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Req #: 245008

Department: PHYSICS

Posting Date: 04/07/2025

Closing Info:

Open Until Filled

Salary: $5,114 - $7,672 per month

Shift: First Shift

Notes:

As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs. For a complete description of our benefits for this position, please visit our website, click here. (https://hr.uw.edu/benefits/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/02/benefits-professional-staff-librarians-academic-contract-covered-exempt-20250130-a11y.pdf)

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills, and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits, and natural beauty.

The Department of Physics has an outstanding opportunity for a Program Operations Specialist to join their team.

The Program Operations Specialist provides overall research program support for multiple externally-funded research projects and groups under the general direction of multiple (up to 4) Principal Investigators (PIs). This position facilitates pre-award proposal preparation and award reporting processes, interacting with Department and University offices and research personnel related to PI groups and projects. The position provides broad and extensive administrative support for multiple PIs and their research personnel (e.g., graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, visiting researchers, academic and research collaborators) from across the University and at outside institutions, with in-depth knowledge of departmental, institutional, external agency, and governmental guidelines, policies, and regulations.

This position exercises a high degree of independent judgment and has delegated decision-making responsibility for financial management and contract administration. This position must be able to balance multiple priorities and deadlines in a complex environment, with demonstrated ability to prioritize essential tasks with short lead times. Ensure successful proposal submission by exercising independent judgment interpreting and applying sponsor, UW, federal, state and industry policies, rules and regulations with grant/contract preparation and implementation. Expected to understand and interpret complex requirements and be able to prioritize and manage updates from the sponsor, including but not limited to DOE, NSF, and DOD. Effectively manage and administer multiple research awards upon arrival within Physics. Develop budgets and budget justifications based on project requirements, research methodologies engaged in project, and funding parameters. Manage budget revisions and continued funding on multiple complex budgets including state, federal, University/industry cooperative, contracts, subcontracts and University sub- budgets. This position regularly exercises independent judgment and discretion in work directly related to business operations.

**DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES** Financial & Grant Management

+ Financial oversight of annual operating budgets for grants. Includes completing necessary business actions throughout the fund/award lifecycle to manage funds in accordance with all Department, University and sponsor policies.

+ Provide monthly and quarterly reports (and as requested) that include spending analysis, forecast future needs, and communicate status and progress of personnel, travel, equipment, research sub-awards, and other spending activities and communicate status and progress to Principal Investigators.

+ Track expenditures using Workday Financials and ensure that budget spending is aligned with planned grant spending.

+ Establish new budgets and processes for monitoring and approving expenditures.

+ Review and approve purchases for goods and services.

+ Manage subaward accounts to ensure compliance with sponsor and organizational policies.

+ Process and track subaward invoices and supporting documentation.

+ Ensure all accounts are reconciled regularly.

+ Perform audits to ensure accuracy and compliance with UW Cost Principles.

+ Manage all documentation, preparation and timely submission of proposals, annual reporting, and other program deliverables.

+ Interface with the University Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), Grants and Contracts Accounting (GCA), funding agencies (NSF, DOD, DOE, etc.).

+ Establish timelines to meet sponsor and UW due dates and instruct research staff about specific requirements described in the call for proposals.

+ Oversee PI’s payroll and effort tracking.General Administration

+ Respond promptly to email and in-person requests from students, faculty and staff.

+ Manage travel reimbursements for supported faculty, their groups, and members from both UW and non-UW institutions involved in the PI’s research.

+ Analyze and process purchase requests through on-line requisitioning, approval, and procurement systems.

+ Attend monthly/quarterly University, college and departmental meetings, including MRAM, and research admin staff meetings.

+ Advise Administrator of research activities and issues on a regular basis.

+ Assume other duties as assigned. **MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS**

+ Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business Administration, or related field

+ At least two years of experience in fiscal management in higher education, research administration or related discipline; equivalent education/experience may substitute for stated requirements. **Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.** **DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS**

+ High level of professionalism and ability to maintain drive and vision while under pressure.

+ Demonstrated ability to organize/plan a complex workload to meet deadlines, and work effectively with interruptions and changing priorities.

+ Demonstrated critical thinking, problem solving, and analytical skills.

+ Excellent written and spoken communication, as well as strong editing skills.

+ Ability to take initiative and work effectively within the organization and with external partners.

+ Experience developing and managing complex budgets, with precision and accuracy.

+ Experience with grant proposal preparation and using grant submission systems (e.g., SAGE, Research.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons).

+ Commitment to continual organizational and individual growth and process improvement.

+ Ability to remain personable, professional, and organized under stressful situations.

+ Strong collaborative and interpersonal skills. **Application Process:** The application process may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment, you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are access ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.

University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, among other things, race, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.