Sr. Research Administrator

Sparks Group has teamed with a globally recognized higher education client who is searching for a qualified, motivated and articulate Senior Research Administrator to support a portfolio of complex sponsored research projects, serves as a key liaison between faculty, sponsors, and internal departments to review, process, and accept awards in alignment with university and federal regulations. This role will oversee both pre-award and post-award activities, ensuring financial oversight, compliance, and successful proposal submissions across multiple funding agencies. The ideal candidate will bring strong experience managing federally funded research projects, particularly within academic or research-driven environments. If you’re looking for an exciting opportunity as a new step in your career, apply now!

Key Responsibilities

• Manage post-award administration for a portfolio of sponsored projects, including award setup, financial monitoring, effort tracking, subaward management, and project closeout.
• Monitor project expenditures and reconcile accounts monthly to ensure alignment with sponsor guidelines, approved budgets, and project timelines.
• Lead the development and submission of complex grant proposals, including multi-PI and multi-institutional submissions, budgets, and supporting documentation.
• Prepare and coordinate sponsor reporting requirements such as Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPR), Just-in-Time submissions, and other administrative documentation.
• Ensure compliance with federal, sponsor, and institutional policies, while identifying and resolving financial or administrative issues and escalating risks when necessary.

Key Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree with 5–7+ years of research administration experience, including both pre-award and post-award responsibilities.
• Strong experience managing federally funded research awards and preparing complex grant proposals.
• Proficiency with financial tracking, budget development, and grant compliance requirements.
• Experience with research administration and financial systems such as eResearch, Business Objects, or similar enterprise systems.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and collaboration tools such as Zoom.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting center grants or large infrastructure awards.
• Familiarity with research administration systems and financial reporting tools commonly used in academic research environments.

This position is available to candidates located in the following states: Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia (DC), North Carolina, Massachusetts, Florida, Texas, Ohio, Missouri, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Mississippi, Arizona, Indiana, and Idaho.

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This job is Fully Remote.

We offer several comprehensive benefits package including health and life insurance, paid and unpaid time off, and retirement and savings plans to qualifying employees.

Download the Sparks Group mobile app from Apple App Store or Google Play.

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Sparks Group is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, pregnancy, citizenship, family status, genetic information, disability, or protect veteran status.