Research Administration Assistant

Research Administration Assistant

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The Pre-Award Research Operations (PRO) team in the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) provides centralized pre-award grant proposal preparation and support for Principal Investigators (PIs) across a variety of colleges and academic departments at Cornell University. The PRO team is charged with coordinating the creation, submission, and tracking of grant proposals to federal and state agencies, foundations, and corporate and other private sponsors. The team’s overall goals are to provide consistent, high-quality support and excellent customer service while standardizing procedures and expectations for pre-award grant proposal activity.

We have an immediate opening for a Research Administration Assistant to join our team. This is a great opportunity to begin a career in research administration and make a vital contribution to Cornell's research mission.

What You Will Do:

As a Research Administration Assistant, you will directly support operations and workflows that facilitate the successful development and submission of sponsored research proposals. Reporting to the Associate Director, you will ensure that front-end processes are executed efficiently and accurately.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Managing proposal intake
• Creating and maintaining proposal records
• Overseeing the accuracy of data in proposals
• Assessing team workloads to inform the equitable and strategic assignment of proposals across the team
• Communicating with Principal Investigators to clarify proposal requirements
• Ensuring Grant Coordinators and Pre-Award Specialists receive complete and accurate information to initiate proposal development tasks

Due to the ever-evolving nature of the work and peak proposal seasons, you will need to be available and willing to flex your work schedule to accommodate unforeseen challenges or high volume. The position also may require occasional overtime, subject to management prior approval.

What You Will Need to Be Successful:

• Demonstrated attention to detail
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Exceptional customer service
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as a part of a team in a professional office environment, working on and advancing multiple projects simultaneously
• High proficiency with Excel, Adobe Acrobat, MSWord, and Outlook
• Ability to handle confidential information and materials appropriately
• Flexibility and adaptability working and contributing in an environment where change in process/procedures is the norm while maintaining a positive and productive demeanor
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members
• Demonstrated competence in current office methods and procedures (including electronic filing techniques, telephone etiquette, and professional writing/email communication)
• Familiarity with database management and/or financial management tools
• Associate’s degree with 2–4 years of financial or administrative experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience

Other Preferred Qualifications (but not required):

• Bachelor’s degree
• Additional experience in research administration or working with financial data
• Familiarity with Cornell University or another higher education environment
• Experience interpreting instructions and compliance requirements and applying that knowledge to particular situations, especially with grant proposals or in a research environment
• Experience with grant submission systems (e.g., Grants.gov Workspace, NSF Research.gov, and NIH ASSIST)

To Apply:

• Please submit both a cover letter and a resume to be considered for this position. Tell us why you are interested in this position and joining our PRO team.
• Applications will be reviewed and interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis. Note: Visa sponsorship is not provided for this position.

Rewards and Benefits:

• This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement with weekly work on campus expected. Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, and sustainability.
• Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: Understand Your Benefits | Working at Cornell.
• Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1. To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions, we also offer two additional floating holidays. Learn more about our generous leave provisions: Holiday and Accrued Time Off | Working at Cornell.
• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program. Learn more about our extensive educational benefits: Education Benefits | Working at Cornell.

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Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute creative ideas to further the university's mission of teaching, discovery and engagement. With our main campus located in Ithaca, NY, Cornell's far-flung global presence includes the medical college's campuses on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Doha, Qatar, as well as the Cornell Tech campus located on Roosevelt Island in the heart of New York City.

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