HudsonAlpha - Research Administrator - Research Administration & Development

Position: Research Administrator - Research Administration & Development

Job Type: Full-Time

INSTITUTE OVERVIEW

The HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology (www.hudsonalpha.org) is a non-profit organization with the mission to use biotechnology and basic biological research to make important discoveries, improve human health, stimulate economic development, inspire young people to seek careers in science, and teach members of the public the importance of science in their everyday lives. Located in Cummings Research Park in Huntsville, Alabama, one of the world's leading science and technology parks, HudsonAlpha's campus contains state-of-the-art laboratories for biological research and development, as well as education, in genomics, genetics, and personalized medicine.

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DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

The Research Administration & Development (RAD) team supports the growth and vitality of HudsonAlpha's research mission. RAD staff work across the full life-cycle of sponsored projects: from identifying opportunities and sponsors, developing and submitting proposals, and negotiating and managing awards and partnership agreements, to overseeing the administrative components of project execution, communicating project results, and fostering the development and commercialization of discoveries. Sound risk management is inherent throughout the process.

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POSITION SUMMARY

This position supports research grant and contract administration activities, providing pre-award and post-award support to principal investigators, project directors, and senior administrators. Responsibilities span proposal preparation, budget development, award setup, compliance tracking, and post-award management.

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JOB-SPECIFIC TASKS

• Assists Principal Investigators and Project Directors (PIs/PDs) with proposal development, including budget preparation ranging from basic budget support to preparing detailed and multi-funded budgets applying institutionally approved rates and guidelines, assembling and organizing proposal documents, reviewing and summarizing sponsor guidelines and funding opportunity announcements (FOAs/NOFOs), and ensuring completeness and adherence to sponsor requirements
• Coordinates with PIs/PDs to ensure proposals meet sponsor requirements and consults with Research Compliance to ensure compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, policies, and HudsonAlpha procedures prior to submission
• Coordinates proposal submissions on behalf of HudsonAlpha through sponsor systems, including Grants.gov, NIH eRA Commons, NSF Research.gov, and other electronic submission platforms
• Coordinates with HudsonAlpha Accounting to set up awards in the accounting and financial system, reviews grant management procedures and award terms and conditions with PIs/PDs and related staff
• Provides primarily non-financial post-award management on externally funded grants and contracts, including monitoring grant activity to ensure compliance with relevant regulations, tracking key reporting dates and deliverable deadlines, supporting preparation of progress reports and financial reports, processing re-budgeting, no-cost extensions, carry-forward, and other prior approval requests, and coordinating award closeout activities
• In consultation with RAD staff, may negotiate contracts with sponsoring entities, develop, negotiate, and monitor subcontracts issued by HudsonAlpha to subrecipients, and track subaward progress to ensure compliance with FFATA (Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act)
• Assists with monitoring sponsor training requirements, coordinating required training arrangements, tracking researcher compliance with training currency requirements, and maintaining confidentiality and integrity of project records and sensitive institutional data
• Maintains grant records, files, and data tracking within electronic research administration (eRA) systems, attends meetings of professional research administrators, maintains working knowledge of current HudsonAlpha and federal/state/agency guidelines, contributes to researchers' guidebook and internal process documentation, participates in professional development activities, and performs other duties as assigned
• Performs other duties as assigned.

 

EDUCATION AND REQUIRED SKILLS EXPERIENCE

Qualifications for all applicants:

• Proficient in office software, including Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, and Google Workspace.
• Experience with the Apple operating platform preferred.
• Ability to organize and prioritize workload and work effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven work environment, maintaining composure and productivity despite competing priorities.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team, with a growth mindset, eagerness to learn, and ability to work proactively.
• Excellent relational and communication skills, both verbal and written, including tact, diplomacy, and the ability to respond to research customer inquiries and regulatory agencies/sponsors in a prompt, professional manner.
• Ability to work with confidential data and demonstrated discretion in all interactions.
• A passion for HudsonAlpha's vision and mission and for serving researchers' needs.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities for RA I:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Science, or related field
• Zero to three years of experience in grants administration, research administration, higher education administration, or a similarly detail-oriented, deadline-driven environment
• An equivalent combination of education and experience involving administrative support for sponsored programs may be considered
• Developing knowledge or willingness to learn regulatory agency and grant sponsor rules, formats, guidelines, policies, restrictions, and time frames (NIH, NSF, USDA, Department of Energy, OMB/Uniform Guidance, etc.)
• Familiarity with or willingness to learn federal electronic proposal submission systems, including Grants.gov, NIH eRA Commons, NSF Research.gov, and other platforms.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities for RA II:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Science, or related field; Advanced degree (MA, MS) preferred
• Three to five years of experience in grants administration, research administration, higher education administration, or a similarly detail-oriented, deadline-driven environment.
• Develop, review, and finalize budgets with accuracy and attention to detail
• An equivalent combination of education and experience involving sponsored programs administration may be considered
• Certified Research Administrator (CRA) credential, preferred
• Working knowledge of regulatory agency and grant sponsor rules, formats, guidelines, policies, restrictions, and time frames (NIH, NSF, USDA, Department of Energy, OMB/Uniform Guidance, etc.)
• Working knowledge and experience with federal electronic proposal submission systems, including Grants.gov, NIH eRA Commons, NSF Research.gov, and other platforms.
• Ability to review, organize, analyze, and interpret grant and contract documentation, including financial reports and contract agreements, accurately and thoroughly.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Salary Range: $62,000 - $85,000 annually, commensurate with education and experience.

Benefits include:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
• Retirement plan with employer contribution
• Generous paid time off
• Professional development support

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Physical Demands/Environmental Factors/Mental Functions

ADA Requirements – The physical demands, work environment factors, and mental functions described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential function of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Disclaimer - All job requirements are subject to possible revision to reflect changes in the position requirements or to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a threat or risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties which will be required in this position. Employees will be required to follow other job-related duties as requested by their supervisor/manager (within guidelines and compliance with Federal and State Laws). Continued employment remains on an "at-will" basis.

Physical Demands

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position (sit or stand) for prolonged periods (50% of the time).
• Frequently moving between work areas.
• Frequently moving, transporting, and positioning materials up to 30 pounds.
• Vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and depth perception.
• Frequent operation of common office equipment (e.g. computers, mobile devices, calculators, copiers, scanners) and laboratory equipment.
• Frequently position self (e.g. stoop, crouch, crawl, bend) and pull/push, grasp/squeeze, wrist flexion/extension, reach to operate and maintain laboratory equipment.

Environmental Factors

• Exposure to chemical, mechanical and electrical hazards, and hazardous physical substances and fumes, and airborne particles.
• Noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Mental Functions

• Continuous mental and visual attention, requiring sustained attention and observation.
• Excellent fine motor skills and hand control in order to pipette accurately.
• Ability to sustain focus during research procedures (to maintain protocol such as order of operations).
• Ability to visually observe results and record outcomes on lab logs and/or PC.
• Basic computer skills are required.
• Extensive documentation skills, good attention to detail, and exceptional organizational skills are required.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, in the English language.
• Requires the ability to adapt to change efficiently.
• Ability to independently lead and conduct research, and to evaluate, interpret and present complex scientific data.
• Capacity to work productively within functionally diverse teams as well as collaborate with external investigators and partners in academic and industrial settings.
• Ability to prioritize issues and use sound judgment to recognize when additional consultation and/or help is needed.
• Comfortable working on multiple projects at one time.
• Strong logical thinking and deduction skills.
• Ability to effectively present ideas and information in a variety of formats to a wide range of audiences.
• Positive, flexible, and professional attitude.

It is the policy of HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, in accordance with all applicable laws, to recruit, hire, train, and promote persons in all job titles without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.