"Grants and Contracts Officer"

Job Summary

The Department of Psychiatry at the Huntsman Mental Health Institute (HMHI), University of Utah, is seeking to hire one or more Grants and Contracts Officers (GCOs) at the GCO II, III, or IV level, depending on qualifications and experience. This recruitment is intentionally open to multiple job levels and multiple FTEs to support a diverse and growing research portfolio spanning federal, foundation, and industry-sponsored funding.

GCOs in the Department of Psychiatry play a critical role in supporting a dynamic, mission-driven research enterprise focused on advancing mental health care, discovery, and education. Reporting within a collaborative research administration team, the selected candidate(s) will provide pre-award and post-award research administration support, including proposal development, award management, financial oversight, and compliance, with responsibilities and complexity commensurate with the level of appointment.

Successful candidates may be hired at different levels based on demonstrated experience, independence, and scope of responsibility, and the department may choose to hire more than one candidate from this posting to meet current and anticipated workload needs.

Grants and Contracts Officer II (GCO II) | Salary Range: $52,060 - $63,774
Description: Requires moderate skill set and proficiency in discipline. Conduct work assignments of increasing complexity, under moderate supervision with some latitude for independent judgment.

Grants and Contracts Officer III (GCO III) | Salary Range: $62,993 - $77,167
Description: Considered highly skilled and proficient in discipline. Conduct complex, important work under minimal supervision and with wide latitude for independent judgment.

Grants and Contracts Officer IV (GCO IV) | Salary Range: $69,292 - $84,883
Description: Recognized as subject matter expert and advanced individual contributor professional. Requires specialized skill set. Conduct highly complex work, unsupervised and with extensive latitude for independent judgment.

This position offers the opportunity to work closely with faculty investigators, departmental leadership, and central university offices while developing deep expertise in research administration within an R1 academic medical environment. The department values operational excellence, continuous improvement, and strong partnerships with researchers.

This role is hybrid-eligible, combining on-campus and remote work, subject to operational needs, performance, and university policy.

Learn more about the great benefits of working for University of Utah: benefits.utah.edu

Responsibilities

Responsibilities vary by level (GCO II, III, or IV) and are assigned based on experience, demonstrated competencies, and departmental needs. Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Proposal Development and Submission
  o Prepare, review, submit, and track research proposals for federal, foundation, and industry sponsors.
  o Interpret sponsor guidelines and University policies to ensure compliant and competitive submissions.
  o Support or independently manage a range of proposal types, including complex and multi-component submissions, commensurate with level.
• Award Set-Up, Modification, and Lifecycle Management
  o Manage award set-up, modifications, and ongoing maintenance throughout the award lifecycle.
  o Coordinate with central offices to ensure accurate and timely award execution.
  o Identify and resolve award-related issues using appropriate judgment, precedent, and institutional resources.
• Financial Management and Reporting
  o Monitor project budgets, expenditures, and balances for faculty portfolios.
  o Aid in the processing of financial transactions, including accounts payable and receivable, deposits, cost transfers, and journal entries.
  o Aid in the preparation of routine and executive-level financial reports and support post-award fiscal compliance.
• Compliance and Policy Interpretation
  o Apply and interpret federal, sponsor, University, and departmental policies and procedures.
  o Review proposal and award activities for compliance and identify, mitigate, or escalate risks as appropriate.
  o At more advanced levels, contribute to policy review, interpretation, and procedural improvements.
• Systems and Transactional Administration
  o Utilize University research administration and financial systems (e.g., proposal, award, purchasing, HR, and accounting platforms).
  o Aid in the administration of transactions such as ePARs, purchasing approvals, cost transfers, and related documentation.
  o Identify opportunities to improve system use, workflows, and operational efficiency.
• Stakeholder and Sponsor Engagement
  o Serve as a primary point of contact for faculty investigators regarding research administration matters.
  o Liaise with sponsors, Office of Sponsored Projects, Grants Accounting, and other campus partners.
  o Communicate clearly and professionally with internal and external stakeholders, adapting approach based on complexity and audience.
• Problem Solving, Judgment, and Decision-Making
  o Identify, analyze, and resolve issues of varying complexity using established practices, precedent, and professional judgment.
  o Recommend solutions and process improvements as appropriate to role and experience.
  o Independently manage highly complex or high-risk issues at senior levels.
• Leadership, Training, and Knowledge Development
  o Build and maintain specialized knowledge in research administration.
  o Share expertise through mentoring, training, and documentation.
  o At senior levels, serve as a subject matter expert and contribute to unit training, resources, and process development.

Minimum Qualifications

EQUIVALENCY STATEMENT: 1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience (Example: bachelor's degree = 4 years of directly related work experience).

Department may hire employee at one of the following job levels:

Grants and Contracts Officer, II: Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 4 years or a master's (or equivalency) + 2 years of directly related work experience.

Grants and Contracts Officer, III: Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 6 years or a master's (or equivalency) + 4 years of directly related work experience.

Grants and Contracts Officer, IV: Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 8 years or a master's (or equivalency) + 6 years of directly related work experience.

This position is patient-sensitive and must fulfill all associated vaccination requirements, or be approved for an exemption, prior to the first day of work. We protect our patients, coworkers and community by requiring all patient-sensitive employees to be immunized according to CDC standards and hospital policy. Limited exemptions may be made for documented medical contraindications or religious beliefs that object to vaccinations.

Applicants must demonstrate the potential ability to perform the essential functions of the job as outlined in the position description.

Special Instructions

Applicants are required to submit both a resume and a cover letter. The cover letter should describe the applicant's experience in research administration and interest in supporting a complex academic research environment. Incomplete applications may not be considered.

Requisition Number: PRN44200B
Full Time or Part Time? Full Time
Work Schedule Summary: Monday - Friday
Department: 00868 - Psychiatry - Research
Location: Campus
Pay Rate Range: Please see below.
Close Date: 5/4/2026
Open Until Filled: