Post-Award Specialist

Job Description

Special Instructions to Applicants: All interested applicants should attach a resume and cover letter in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

About Rice

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government.

Position Summary

BioSciences at Rice is home to undergraduate and doctoral degree programs in Biochemistry & Cell Biology and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. The post-award specialist supports the Department of BioSciences at Rice with all aspects of post-award research accounting, grant and fund future spending projections, and reporting. The incumbent will provide deep and independent analytical and financial management of post-award research administration.

Ideal Candidate Statement

The ideal candidate for this position has a basic understanding of research administration and accounting practices in higher education. The position requires proactive judgment, responsiveness, initiative, and being able to manage multiple tasks while demonstrating excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Workplace Requirements

This position offers a hybrid work schedule after a probationary period.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree
• Two or more (2+) years of related administrative experience
• Intermediate knowledge of spreadsheet, email, and database software programs
• Working knowledge of research administration guidelines, regulations, and policies
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational and problem-solving skills

Preferences

• Some research administration experience (i.e grant administration to various agencies such as NIH, NSF, DOD, DOE, DARPA, CPRIT, etc.)
• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, accounting, or finance
• Experience in a higher education environment

Essential Functions

• Manages post‐award administration for a portfolio of grants and contracts
• Responsible for using financial forecasting tools to confirm that each Principal Investigator (PI) is solvent
• Monitors expense allocations, tracks balance, conducts variance analysis
• Participates in account close out activities
• Serves as a liaison with OSR, RCA, internal audit, funding agencies