Sponsored Projects Grants & Contracts Officer

Announcement

Details

Open Date 05/01/2026 Requisition Number PRN44913B Job Title Sponsored Projects Grants & Contracts Officer Working Title Sponsored Projects Grants & Contracts Officer Career Progression Track F Track Level FLSA Code Administrative Patient Sensitive Job Code? No Standard Hours per Week 40 Full Time or Part Time? Full Time Shift Day Work Schedule Summary

Hybrid Work Schedule: Minimum of 16 hours (2 business days) a week in the office. Regular Office Hours: Monday through Friday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

VP Area President Department 00644 - Office of Sponsored Projects Location Campus City Salt Lake City, UT Type of Recruitment External Posting Pay Rate Range $70,000 - $90,000 Close Date 08/01/2026 Priority Review Date (Note - Posting may close at any time) Job Summary

The Contracts Officer will draft and negotiate agreements with extramural partners (industry, state and federal government, foundations and non-profits, etc.) in support of sponsored project activity at the University. This position supports: faculty in their efforts to secure and manage extramural support; the University to meet program objectives and legal, ethical, and financial requirements; and partnerships with sponsors. The position is also responsible for managing the sponsored project activity reporting process. The value of being an employee at the University of Utah goes far beyond your base salary, so we encourage you to carefully consider and compare our total package offer. This package includes a variety of excellent employee benefits, including health care coverage, retirement plans, and paid leave time as well as other valuable benefits, services, and programs such as tuition reduction. One example is the U's retirement benefits which amount to a 14.2% contribution in addition to your annual salary. You may view the U's total compensation estimator to calculate the approximate value of your total compensation at: www.hr.utah.edu/comp/totalcomp.php

If you have any questions on how to use the estimator tool, please contact Human Resources at 801-581-7447.

Responsibilities

• Engage with faculty, staff, and a variety of external sponsors to create contracts for sponsored project activity at the University.
• Contract types include collaborations, subcontracts, clinical research, research, service, testing, data and material use and transfer, confidentially, and other agreement types, including amendments.
• Assists faculty and staff in preparation of contract proposals.
• Reviews and interprets sponsoring agency policies, rules, and regulations.
• Performs pre-negotiation fact-finding to support negotiations.
• Review, interpret, draft and negotiate sponsored agreements.
• Track and manage agreement workflow through signing.
• Ensure contracts meet legal, ethical, and financial standards of the University.
• Establish and implement a system to regularly review all agreements and current multi-year gift agreements to ensure programmatic, legal, ethical, and financial compliance, including reporting.
• Facilitate the regular collection of information and metrics related to the contracting and sponsored project management process, including preparing and submitting reports, analyzing and preparing data of work performed, compile reports, and other tracking and reporting tasks as identified.
• Respond to faculty, staff, and sponsor inquires.
• Act as OSP liaison with the University's Office of General Counsel on legal matters pertaining to sponsored contract agreements.
• Act as an OSP liaison with University leadership and other research administration and compliance offices.
• Use information systems to track and manage sponsored agreements through the project lifecycle.
• Record preliminary, contract, and award information in the sponsored project infrastructure, including financial and other compliance systems.
• Serve as the primary resource for campus-wide research administration professionals and external interested parties and provide expert advice on University policies and procedures, work process and practice, the sponsored programs life-cycle, IT systems, contacting, compliance issues, reporting, and stewardship.
• Ensure that University practice and policy related to sponsored contracts reflect current state and federal laws and regulations for sponsored program activity and provide training and updates to faculty, leadership, and research administration professionals across campus.

Comments:

This position provides support in highly specialized areas of Research Administration. The Office of Sponsored Projects is a customer service organization dedicated to supporting a diverse client set including University administration, faculty, support staff and sponsoring entities.

Work Environment and Level of Frequency typically required:

• Nearly Continuously: Office environment.

Physical Requirements and Level of Frequency that may be required:

• Nearly Continuously: Sitting, hearing, listening, talking.
• Often: Repetitive hand motion (such as typing), walking.
• Seldom: Bending, reaching overhead.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business Administration or related field or equivalency required (one year of education can be substituted for two years of related work experience). Two years experience working with federal or private funding agencies on grants, contracts or other agreements required. The ability to work independently, effectively and efficiently under extreme pressure and demonstrated human relations and effective communication skills also required.

An advanced degree in Public Administration, Law or a related field and five years of increasingly responsible experience within an academic or higher education environment preferred. Computer literacy in data management, document preparation and management, spreadsheet creation and presentation software is also preferred.

Applicants must demonstrate the potential ability to perform the essential functions of the job as outlined in the position description.

Preferences

• A Juris Doctorate degree or equivalent experience.
• An advanced knowledge of contracting and related processes.
• Demonstrated understanding of university research environment and policies.
• Experience with university research administration or related experience preferred.
• Demonstrated understanding of intellectual property and licensing issues as they pertain to academic research.
• Communicate knowledge and ideas both verbally and in writing with clarity and effectiveness to internal and external audiences, client groups and all levels of management.
• Ability to make good independent decisions based on critical and analytical thinking, experience and judgment.

Type Benefited Staff Special Instructions Summary Additional Information

The University is a participating employer with Utah Retirement Systems ("URS"). Eligible new hires with prior URS service, may elect to enroll in URS if they make the election before they become eligible for retirement (usually the first day of work). Contact Human Resources at (801) 581-7447 for information. Individuals who previously retired and are receiving monthly retirement benefits from URS are subject to URS' post-retirement rules and restrictions. Please contact Utah Retirement Systems at (801) 366-7770 or (800) 695-4877 or University Human Resource Management at (801) 581-7447 if you have questions regarding the post-retirement rules.

This position may require the successful completion of a criminal background check and/or drug screen.

The University of Utah values candidates who have experience working in settings with students and possess a strong commitment to improving access to higher education.

Veterans' preference is extended to qualified applicants, upon request and consistent with University policy and Utah state law. Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process will be provided to individuals with disabilities.

Consistent with state and federal law, the University of Utah does not discriminate based upon race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, or protected veteran's status. The University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX and 34 CFR part 106. The requirement not to discriminate in education programs or activities extends to admission and employment. Inquiries about the application of Title IX and its regulations may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, to the Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, or both.

To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability or if you or someone you know has experienced discrimination or sexual misconduct including sexual harassment, you may contact the Director/Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX (OEO). More information, including the Director/Title IX Coordinator's office address, electronic mail address, and telephone number can be located at the: University of Utah Non‑Discrimination page.

Online reports may be submitted at https://oeo.utah.edu

https://publicsafety.utah.edu/safetyreport/ This report includes statistics about criminal offenses, hate crimes, arrests and referrals for disciplinary action, and Violence Against Women Act offenses. They also provide information about safety and security-related services offered by the University of Utah. A paper copy can be obtained by request at the Department of Public Safety located at 1658 East 500 South.

As per University of Utah policy 5-108: Transfer of Benefits Eligible Staff Members, a new hire to the University of Utah who is still serving a 12 month probationary period will not be hired into another University of Utah job (a transfer) until the successful completion of the probationary period.

Posting Specific Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• • Do you have a Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business Administration or related field or equivalency (two years relevant work experience is equivalent to one year of education)?

• Yes

• No

• • How many years of paid work experience do you have working with federal or private funding agencies on grants, contracts or other agreements?

• Less than 1 year

• 1 year or more, but less than 2 years

• 2 year or more, but less than 4 years

• 4 years or more, but less than 6 years

• 6 years or more

• • Are you legally authorized to work in the United States?

• Yes

• No

• • Will you now or in the future require sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H-1B status)?

• Yes

• No

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• List of References

Optional Documents

• Historical Only - Do Not Use - See Document Description for More Information - Addendum to the University of Utah - Veteran Only
• Historical Only - Do Not Use - See Description for More Information - Appropriate discharge document (such as DD-2214) - Veteran Only