Center for Space and Atmospheric Research (CSAR) Administrative Operations Lead

The Opportunity

The Center for Space and Atmospheric Research (CSAR) at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Daytona Beach Campus invites applications for the position of Administrative Operations Lead. This position serves as the central operational coordinator for CSAR research activities across all ERAU campuses. This role provides high-level administrative and operational support to faculty, staff, and leadership, ensuring efficient execution of research, financial, and organizational processes. The position requires strong organizational skills, independent judgment, and the ability to manage complex workflows in a research-intensive environment.

The Center for Space and Atmospheric Research (CSAR) is one of ERAU’s most active Centers of Excellence, supporting over two dozen faculty and staff across multiple campuses and managing annual research expenditures exceeding $5 million. This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to a globally active research enterprise, supporting projects conducted across all campuses and enabling faculty success through strong operational coordination. The role supports both routine and complex administrative functions, including research administration, budget monitoring, and coordination of center-wide activities. The Administrative Operations Lead also assists principal investigators with grant-related processes and ensures alignment with university policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary administrative liaison for CSAR, acting as the first point of contact for internal and external stakeholders.
• Support research administration activities, including proposal processing, award tracking, and data entry in Workday.
• Monitor, reconcile, and report on CSAR budgets in alignment with university financial policies.
• Coordinate procurement activities, including purchase requisitions, invoices, and procurement card reconciliation.
• Manage onboarding and offboarding processes in coordination with HR, IT, and Safety.
• Maintain and organize records, data systems, and reports, including annual reporting requirements.
• Coordinate meetings, conferences, and events, including scheduling, logistics, and documentation.
• Support CSAR leadership with preparation of presentations, reports, and shared resources.
• Manage communications, including announcements, website updates, and social media presence (LinkedIn, Facebook/Instagram).
• Coordinate logistics for visiting researchers and collaborators.
• Provide operational support for CSAR laboratories, including maintenance coordination and tours.
• Supervise student assistants and coordinate administrative support.
• Complete travel arrangements and expense reconciliation.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required Education and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Higher Education Administration, or related field.
• Minimum of three (3) years of administrative or operations experience, preferably in a research or academic environment.
• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently.
• Experience with budgeting, procurement, and financial reconciliation.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Experience with collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams and SharePoint.
• Proficiency with Workday or similar ERP systems.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting research administration (pre-award and post-award).
• Familiarity with sponsored research environments and PI support.
• Experience managing websites and digital communications.
• Experience coordinating academic or research events.
• Experience supervising student assistants.
• Familiarity with Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Creative Suite.
• Experience with data reporting or visualization tools.
• Prior experience in a STEM or research-intensive environment.