Sponsored Research Administrator - Pre-Award

Current UC employees must apply internally via  SuccessFactors  

Next Lives at the University of Cincinnati

Founded in 1819, the University of Cincinnati ranks among the nation’s best urban public research universities. Home to more than 53,600 students, 12,000 faculty and staff, and over 360,000 living alumni, UC, a Carnegie 1 institution, combines research prowess with a physical setting The New York Times has called “the most ambitious campus design program in the country." UC's momentum has never been stronger as the anchor of the Cincinnati Innovation District, the oldest cooperative education (co-op) program in the country with students earning $94 million annually through paid experiences, an academic health system, and as a member of the Big 12 Conference. The university contributes $10.6 billion in economic impact to the city and $22.7 billion to the state of Ohio. At UC, next is all of us. Learn more at  uc.edu . 

UC is a mission-driven organization where we are committed to student success and positively transforming the community through scholarship and service. We thrive on innovation, making an impact, and fostering an environment where staff and faculty are key contributors to UC’s success.

About the Cooperative Grants Office (CGO)

The Cooperative Grants Office (CGO) in the Office of Research supports the development of sponsored research proposals for colleges across the University of Cincinnati. The CGO staff are responsible for proposal development, review and submission, as well as supporting post-proposal clarifications and updates.

Job Overview

The CGO is currently accepting applications for a Sponsored Research Administrator – Pre-Award position. This position will work directly with faculty and staff on sponsored research and project activities to assist in budget development, proposal compliance, and on-time submission. The Sponsored Research Administrator will ensure proposal submissions are compliant with University, Federal, and State funding requirements as applicable.

Essential Functions

• Assist faculty and staff with administering federal, state, and private grants, contracts, and external funding sources. Advise faculty and staff in the design of sponsored programs. Provide training to departmental staff through outreach meetings and fundamentals classes. Advise management, co-workers and department staff in process related topics.
• Serve as the main point of contact for a Principal Investigator during the grant proposal development state.
• Review proposal solicitations for requirements and coordinate with internal offices to ensure required documents are complete and accurate in time for the proposal submission.
• Review grants and contracts to determine source of funds, funding level and period of performance. Review, negotiate and manage sponsored agreements, primarily the agreement’s terms and conditions. Interact with sponsors’ legal and contracting staff to negotiate terms and conditions of sponsored agreements. Prepare final draft of agreement. Advocate the university’s interests in negotiations with external entities.
• May serve as an Authorized Organizational Representative for the University.
• Oversee and ensure compliance of grants. Implement policies to ensure compliance with funding agency regulations. Assist faculty and department staff with interpreting sponsor and university policies and practices. 
• Coordinate  with college and departmental staff to ensure compliance with college-specific grant requirements.
• Administration of non-financial grant activities. Oversee the review and submission of non-financial progress reports.
• Maintain complete and accurate records in applicable organizational systems, shared repositories and other recordkeeping tools. 
• Oversee proposal preparation and submission process. Set-up budget. Coordinate departmental review and data push between two systems to establish a fiscal account. Manually set-up fiscal account. 
• Oversee the Just-In-Time (JIT) proposal review and the award acceptance process for a select group of sponsors with complex policies and procedures.
• Perform related duties based on departmental need. This job description can be changed at any time.

Required Education

• Bachelor’s degree must be in business administration, public administration or related field.
• Six (6) years of relevant work experience and/or other specialized training can be used in lieu of education requirement.

Required Experience

Two (2) years in grant and/or contract administration.

Additional Qualifications Considered

• Extensive experience negotiating industry and federal contracts and subcontracts.
• Five (5) years in a sponsored research position at an institution of higher education.
• Certifications in research administration (CRA, CPRA) or any additional certificates offered through credible agencies such as NCURA or SRAI.
• Familiarity with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and other federal agency supplements (NIH, NSF, DOE, etc.), the Office of Management and Budget Uniform Guidance (UG), intellectual property, expert control, and technology compliance regulations.
• Understanding of SAP, Kuali, Grants.gov and other state and federal grant systems.
• Intermediate proficiency in MS Office Skills, e.g. Outlook, Word, and Excel.

Physical Requirements/Work Environment

• Office environment/no specific unusual physical or environmental demands.

Application Process Information

A resume and cover letter are required as part of the application process. Attach these documents before submitting your application.

Compensation and Benefits

UC offers an exceptional benefits package designed to support your well-being, financial security, and work-life balance. Eligibility may vary by position and FTE status. Highlights include:

Comprehensive Tuition Remission

UC provides tuition remission for you and your eligible dependents, covering tuition costs for nearly all undergraduate and graduate programs offered by the university.

Robust Retirement Plans

As a UC employee, you won’t contribute to Social Security (except Medicare). Instead, you’ll choose between state pension plans (OPERS, STRS) or an Alternative Retirement Plan (ARP), with UC contributing 14–18% of your salary based on position.

Real Work-Life Balance

UC prioritizes work-life balance with a generous time-off policy, including:

Vacation and sick time

11 paid holidays and additional end-of-year paid time off (Winter Season Days)

6 weeks of paid parental leave for new parents

Additional Benefits Include:

• Competitive salary based on experience
• Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision, prescription)
• Flexible spending accounts & wellness programs
• Professional development & mentorship opportunities

To learn more about why UC is a great place to work, please visit our  .

UC is an E-Verify employer. If hired into this position, you will be required to provide satisfactory proof of employment eligibility by providing acceptable, original forms of identification for employment verification via the Federal I-9 employment verification process. Click for a list of acceptable documents.

Important : To apply you must create a profile and submit a complete job application through the . We are unable to consider “easy apply” applications submitted via other websites. For questions about the UC recruiting process or to request accommodations with the application, please contact UC HR at  View email address on apply.j-vers.com .

Equal Opportunity Employer. Building a workplace where all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment, including Individuals with Disabilities and Protected Veterans.

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