Research Liaison- Post Award (Contingent II - Grant Funded)

Job Posting:

JR101709 Research Liaison- Post Award (Contingent II - Grant Funded) (Open)

Department:

Grants & Contracts, JM

Position Type:

Non-Regular Fixed Term (Fixed Term)

Open Date:

04-03-2026

Job Description:

Serve as a faculty/staff-facing liaison for sponsored projects in the closeout phase. Coordinate checklists, deadlines, and documentation; perform basic reconciliations; route final reports and forms; and retire projects in university and sponsor systems in accordance with established policies and timelines.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Liaison and guidance: Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned PIs and departmental staff, providing clear guidance on post-award procedures, sponsor compliance requirements, and closeout expectations.
• Planning and tracking: Working with grant accountants and contracts and compliance specialist initiate the standard 120/90/60/30-day closeout checklist for each award; monitor milestones, required documentation, and deadlines for PIs, departmental staff, and administrators; issue timely reminders, standardized templates, and concise “what’s needed” summaries.
• Deliverables and documentation: Coordinate the collection and routing of final technical reports; data, invention, and property statements; participant-support and cost-share records; and other sponsor-mandated materials; verify completeness and readiness for submission.
• Create an archival system for documents, reports, tracking and following up on all issues that pertain to and are submitted to Pre-Award.
• Financial reconciliation: Generate standard ledger reports, conduct basic variance analyses, verify closure of encumbrances/POs, and confirm submission/payment of all invoices; validate indirect cost base and rate on final reports using approved job aids; escalate discrepancies to the Post-Award Manager and Grants Accounting.
• Subrecipient closeout: Request and track subrecipient final invoices and closeout attestations using ORSP templates; log receipt and status; route to Grants Accounting for review and payment.
• Systems and records management: Update award status and closeout fields in Workday/Kuali (or equivalent) in accordance with SOPs; upload final documents to the electronic award file using approved naming conventions and records-retention requirements.
• Compliance and service standards: Apply ORSP job aids to perform basic allowability checks (2 CFR 200 quick checks); refer complex effort, payroll, or audit matters to the appropriate office; acknowledge and respond to PI and staff inquiries within two business days and escalate issues through defined pathways.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Training & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree (Accounting, Finance, Business, Public Administration, or related field)
• 1–2 years of experience in grants administration, finance, grants accounting or a similar administrative role (higher-education preferred).
• Preferred: Experience with Workday, and Kuali/Cayuse/InfoEd; familiarity with NIH/NSF and other grant proposal portals.
• Familiarity with federal funding agencies, online funding databases, and Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200); demonstrated ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders.

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• The successful candidate demonstrates strong interpersonal and communication skills—both verbal and written—with professional email etiquette and the ability to draft and respond to written communications effectively.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365, particularly Excel and Word, is required for grant writing, report preparation, and data management.
• Experience maintaining databases and providing timely, accurate data to faculty and staff is essential.
• The role also requires the ability to conduct web-based research using tools such as Google and browsers such as Chrome and Firefox to identify funding opportunities and related information.
• Strong organizational skills, a high level of attention to detail, and the ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment are necessary.
• Additionally, a general understanding of federal regulations, funding agency guidelines, and best practices in research administration is required for success in this role.

Additional Job Information:

Benefits include medical, dental, prescription, long-term disability, accidental death and dismemberment insurance and life insurance; paid time for paid sick leave and annual leave; 10 paid holidays per year, tuition remission and supplemental retirement.