorship opportunities