How to Apply
A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.
Job Summary
Provide a high level of research grant support for both pre-award and post-award activities, including proactive preparation of grant proposal components, budget development, and long-term forecasting of sponsored research.
Who We Are
The Michigan Neuroscience Institute was established in 1955 to bring together investigators from across the University of Michigan campus to probe the mysteries of the brain on a cellular, molecular, and behavioral level. Its 160 faculty and members seek to understand the function and dysfunction of the human brain.
Responsibilities*
45% Research Administration Pre-Award:
- Prepare pre-award grant proposal and renewal budgets.
- Prepare PAF's and orchestrate grant proposals through eResearch.
- Provide budget, administrative shell, and forms for grant proposals for MNI Research investigators to various agencies after reviewing rules and regulations.
- Manage the formatting of the grant submissions according to agency rules and regulations.
- Work closely with faculty and assist in the preparation of proposals including developing boilerplate language for non-scientific content; track the progress of each proposal through the UM system to assure timely submissions; ensure compliance with sponsor regulations.
- Assist with the development and/or implementation of new administrative policies dealing with grant proposals.
- Serve as an Institute Liaison with ORSP and Medical School Grants Administration.
- Work closely with ORSP and Sponsored Programs, coordinate and process budget allocations, review financial statements, Financial Status Reports, and other compliance reports before submission to sponsors; assist in closing out projects.
30% Research Administration Post-Award:
- Analysis and monitoring of accounting, budgeting, and financial activities for all fund types.
- Evaluate and provide interpretation of financial analyses to faculty and Institute administrator.
- Prepare multi-project financial projections for faculty. Prepare ad-hoc reports as needed.
- Prepare sub-project requests and process budget allocations.
- Coordinate accounting matters and collaborate with other departments.
- Reconcile and review project grant budgets and expenditures, investigate and resolve discrepancies on Institute accounts including sponsored grants to ensure expenses are appropriate according to Institute and sponsor guidelines and complying with Uniform Guidance standards.
- Assess changes in funding and expenditures to ensure that funds are being spent within the awarded time period, following guidelines, and monitoring award balances.
- Provide effort review, including tracking faculty and staff effort to minimize retroactive appointment changes.
- Proactively monitor faculty and staff effort to anticipate gaps in funding, and initiate Personnel Action Requests for changes of effort.
- Assist faculty with the preparation of sponsored research post-award progress reports, carry-forward requests, and post-award change requests.
- Utilize M-Pathways, Business Objects, M-Reports, and departmental accounting software to initiate and process financial activities.
- Maintain data in departmental accounting software. Initiate and process journal entries as needed. Troubleshoot procurement and vendor payment problems.
- Integrate Institute financial structure with ongoing changes in overall University and Medical School.
15% Procurement support:
- Provide support on large equipment purchases, including sole-source agreements.
- Conduct ad hoc purchasing for faculty for scientific journals (i.e., publication fees, website fees).
- Renew Institute service contracts.
- Conduct P-card purchases as needed (Amazon, shipping, etc.).
- Oversee and assist with reimbursement activities through Shared Services.
- Review and approve financial transactions and payments.
10% Other Activities as Required:
- Gather and compile funding opportunity information for monthly email distribution, in concert with other MNI Research Administrators.
- Access databases to track research expenditures by faculty member and across MNI.
- Responsible for rebilling, Internal Controls annual certification and quarterly report review.
- Analyze, compare, and evaluate various courses of action with authority to make independent decisions within the scope of responsibilities.
- Work in concert with MNI staff to gather research funding and output data using Business Objects and University Data Warehouse to assess MNI productivity metrics.
Required Qualifications*
Senior Level Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree and 5 to 7 years of relent experience.
- Minimum3-5 years of pre- and post-award research administration experience.
- Reasonable knowledge of UM policies, rules and regulations is necessary. Reasonable knowledge of accounting principles and applications is necessary.
- Provide excellent customer service, exercise outstanding independent judgement with the ability to multi-task and manage competing priorities and deadlines.
- Exceptional interpersonal, organization, and problem-solving skills
- Must possess excellent written and oral communication skills, with high attention to detail.
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as a member of a team.
Intermediate Level Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree and 3+ years of relevant experience.
Desired Qualifications*
- Advanced Excel, Business Objects, and M-Pathways skills, including: eResearch, Financials & Physicals Resource System, and Human Resources Management System.
- Experience managing sponsored projects from a wide variety of sponsors, including the National Institutes of Health.
- Possess a strong understanding of University procurement policies and procedures, including business travel and hosting expense guidelines.
- Advanced understanding of post-award research administration and policies, including Uniform Guidance restrictions and experience ensuring compliance with expenditures on research projects.
- Experience in reconciliations, and management of the fiscal resources of a primarily research unit and the preparation of detailed budgets and forecasts. Experience in the preparation of detailed monthly and annual financial reports.
Modes of Work
Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.
Underfill Statement
This position may be underfilled at a lower classification depending on the qualifications of the selected candidate.
Background Screening
Michigan Medicine conducts background screening and pre-employment drug testing on job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent job offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background screenings. Background screenings are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Report Act. Pre-employment drug testing applies to all selected candidates, including new or additional faculty and staff appointments, as well as transfers from other U-M campuses.
Application Deadline
Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.
U-M EEO Statement
The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.