BSS Research Administrator II

Position Type:
Regular
Visa Sponsored Job:
No
Relocation Assistance Eligible:
No
Hiring Range:
79,040.00 USD - 98,800.00 USD
*Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, and skills relevant to the role.
Application Closes at 12:00am MST on:
2026-10-15
About the RoleThe University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) is excited to welcome a Budget Analyst II (with the business title of Research Administrator II) to our Business Shared Services (BSS) team! The BSS team centralizes the financial management of research proposals and awarded funds within UCAR Community Programs (UCP), delivering consistent, high-quality support for all pre- and post-award activities.
In this role, you’ll support the Cooperative Programs for the Advancement of Earth System Science (CPAESS) Program, which partners with federal agencies and businesses to hire critical scientific staff enabling a more robust workforce. As a trusted advisor and partner to principal investigators, you’ll administer every stage of the award lifecycle. From coordinating proposals to managing active awards, you’ll provide expert-level financial analysis for contracts, cooperative agreements, and grants, including expense monitoring, forecasting, reconciliation, and reporting.
This is a fast-paced dynamic, team-oriented role where problem-solving and effective communication are paramount. You’ll collaborate closely with Center and Program leadership to support our sponsored programs and maximize outcomes through strategic financial insight. By translating complex financial data into actionable guidance, you’ll ensure compliance with federal and sponsor requirements as well as institutional policies. The successful candidate will identify and resolve grants administration issues using strong knowledge of the OMB Uniform Guidance, FAR, sponsor requirements, and generally accepted cost principles.
The BSS team is a close-knit, mission-driven group that values collaboration, growth, and strong relationships. We support one another, celebrate wins, and see every challenge as a chance to learn. If you love numbers, learning new things, and helping others succeed, come bring your expertise and energy to a team that’s shaping the future of Earth System Science!
Job Description
Responsibilities
Pre-Award Management & Proposal Strategy
Lead Proposal Administration: Manage end-to-end proposal development for research grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts, ensuring seamless alignment with UCAR policies and federal sponsor guidelines.
Budget & Narrative Development: Partner directly with Principal Investigators (PIs) and project leads to build comprehensive, multi-year project budgets, cost proposals, and detailed budget narratives.
Portal & Submission Management: Coordinate data entry, document assembly, and formal proposal uploads across UCAR internal systems and federal sponsor portals (e.g., Research.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons).
Compliance & Risk Assessment: Perform thorough pre-submission compliance checks to verify cost allowability, cost-share requirements, indirect rate applications, and sponsor-specific restrictions.
Post-Award Management & Financial Compliance
Full Lifecycle Award Administration: Oversee active direct awards, contract vehicles, and subawards from initial budget distribution through award closeout.
Financial Monitoring & Forecasting: Conduct regular financial reviews, track burn rates, reconcile expenditures, perform cost transfers, and generate accurate rolling forecasts to prevent overruns.
Regulatory Compliance & Audit Readiness: Ensure strict adherence to federal regulations (OMB Uniform Guidance, FAR), sponsor terms, and organizational cost principles, serving as a primary point of contact for audit reviews.
Financial Reporting & Invoicing: Prepare and submit accurate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports, sponsor billing packages, and closeout documentation in accordance with strict deadlines.
Award Modifications & Extensions: Draft and process formal requests for award amendments, budget reallocations, scope changes, and no-cost extensions in coordination with sponsors and UCAR management.
Stakeholder Engagement & Strategic Financial Partnership
Financial Advisory & Translation: Serve as the designated financial Subject Matter Expert (SME) for PIs, program managers, and department leaders, translating complex regulations, expenditure allowability rules, and financial reports into clear and actionable guidance.
Federal Sponsor Liaison: Act as a responsive financial liaison between UCAR project teams and federal sponsor representatives (e.g., NOAA, NASA, NSF grant officers).
Reporting & Data Visualization: Develop recurring and ad-hoc financial dashboards, metric reports, and summary presentations to provide leadership with clear visibility into portfolio health.
Process Improvement & Tool Optimization: Leverage advanced spreadsheet modeling (PivotTables, macros, complex formulas) and ERP tools to streamline budgeting workflows and reduce reporting turnaround times.
Required Qualifications
Education and Experience
Bachelor's degree in a relevant academic discipline;
5 years of experience administering federal funds (grants, awards, contracts, etc.) (or a Masters degree and three years of related experience);
Or an equivalent combination of education and experience which qualifies the individual to perform the duties as described.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Federal Award & Task Order Administration: Advanced skill in administering grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and task orders in strict compliance with federal and sponsor requirements.
Proposal Development & Submission Systems: Advanced proficiency in preparing project budgets and submitting proposal packages via federal and institutional platforms (e.g., Grants.gov, Research.gov, UCAR systems).
Budget Analysis, Cost Control & Metrics: Advanced ability to perform multi-year budget development, financial analysis, cost control, burn-rate tracking, and key operational statistics.
Spreadsheet Modeling & Status Reporting: Advanced skill in leveraging spreadsheet applications (Excel or Google Sheets) to perform complex financial analysis, model scenario data, and present executive status reports.
Government Regulations & Policy Compliance: Intermediate working knowledge of federal award requirements (including OMB Uniform Guidance) as well as UCAR policies, guidelines, and procedures.
Communication & Data Translation: Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, with a proven ability to translate complex financial data and rules into clear, accessible language for stakeholders.
Proactive Problem-Solving & Resourcefulness: Strong analytical skills, with the ability to locate key information sources, anticipate organizational issues before they arise, and implement effective solutions.
Independent Execution & Team Collaboration: Proven ability to drive work independently with minimal oversight while collaborating effectively within a team environment.