Research Administrator III - Psychiatry - Remote - 141276

The UC San Diego Department of Psychiatry ranks among the nation's leading academic psychiatry departments, recognized for its exceptional research enterprise, innovative clinical programs, and outstanding educational training. Our faculty and staff are driving meaningful advances in mental health science, delivering transformative patient care, and shaping the next generation of clinicians and researchers. We offer a collegial, high-achieving work environment where talented professionals are empowered to grow, collaborate, and contribute to work that matters.

The Department's research enterprise encompasses a large and diverse extramural portfolio supported by federal, state, foundation, and industry sponsors. Funding mechanisms include program project and center grants, cooperative agreements, doctoral and fellowship training grants, state appropriated programs, clinical trials, and investigator initiated awards, many of which involve multiple institutions, multiple sites, and domestic and international consortium agreements. Psychiatry Research Administration provides post-award fiscal management and awards administration for this portfolio on behalf of the Department's research programs and Principal Investigators.

The Research Administrator 3 is responsible for post-award administration and comprehensive awards management of complex sponsored projects within the UC San Diego Department of Psychiatry. This position supports the HIV Neurobehavioral Research Program (HNRP), a multi-project research program within the Department. The Research Administrator 3 may be assigned to other research portfolios within the Department as research needs change.

Core responsibilities are focused on post-award fiscal management and awards administration across a multimillion dollar portfolio of extramural awards: managing award budgets and spending analysis; financial reporting to sponsors; award closeout and compliance; salary projections and effort coordination; and advising Principal Investigators (PIs) on award guidelines, re-budgeting, no-cost extensions, and regulatory requirements. The Research Administrator 3 works independently to manage a portfolio of extramural awards from multiple sponsors, including NIH, other federal agencies, state, foundation, and industry, ensuring fiscal integrity and compliance with Uniform Guidance, Cost Accounting Standards, and sponsor specific policies.

• Seven years of related experience, education/training, OR a Bachelor's degree in related area plus three years of related experience/training.

• Thorough understanding of research administration guidelines of Federal and non-Federal sponsors supporting research and educational activities, preferably in a university environment.

• Thorough knowledge of applicable compliance requirements related to use of human or animal subjects in research, financial conflict of interest, biosafety, etc.

• Ability to manage significant volume of transactions. This includes management of complex post-award transactions across multiple award types and funding sources.

• Ability to perform complex financial analysis and customized reporting. This includes multi-year expenditure projections, burn rate analysis, and situational analyses for PIs with large multi-institutional research projects.

• Demonstrated competence in the use of spreadsheet and database software in financial analysis, fiscal management and financial reports. Proficiency in preparing monthly budget analyses with multiple worksheet links and spending rate analysis.

• Ability to maintain independent judgment; strong organization and communication skills; and a customer service focus across broad and diverse subject areas. Must be able to maintain confidentiality.

• Maintains current knowledge of compliance regulations in all areas of research administration. Ability to interpret and apply sponsor, institutional, and departmental post-award policies in conjunction with compliance regulations.

• Demonstrated knowledge of generally accepted accounting, fiscal and reporting principles. This includes journal entries, ledger reconciliation, and chart of accounts management.

• Experience with all types of award mechanisms, including grants, contracts, subcontracts, and cooperative agreements, with emphasis on post-award administration.

• In-depth knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulation, Code of Federal Regulations, sponsor-specific policies, application of indirect cost rates, and other complex concepts in post-award research administration.

• Demonstrated proficiency and understanding of Uniform Guidance and Cost Accounting Standards and ability to apply these to any agency requirements. Demonstrated knowledge and experience serving as a resource in Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Reporting, Sponsor policies, and Federal policy.

• Demonstrated work experience managing post-award contract and grant budgets, including financial management of complex extramural funds with multiple indexes, multiple institutions, and multiple sites.

• Demonstrated work experience in advising research administration and business office staff on setting up and managing awards released by funding institutions, providing steps necessary for funding changes, cost transfers (as needed), and reviewing spending trends. Experience in reviewing and advising on proper procedures and steps on post-award processing and closeout.

• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in the development and monitoring of policies and procedures for department post-award operations and internal controls.

• Demonstrated work experience in fund management of multiple complex awards of NIH PPG, Center Grants, OT awards, state and industry sponsored awards, and training grants, all of which require additional analysis and reporting to sponsors.

• Demonstrated work experience providing consultative services, policy interpretation, instruction and advice to PIs and their administrators on all fiscal matters, UC and agency policies and procedures relating to sponsored projects.

• Demonstrated work experience managing complex post-award PI Contracts and Grants, including independently assessing complex grant, contract and subcontract transactions requiring in-depth evaluation of variable factors.

• Demonstrated experience in projecting salary, benefit and indirect costs with knowledge of payroll and personnel regulations including impact of salaries, merits, range adjustments and benefit costs. Demonstrated ability to create intricate faculty salary worksheets and develop multiple projection scenarios for each PI.

• In-depth working knowledge of federal and non-federal agency requirements and regulations for sponsored research post-award administration through closeout, including but not limited to Cost Accounting Standards.

• Proven ability to analyze and prepare budgets, identify spending patterns, project future expenditures, and produce complex final financial reports for various funding agencies.

• Proven ability to assess and contribute to development of automated systems to facilitate post-award administration.

• User level knowledge of ESR Oracle Financial systems, UC Path, Kuali, or equivalent financial systems.

• Employment is subject to a criminal background check.

• Must be able to work overtime, evenings, and weekends based on business needs.

• Must be able to work various hours and locations based on business needs.