Research Administrator Senior

A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.

The Michigan Neuroscience Institute (MNI) is seeking an exceptional Research Administrator Senior to serve as a strategic partner to faculty and Institute leadership, supporting a dynamic and highly interdisciplinary research portfolio spanning basic, translational, and clinical neuroscience.

MNI brings together investigators across neurology, psychiatry, neurosurgery, engineering, and the basic sciences to advance discovery in brain health and disease. This role sits at the center of that work; ensuring that complex, multi-investigator research programs are financially sound, operationally seamless, and fully compliant, while enabling faculty to focus on scientific innovation.

This is a high-impact, high-trust role for someone who operates with rigor, foresight, and ownership; anticipating needs, navigating complexity, and delivering clarity in a fast-moving research environment.

Pre-Award Strategy & Execution

• Lead end-to-end proposal development across a diverse neuroscience portfolio, including multi-PI, multi-site, and center-level submissions (e.g., NIH program projects, training grants, and collaborative initiatives)
• Develop fully compliant, strategically aligned budgets that reflect scientific scope, sponsor expectations, and long-term funding strategy
• Serve as a key advisor to faculty, translating sponsor guidelines into clear direction and strengthening the competitiveness of submissions
• Drive proposal assembly and routing through institutional systems (eResearch), ensuring accuracy, completeness, and on-time submission
• Anticipate risks, manage timelines, and coordinate across departments, cores, and external collaborators
• Partner closely with ORSP and Medical School Grants Administration to ensure seamless proposal submission and award setup
• Contribute to continuous improvement of proposal development processes, tools, and faculty support models within MNI

Post-Award Financial Leadership

• Own the financial management and performance of a complex portfolio of sponsored and non-sponsored funds
• Deliver forward-looking financial analysis and projections, enabling faculty to make informed decisions about hiring, spending, and research direction
• Monitor burn rates, funding gaps, and compliance in real time; proactively recommend and implement corrective strategies
• Ensure full alignment with sponsor requirements and Uniform Guidance, maintaining the highest standards of financial stewardship
• Lead effort management strategy, proactively aligning effort distributions and minimizing retroactive adjustments
• Support progress reporting, carryforwards, re-budgets, and closeouts with precision and timeliness
• Coordinate subawards and multi-institution collaborations, ensuring smooth financial and administrative execution

Operational & Procurement Excellence

• Facilitate complex procurement activities, including research equipment and sole-source justifications
• Ensure efficient processing of purchasing, reimbursements, and vendor payments in coordination with Shared Services
• Resolve issues quickly and decisively to avoid disruption to research activity

Institute-Level Impact

• Identify and implement process improvements that enhance efficiency, transparency, and scalability across MNI
• Serve as a connector across faculty, departments, and central offices, strengthening collaboration and alignment
• Support internal controls, audit readiness, and compliance reporting
• Exercise independent judgment in a fast-paced, evolving research environment
• Contribute to building a high-performing, service-oriented research administration function within MNI

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 5-7+ years of progressive research administration experience across pre- and post-award
• Strong knowledge of sponsored research regulations, financial management, and compliance frameworks
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex, interdisciplinary research portfolios and competing priorities
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with strong attention to detail
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a highly matrixed environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree or advanced professional certification
• Experience supporting neuroscience or similarly complex, interdisciplinary research portfolios
• Advanced proficiency in institutional systems (e.g., eResearch, M-Pathways, Business Objects)
• Experience with NIH and other federal sponsors, including large-scale and multi-project awards
• Deep understanding of Uniform Guidance and post-award compliance
• Strong financial modeling, forecasting, and reporting capability

This position may be underfilled at a lower classification depending on the qualifications of the selected candidate.