Summary

The Research Administration Specialist provides administrative and research support to faculty and departmental research teams. This entry-level role assists with the preparation, review, and submission of grant applications, supports budget development, and helps ensure compliance with institutional and sponsor requirements. The Specialist will monitor financial activity on research accounts under close supervision, prepares routine reports, and assists with account reconciliations. The position also supports post-award administration by helping track expenses, effort reporting, and subaward documentation. Work is performed in coordination with senior staff and managers, with clear guidance and training provided. The Specialist serves as a first point of contact for faculty and staff with general questions about processes, policies, and required documentation. Specialists are expected to learn sponsor systems (e.g., eRA Commons, Grants.gov, ProposalCentral), institutional systems (SAP, Concur), and departmental processes while gaining experience in the full life cycle of research administration.

Job Duties

• Pre-Award Research Administration 
  • Assists faculty and senior administrators with preparing and submitting grant proposals.
  • Supports data entry in sponsor systems (eRA Commons, Grants.gov, ProposalCentral, ASSIST) and internal BCM systems (BRAIN, SAP).
  • Helps gather required forms and attachments, ensures accuracy, and routes applications for review.
  • Prepares draft budget templates with salary and cost data under supervision.
• Post-Award Financial and Research Administration  
  • Assists with account reconciliations and expenditure review in SAP and Concur.
  • Prepares draft financial reports and supporting documentation for faculty meetings.
  • Tracks expenses such as supplies, travel, and service charges, flagging issues for review.
  • Supports subrecipient monitoring activities by helping maintain invoices, purchase orders, and compliance documentation.
•  Compliance and Reporting Support 
  • Tracks sponsor deadlines for progress reports, effort reporting, and closeout documents.
  • Assists with compliance approvals for grant submissions.
  • Helps ensure required records are accurate and routed appropriately.
• Administrative and Training Support 
  • Provides administrative support by maintaining electronic grant files, and preparing correspondence to queries.
  • Tracks upcoming proposal and reporting deadlines and communicates reminders.
  • Participates in training opportunities to learn BCM and sponsor policies, procedures, and systems.
  • Builds knowledge to grow toward independent research administration responsibilities.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED.
• Four years of relevant experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree. No experience required with Bachelor’s degree or Certified Research Administrator certification through the Research Administrators Certification Council (RACC).