The Vice Chancellor Health Sciences Research Service Core (RSC) is a shared business service center dedicated to fostering faculty and management confidence and compliance with sponsor requirements. RSC provides top-quality Pre and Post Award Research Administration services with excellent access and efficiency, supporting UC San Diego departments with standardized Fund Management. The unit develops systems, tools and training courses, and automated systems to promote, best practices in research administration ensuring all departments have access to these processes and guidelines. Staffing is provided on an opt-in basis for those departments in need or interested in innovative program changes.

RSC collaborates across multiple functional areas including human resources, finance, and sponsored projects central offices. This unit plays a critical role in the success of the shared service center model.

Under general supervision of the Research Administrator supervisor, this position may either provide support in the capacity of pre-award administration to develop and/or oversees research proposals; or work in the capacity of post-award administration providing fiscal analysis and management. In collaboration with the experienced Research Administrator, support will involve multiple PI's and funding mechanisms (grant, contract, clinical trials, fellowships, sub awards, service agreements, etc.), and sources ranging (Federal, State, private, industry, etc.). Research Administrator will follow sponsor and institutional procedures and practices when assisting with preparing pre-award proposals; or analyzing or reviewing post-award financial information or reports - all with a high degree of accuracy.

In collaboration with the experienced Research Administrator, pre-award responsibilities include interpretation of guidelines, organization and preparation of budgets and application packages, coordinating with internal investigators and external subaward investigators and teams, flagging for compliance review, routing internally for submission.

In collaboration with the experienced Research Administrator, post-award responsibilities include processing and approving requisitions, reimbursements, invoices, travel, payroll and non-payroll cost transfers, reviewing for appropriateness and allowability of expenditures, availability of funds and applicable funding restrictions, and forecasting spending plans.

Research Financial Analyst will interpret and effectively communicate information, work collaboratively and cohesively, provide exceptional customer service in support of projects that lead to knowledge, discovery, innovations, and the advancement of society.

Under general supervision, develops and / or oversees research proposals, awards and / or transactions related to contract and grant management and maintains contract and grant records in compliance with institutional and research sponsor policies. Works on proposals of moderate scope such as single investigator NSF proposals where analysis of financial information or reports requires review of a variety of factors (e.g. budgets, salaries, expenses, etc). Receives assignments on project basis and fully analyzes problems, gathers data and information, and recommends solutions. May be eligible for delegated signature authority. Completes and approves transactions for signature by manager or other authorized institutional official.

• Six years of related experience, education/training, OR a Bachelor's degree in related area plus two years of related experience/training.

• Knowledge of applicable federal, state, local, sponsor and institutional regulations, policies, and guidelines. Knowledge of federal, state, and private agency contract and grant regulations and requirements from proposal preparation through close out; including but not limited to cost accounting standards.

• Knowledge of applicable compliance requirements related to use of human or animal subjects in research, financial conflict of interest, biosafety, etc.

• Ability to manage a high volume of transactions.

• Ability to perform moderately complex financial analysis and customized reporting.

• Demonstrated competence in the use of spreadsheet and database software in financial analysis, fiscal management and financial reports. Demonstrated skill in using a variety of computer systems, including database, spreadsheet, word-processing, and Internet systems.

• Ability to maintain independent judgment; strong organization; communication skills; and a customer service focus.

• Maintains current knowledge of compliance regulations in all areas of research administration.

• Demonstrated knowledge of generally accepted accounting, fiscal and reporting principles. Demonstrated experience with principles and practices of fund accounting, cost analysis and audit procedures.

• Demonstrated knowledge of policies and procedures relating to contract and grants; and accounting. Ability to independently interpret, analyze, and implement appropriate policies in a given situation.

• Demonstrated experience designing financial management tools to administer awards. Demonstrated experience in budget preparation using automated spreadsheet systems.

• Demonstrated organizational skills. Skill in prioritizing a high volume workload to ensure priorities and other deadlines are met. Demonstrated ability to work in pressure situations to meet deadlines and accommodate interruptions. Ability to maintain flexibility to redirect efforts when priorities change.

• Proven ability to analyze financial issues, recognize potential impact, identify creative and alternative solutions; make and implement recommendations. Demonstrated problem-solving and negotiation skills with ability to exercise discretion.

• Demonstrated experience analyzing expenditures, recognizing trends in order to support budget adjustments.

• Proven ability to assess and contribute to development of automated systems to facilitate award administration. Demonstrated skill in setting up and maintaining accurate filing systems.

• Demonstrated experience in developing, producing and completing reports for various funding agencies; projecting multi-year expenditures and outcomes as they relate to individual projects, and the department as a whole; ability to apply programmatic knowledge to coordinate financial aspects of award administration.

• Demonstrated ability to maintain a professional attitude during interaction and collaboration with a wide range of personalities. Excellent communication skills.

• Knowledge of University policies and procedures regarding purchasing, returned goods, travel, disbursement, inventory, and ability to work collaboratively with contacts involved in these processes.

• Demonstrated experience with UCSD on-line and web based accounting systems (Oracle, Concur, Cognos Reporting, etc.).

• Demonstrated experience with UCSD UC Path policies and procedures.

• Demonstrated ability to conduct group training to both lay and professional staff on a variety of fiscal processes, policies and fiscal reports.

• Employment is subject to a criminal background check.