Accountant

$51,000 - $74,000/Yr

Pennsylvania State University - State College, PA

Full-time - Entry Level

Remote - State College, PA

10,001+ employees

Educational Services

About the position

The Office of Entrepreneurship and Commercialization (OEC) at Penn State is seeking an Accountant to provide financial and grants management support for a diverse portfolio of entrepreneurial and economic development programs. This role involves collaboration with various departments and requires a strong understanding of financial processes and compliance with sponsor terms and conditions.

Responsibilities

• Provide financial support to ensure efficient workflow and processes, including monitoring budgets and processing financial transactions in various systems.
• Coordinate budget and spending with contacts from 21 LaunchBoxes and Innovation Hubs to ensure expenditures are allowable, allocable, and reasonable.
• Assist in the management of assigned sponsored awards, including preparation of budget revisions and no-cost extensions, and monitoring for compliance with sponsor terms and conditions.
• Support the Origin Labs through management of service center billings and memberships program, including calculating service center rates and tracking expenditures.
• Monitor financial activities on endowments and gift accounts to ensure funds are spent according to established guidelines and gift agreements.
• Support the annual budgeting process for the unit.
• Assist with pre-award responsibilities, including budget building and proposal review.
• Support all key grant needs, ensuring timely submission and compliance with guidelines.
• Maintain a working knowledge of financial and research administration policies and procedures.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree and 1+ years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience with MS Office applications, including advanced experience with Microsoft Excel.
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and time management skills.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with Penn State's systems, including SIMBA, SAP Concur, and SIMS/SIMS Budgets.
• Graduate of the ACOR Certification and Education Series (ACES) program or other CRA program, with experience in university accounting and research administration.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage.
• Retirement plans including 401k.
• Tuition discounts (75% discount for spouse and children).
• Paid holidays.