The Research Administrator independently manages complex pre-award and post-award research administration activities in support of three divisions at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (IOD, CMBB, and MBRD), with primary responsibility for IOD. Reporting to the Financial Manager and working closely with the Marine Sciences Contracts & Grants team, this position oversees the full lifecycle of research funding, ensuring compliance with University, State, Federal, and private sponsor regulations.
Key Responsibilities:
Post-Award & Financial Administration
- Analyze and interpret award terms; advise faculty and staff on regulatory and financial requirements.
- Process re-budgeting requests, no-cost extensions, PI exceptions, and related award actions.
- Manage cost-sharing commitments, faculty salary exchange programs, negotiated salary programs, and sub-award administration.
- Perform financial transactions, including journal vouchers, budget adjustments, cost transfers, UCPath funding entries, and closeout documentation with audit-ready justification.
- Oversee service agreements, invoicing, income tracking, gifts, and endowment processing.
- Prepare and submit required financial and technical closeout reports to sponsors and campus offices.
Pre-Award Administration
- Lead preparation and submission of complex proposals, including multi-PI, multi-institution, and multi-agency applications with task budgets, option years, and multiple sub-awards.
- Develop detailed budgets, salary and benefit projections, cost-sharing allocations, and required justifications.
- Interpret and apply sponsor and institutional policies; advise PIs on compliance, indirect cost rates, and funding regulations.
- Coordinate ancillary requirements (human/animal subjects, radiation, biohazard protocols) and obtain institutional approvals.
- Submit proposals via electronic systems (e.g., Grants.gov, Research.gov/FastLane) in compliance with strict deadlines.
Leadership & Collaboration
- Serve as liaison between Principal Investigators, campus leadership, CAO, and internal/external collaborators.
- Provide work direction, training, and mentorship to junior staff; train faculty, postdocs, students, and staff in proposal preparation and submission processes.
- Advise divisions on evolving federal and state policy changes impacting research administration.
Scope & Impact
This role supports a diverse portfolio of federal, state, and private sponsors (e.g., NIH, NSF, DOE, NASA, NOAA, foundations, and State of California agencies), ensuring regulatory compliance, fiscal integrity, and timely execution of research funding activities. The position exercises independent judgment in managing high-volume, high-complexity awards and contributes directly to the successful acquisition and stewardship of sponsored research funding.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Graduation from college with a major in business administration, economics, statistics, educational administration, political science, or an allied field, and two (2) years of experience in administrative analysis or operations research; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Thorough understanding of research administration guidelines of Federal and non-Federal sponsors supporting research and educational activities, preferably in a university environment.
- Experience with contract and grant proposal process, preparation of proposal budgets and preparation of ancillary proposal documents including Conflict of Interest forms, RES forms, cover sheets, University certifications, detailed budgets, budget justifications, research support documents, bibliographies, CVs, current and pending support forms, facilities and resources forms, animal use, human subject use, radiation and biohazard use approvals, ship time request forms.
- Advanced knowledge of proposal requirements for a variety of Federal, State, and private funding agencies, including research programs, deadlines, and electronic submittal modules such as Grants.gov and Fastlane. Advance knowledge and understanding of funding agency regulations governing allowable costs to contracts and grants, and demonstrated ability to interpret PPM guidelines, UC practices, CAS, Uniform Guidance, A110, FDP, FAR and other policies and procedures governing contracts and grants. Ability to solve complex problems and recommend solutions to ensure policy compliance.
- Demonstrated knowledge of generally accepted accounting, fiscal and reporting principles.
- Experience performing complex financial analysis and customized reporting. Strong understanding of University financial reports with proven expertise in researching, analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating complex financial information and policies. Skilled in leveraging multiple resources—including policy manuals, websites, and campus offices—to gather and compile data.
- Experienced in preparing and analyzing budgets, identifying spending patterns, and developing financial projections to forecast future expenditures using financial data.
- Knowledge of applicable federal, state, local, sponsor and institutional regulations, policies, and guidelines. Specific knowledge of and ability to interpret OMB circulars A-21, Uniform Guidance, A-110 and other federal regulations governing contracts and grants.
- Strong competence in the use of spreadsheet and database software in financial analysis, fiscal management and financial reports. Demonstrated intermediate to advances skills in Excel.
- Leadership skills and ability to work as part of a team.
- Knowledge of applicable compliance requirements related to use of human or animal subjects in research, financial conflict of interest, biosafety, etc.
- Knowledge of various indirect cost rates and how they are applied to different funds: contract and grants, service agreements, recharge facilities.
- Ability to interpret policies, procedures, and guidelines.
- Maintains current knowledge of compliance regulations in all areas of research administration.
- Ability to maintain independent judgment; strong organization; communication skills; and a customer service focus.
- Ability to manage a high volume of transactions.
- Strong demonstrated analytical, and critical thinking skills, with ability to identify problems and formulate innovative solutions.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to meet multiple deadlines and adapt to changing priorities, ensuring smooth work-flow. Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
- Ability to interact using tact and diplomacy with diverse personalities including academic, staff, student and volunteer employees and institutions/organizations.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality regarding financial, payroll, and personnel information.
- Ability to independently advise and work with staff in other campus units (may include Contracts and Grants, SPF, IPPS, General Accounting, Travel, Principal Investigators, and agency contacts).
- Proven ability to work effectively in a strong service environment under pressure, subject to constantly changing priorities.
- Experience in contract and grant negotiations to ensure compliance.
- Demonstrated ability to independently obtain additional information from funding agencies or subcontracting institutions as required by PI – specific submissions and to establish methods and procedures for meeting deadlines and agency requirements.
Application deadline: April 2, 2026
