Research Administrator

Join Civil and Environmental Engineering as a Research Administrator
Play a central role in advancing cutting‑edge research by providing fiscal leadership and strategic support across a diverse portfolio of projects. Partner closely with faculty, ensure excellence in research management, and make a tangible impact within a collaborative academic community.

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) is seeking an experienced and motivated Research Administrator to join our team. This is a pivotal role for a professional who thrives in a fast‑paced, collaborative environment and wants to play a meaningful role in advancing impactful research.

The Research Administrator serves as the fiscal officer, actively managing post‑award activities across research, start‑up, scholarly activities, and fee‑for‑service accounts. This role goes beyond routine administration, providing critical financial leadership that supports compliance, transparency, and sound decision-making. Responsibilities include preparing reconciliations, reviewing effort reports, verifying data for university research reports, tracking income and expenses, assisting with project closeouts, and forecasting and monitoring budgets.

The Research Administrator also serves as a trusted liaison between faculty, Contracts & Grants Administration, staff, and external sponsors—identifying potential issues early and recommending solutions. Through a hands‑on, forward‑looking approach, this role helps shape the department’s financial strategy and ensures accurate, timely, and compliant reporting.

The department values professionals who bring fresh perspectives and practical ideas to improve processes, enhance efficiency, and strengthen research administration practices. The ideal candidate will collaborate closely with faculty and staff, bringing a relationship‑oriented, people‑focused approach to faculty support while adhering to policies, best practices, and controls that enable groundbreaking research.

Additionally, the successful candidate will be an excellent communicator who contributes positively to a collaborative academic environment and thrives in a deadline‑driven setting. Reliability, sound judgment, creativity, resourcefulness, and a strong sense of initiative are essential. The ability to manage multiple priorities with confidence, adapt to evolving university needs, and apply new knowledge effectively is critical to supporting faculty success and advancing the department’s overall mission.

This position offers the potential for a hybrid work arrangement, blending in‑office and remote work. The specific arrangement will be determined by the supervisor based on departmental priorities and operational needs.

Knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four‑year college degree program in Business Administration, Finance, or a research‑related field; up to six months of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in research administration in one or more of the research process areas of pre‑or post‑award processes, such as regulatory administration; experience in word processing, spreadsheet and database software;

or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience. The job also requires: completion of Essentials of Research Administration (MSU certificate) or equivalent within one year of hire.

• Experience using EBS, KFS, HR Payroll Systems, and Power BI
• Experience working with OSP/CGA and with federal, state, and foundation sponsors
• Working knowledge of University policies and procedures
• Demonstrated experience in account management, financial reporting, and the development and maintenance of accounting procedures and internal controls
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including the ability to analyze and manage complex datasets, develop formulas, create reports, and ensure data accuracy
• Demonstrated experience using Microsoft Word mail merge in conjunction with Excel‑based data to generate accurate, individualized reports (strongly preferred)
• Strong organizational, critical‑thinking, and innovative problem‑solving skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced, deadline‑driven environment
• Experience using Adobe Acrobat and the ability to adapt quickly to new systems and evolving university needs