Research Administration Specialist

Summary

The Department of Ophthalmology at Baylor College of Medicine is recruiting a Research Administration Specialist to support our research portfolio across both basic/translational research and clinical research. Contributes to the implementation of pre-award and post-award research administration activities for an assigned portfolio of Department of Ophthalmology faculty. Supports federal, foundation, industry, and other sponsored projects throughout the full grant lifecycle, including proposal development, award administration, financial monitoring, reporting, and closeout. Provides financial administration for assigned clinical research and clinical trial accounts and coordinates with investigators and institutional partners to ensure timely, compliant research administration.

This position supports the Department of Ophthalmology's research portfolio across both basic/translational research and clinical research. The role is intended to provide balanced pre-award and post-award administrative and financial support for grants and clinical trial accounts. The position requires attention to detail, timely follow-up, sound judgment, and the ability to escalate financial, compliance, or operational concerns appropriately.

Job Duties

• 25% - Pre-award grant submissions and budget development: Coordinate proposal submissions for assigned faculty, including federal, foundation, and other non-federal opportunities; interpret sponsor requirements; develop/review budgets; track required components and timelines; and ensure complete, timely submissions.
• 30% - Post-award grant management and award lifecycle actions: Manage assigned awards through JIT, RPPR/progress reporting, NCEs, carryforward, sponsor reporting, reconciliation, and closeout. Review financial activity, effort and award balances; identify issues and coordinate corrective actions.
• 20% - Clinical trial financial management and closeout: Support assigned clinical research/trial accounts through budget and account review, financial monitoring, reconciliation, sponsor payment tracking, personnel allocation review, deficit/residual follow-up, and closeout.
• 10% - Research contracts, subawards, CDA/MTA coordination: Coordinate routine research agreements and subaward actions; track required documents, status, and deadlines with investigators, Sponsored Programs, contracting offices, and external partners.
• 10% - Compliance, quality assurance, and PI reporting: Review assigned research activities for BCM/sponsor compliance; maintain documentation; prepare routine financial/grant reports; and participate in monthly PI financial/research meetings.
• 5% - PI portfolio management and administrative coordination: Maintain assigned PI portfolios, monitor priorities/deadlines, respond to routine faculty/research staff needs, resolve issues with institutional offices, and escalate concerns as appropriate.
• Manage an assigned portfolio of Department of Ophthalmology investigators across basic/translational and clinical research.
• Provide pre-award support for federal, foundation, industry, and other sponsored projects, including proposal coordination, budget development, sponsor requirement review, and submission readiness.
• Provide post-award support including account reconciliation, effort monitoring, JIT, RPPR/progress reports, NCEs, carryforward, sponsor reporting, and closeout.
• Support clinical trial financial administration, including account monitoring, reconciliation, sponsor payment tracking, personnel allocations, deficit/residual follow-up, and closeout.
• Coordinate research contracts, subawards, CDA/MTA actions, and related documentation.
• Participate in monthly PI financial/research meetings; monitor compliance and escalate financial, compliance, or operational concerns as appropriate.
• Monitor deadlines and required actions for proposals, awards, progress reports, no-cost extensions, subawards, and closeouts.
• Assist with research-related purchasing, account transactions, and documentation as assigned.
• Perform other job related duties as assigned.
  

Minimum Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED.
• Four years of relevant experience.
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree. No experience required with Bachelor’s degree or Certified Research Administrator certification through the Research Administrators Certification Council (RACC).
• Experience with research administration, sponsored programs, grant financial management, or clinical research administration is preferred.
• Strong organizational, analytical, communication, and customer service skills are preferred, along with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and work collaboratively with faculty and institutional partners.