Research Operations Coordinator

• Post-Award Financial Oversight: Monitor active project budgets and sub-segments across a multi-million-dollar grant portfolio. Coordinate rebudgeting, account modifications, summer salary planning, project extension requests, and closeout preparations in alignment with College Research Administration guidelines.
• Pre-Award Proposal Development Support: Assist PIs with proposal development for federal, state, and corporate submissions. Prepare RED records, draft non-technical proposal sections, build preliminary budgets, gather required documentation (CVs, letters of support, current & pending forms), and coordinate submission timelines with central proposal development units.
• Sponsor Reporting & Data Coordination: Collect financial and technical data to assist PIs in drafting quarterly, annual, and final progress reports for external sponsors (e.g., ARO, DOE, NSF) and industry subcontractors.
• Financial Transaction Processing: Initiate and reconcile high-volume financial transactions, including Vouchers, Journal Vouchers (JVs), Inter-Departmental Transfers (IDTs), P-Card reconciliations, and travel reimbursements in strict compliance with university and sponsor guidelines.
• Service Center & Lab Use Oversight: Draft and maintain Laboratory Use Agreements for specialized research facilities/centers. Manage user activity logs, coordinate scheduling, and drive timely invoicing and billing for internal and external lab users.

Laboratory Procurement, Facilities & Building Operations

• Specialized Lab Procurement: Act as the lead procurement strategist for the research group. Source specialized laboratory equipment, fabricated items, and research consumables via Marketplace, blanket purchase orders, and P-Card protocols. Negotiate pricing and specifications directly with scientific vendors.
• Facilities & Building Liaison: Serve as the primary facilities liaison for the research group’s designated building/lab space. Coordinate with University Facilities Management for maintenance requests, lab safety compliance, security access/key distribution, space scheduling, and emergency notifications.
• Lab Equipment & Inventory Control: Oversee laboratory supply inventory, coordinate equipment repair and preventative maintenance contracts, and manage domestic and international shipping of research materials in accordance with compliance protocols.

Program Management, Outreach & External Relations

• External Partner & Sponsor Engagement: Act as the primary administrative point of contact for external corporate, university, and government collaborators. Foster relationships that support interdisciplinary initiatives and research commercialization.
• Event Planning & Seminars: Plan and execute academic forums, workshops, sponsor site visits, solar/tech integration meetings, and visiting researcher seminars. Coordinate all venue logistics, catering, schedules, and visitor accommodations.
• Communications & Media Management: Maintain and update research group websites, faculty/project profiles, and promotional materials (brochures, flyers, press releases, annual reports) to highlight research achievements and funding milestones.

Travel Logistics & General Administrative Coordination

• Travel Operations: Design and execute complex travel itineraries for faculty, postdocs, students, and visiting scholars. Secure required travel authorizations, funding approvals, international travel documentation, and post-trip reimbursements.
• Administrative Operations: Maintain electronic record archives (SOPs, equipment manuals, award files). Manage daily group calendars, prioritize operational deadlines, and assist in onboarding new research staff, postdocs, and graduate students into the lab environment.

Professional Knowledge & Policy Interpretation 

• Act as the local expert on university, state, and federal sponsor policies across academic, financial, procurement, and human resource domains. Independently resolve complex administrative issues and adapt workflows to meet evolving research needs.