Award Administrator

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY

JOB DETAILS
SALARY
$63,000–$65,000 Per Year
SKILLS
Accounting, Budgeting, Business Processes, Communication Skills, Contract Management, Customer Support/Service, Data Analysis, Detail Oriented, Documentation, ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), Faculty Administration, Federal Grants, Finance, Financial Transactions, Grant Administration/Management, Higher Education, IBM Systems, Negotiation Skills, Organizational Skills, Presentation/Verbal Skills, Problem Solving Skills, Requirements Management, Research Administration, Royal Air Force, Set Goals, Strategic Planning, Systems Administration/Management, Technical Research, Time Management, Transaction Processing/Management, Work From Home, Writing Skills
LOCATION
Troy, NY
POSTED
15 days ago

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Award Administrator

Apply now Job no: 495909

Work type: Full Time

Location: Troy, NY, Hybrid: in-office and remote work

Categories: Business, Accounting and Finance, CFHE

Job Summary:

The Award Administrator is responsible for reviewing and processing award related transactions which are received at RPI and processing an assigned portfolio of award setups and non-financial award transactions. The Award Administrator is responsible for accurate and timely customer service for the awards team, including sharing assignment of centralized inbox and ticketing system monitoring, triage, and assignment for awards at RPI.

Who we are:

Founded in 1824, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) is the first technological research university in the United States. We bring creativity, science, and technology together to address society''s greatest challenges. We cultivate exceptional problem-solvers by immersing them in a culture of rigorous inquiry, disciplined practice, and hands-on application. Our strategic plan, RPI Forward, charts a pioneering course for the next era of RPI. Explore the RPI Forward plan. ︎

Nestled on a beautiful 275-acre campus in upstate NY, RPI is home to five schools, 32 research centers, three makerspaces, an observatory, one of the world's fastest supercomputers, and the IBM Quantum System One - the first university-based quantum computer in the world.

With top notch employee health and retirement benefits, Rensselaer offers its full-time employees a generous paid time off program, tuition remission, and opportunities for career growth.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in a related field and a minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience required.

Relevant combinations of education, training and experience may be considered.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience using Banner Finance or similar ERP system
  • Work experience in research administration, contract administration, or in a higher education environment

Minimum Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

  • Knowledge of sponsored award receipt, negotiation, and financial account creation in a university/research institution setting;
  • Knowledge of federal regulations and policies governing educational institutions and/or non-profits, specifically 2 CFR 200 (Uniform Guidance) and rules related to Federal grants management in a Higher Education environment
  • Ability to interpret routine federal grant terms and conditions
  • Familiarity with eRA and ERP systems (such as Cayuse and Banner) in a higher education/research environment
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality of privileged documents and communication.
  • Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite
  • Ability to analyze and interpret data
  • Requires excellent oral and written communication skills.
  • Requires strong organizational skills.
  • Requires excellent customer service skills
  • Requires ability to work effectively under pressure and meet established goals and objectives.
  • Requires ability to work with a diverse population.
  • Requires strong computer skills and knowledge.
  • Requires careful attention to detail; accuracy.
  • General knowledge of grants management issues preferred.

Representative Job Duties:

  • Review and process awards and award modifications in Banner/Cayuse SP, in accordance with Institute policies/procedures and sponsor requirements, including establishment of electronic files and management of other tracking systems related to cycle times and statuses, and liaise with internal stakeholders as appropriate, from award receipt to execution, to manage any negotiations.
  • Receive, review, and process requests for prior sponsor approval which include budget modifications, no cost extensions, change in scope, change in key personnel, and transfers, analyzing award requirements and requests from campus for compliance with sponsor and institute rules.
  • Respond to questions and concerns from faculty, administrators, General Counsel, and other RPI offices in a timely fashion.
  • Complete Cayuse and Banner transactions in accordance with existing business process documentation and training, and perform clean-up items as assigned related to project closeouts or necessary corrections which have been identified.
  • Provide timely responses to RPI stakeholders (faculty, business managers/administrators, or other finance units as applicable), as assigned.
  • Manage the RAF Awards centralized inbox and internal workflow and ticketing system (Trello).
  • Maintain and manage RPI central office accounts and functions in external sponsor award systems (federal and state).
  • Perform other duties as requested and assigned.

Shift:

Business Hours: Monday - Friday

Driving:

Incidental driving possible, but not required

Starting Salary/Rate:

Expected hiring range: $63,000 -$65,000

Pay transparency disclosure: The selected candidate's salary will be determined based on factors that include the available budget, internal equity, and the final candidate's qualifications, experience, education and other job-related credentials. This hiring range is provided as Rensselaer's good faith estimate of the expected hiring range at the time of posting.

Application instructions:

Follow the on-screen prompts to create a brief online profile. Please be ready to upload your resume and cover letter.

If you need assistance with the online application process, please contact careers@rpi.edu.

Job Posted Date:

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Total Compensation and Benefits Information:

Rensselaer's Total Compensation Program is designed to provide stable pay growth, a comprehensive and affordable benefits package, and a comprehensive and affordable retiree medical and prescription plan. Our goal is to provide you and your family with a comprehensive health and welfare program as an umbrella of financial security and protection during your employment. For more information, please visit Benefits | Human Resources (rpi.edu).

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is committed to the cultivation of a community that is welcoming, inclusive, and above all values learning. We welcome candidates who bring a variety of perspectives to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute''s work and campus communities. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or other characteristic protected by law.

Advertised: 28 May 2026 Eastern Daylight Time

Applications close:

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About the Company

R

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Institute programs serve undergraduates, graduate students, and working professionals around the world. Nearly 29 percent of undergraduate students this year are from areas outside of the Northeast. , in addition to the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and from countries all around the world.

Rensselaer offers at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels. Students are encouraged to work in that allow them to combine scholarly work from several departments or schools. The university provides rigorous, engaging, interactive learning environments and campus-wide opportunities for leadership, collaboration, and creativity.

For almost , Rensselaer has maintained its reputation for providing an undergraduate education of undisputed intellectual rigor based on educational innovation in the laboratory, classroom, and studio.

Driven by talented, dedicated, and forward-thinking , Rensselaer has dramatically expanded the by leveraging our existing strengths and focusing on five signature research areas: ; ; ; ; and .

The Institute is especially well-known for its success in the transfer of technology from the laboratory to the marketplace so that benefit human life, protect the environment, and strengthen economic development.

Academic Approach and Educational Innovations

Rensselaer is anchored by two vibrant roots:

  • One root, written into the , is the application of science to the common purposes of life. This kept the focus on engineering solutions to national and international needs and challenges. constructed the canals, roads, bridges, skyscrapers, and basic infrastructure of America, which helped to form the basis for 20th century society.
  • The second root, also built into the school's origin, was the employment of unique educational strategies. In the earliest days, after initial instruction, students taught what they knew to each other since teaching reinforces learning. Likewise, students performed scientific experiments rather than watch faculty conduct them, as had been the common practice.

The Rensselaer Plan 2024

Armed with our intellects, our energy, and a bold vision for the future, we launched a process to realize the mission of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in new and tangible ways. We conceived and implemented , to bring new meaning, and new substance, to the question we ask ourselves as the first technological university in the nation: Why not change the world?

We began our journey of transformation where necessity demanded. We have made major investments in our people, programs, platforms, and partnerships; and, together, we have brought about a true Renaissance at Rensselaer. These investments have enabled us to transform Rensselaer into a top-tier technological research university with global reach and global impact. That transformation serves as a solid foundation on which we will build even greater achievements in the future.

Our journey of transformation continues, under . In the same spirit as its precursor, the revised Plan is evergreen, prepared to grow and evolve, as the Institute grows and evolves. In advancing The Rensselaer Plan 2024, we are moving from transforming Rensselaer to Rensselaer being transformative: transformative in our students' lives; transformative in our innovative pedagogy, nationally and internationally; transformative in the global impact of our research.

COMPANY SIZE
100 to 499 employees
INDUSTRY
Education
FOUNDED
1824
WEBSITE
http://www.rpi.edu