Research Administrator (All Levels), Office of Sponsored Research

Broad Institute - Cambridge, MA

Full-time - Entry Level

Cambridge, MA

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

About the position

The Research Administrator position at the Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard is a vital role within the Office of Sponsored Research, focusing on providing comprehensive research compliance and financial management support. This position encompasses all aspects of pre and post-award administration, making it essential for candidates to possess strong organizational, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills. The ideal candidate will have a background in working closely with faculty in an academic research environment for at least two years, demonstrating the ability to navigate the complexities of grant administration effectively. In this role, the Research Administrator will be responsible for preparing grant proposals, subcontracts, and industry-sponsored proposals for a diverse portfolio of faculty investigators. This involves collaborating with faculty, sponsors, and internal contacts to ensure all pre-award administration tasks, such as proposal review, submission, and award setup, are handled efficiently. The position also requires cultivating relationships with research administration officials at collaborating institutions, particularly MIT, Harvard University, and affiliated hospitals, to facilitate smooth communication and collaboration. Post-award responsibilities include monitoring and maintaining grant management activities, providing ongoing financial reporting to faculty, and serving as the primary contact for compliance-related issues. The Research Administrator will also oversee sponsored research project accounts, review and reconcile charges, and work with Principal Investigators to forecast account balances. Additionally, the role involves administering the salary billing process, ensuring adherence to sponsor and institute policies, and coordinating annual budget projections with faculty and the budget office. Overall, this position offers a dynamic and collaborative work environment where the Research Administrator will play a crucial role in supporting the research mission of the Broad Institute, contributing to groundbreaking advancements in science and medicine.

Responsibilities

• Prepares grant, subcontract/sub-award, and industry-sponsored proposals for a complex portfolio of Broad faculty investigators.
• Cultivates relationships and communicates regularly with research administration officials at collaborating institutions, particularly MIT, Harvard University, and the Harvard-affiliated hospitals.
• Independently monitors and maintains post-award grant management activities, providing faculty with ongoing financial reporting.
• Serves as a faculty liaison with sponsors, fostering ongoing relationships.
• Conversant with applicable sponsor rules and regulations; preparing and submitting documents in an accurate and timely manner.
• Assists with special agreements with Broad collaborators on sponsored activities, including staff billing arrangements and Specialized Service Facility charges.
• Oversees sponsored research project accounts, reviews and reconciles charges, and works with Principal Investigators to forecast balances.
• Administers salary billing process including ongoing monitoring of effort and adherence to related salary and effort limitations.
• Coordinates process with faculty for annual budget projections in conjunction with the budget office.
• Provides onboarding and ongoing pre and post-award grant administration.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree and/or significant related experience (2+ years) supporting faculty in the areas of federal and non-federal grant administration at a non-profit organization.
• Computer literate and proficient in the use of personal computers, spreadsheets, and word processing applications, especially Google Suite.
• Knowledge of federal web-based grants management systems, enterprise financial systems, query tools, or grants management tools is a plus.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Works independently with minimal supervision; respects deadlines.
• Enjoys working in a fast-paced and challenging environment, and with all levels of institute staff.

Nice-to-haves

• Knowledge of federal web-based grants management systems, enterprise financial systems, query tools, or grants management tools is a plus.