Administrative Assistant, Genomics Center for the Advancement of Agriculture UTIA

The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Genomics Center for the Advancement of Agriculture is seeking an Administrative Associate to join the leadership team and play a central role in expanding the impact of the Center across campus and outside communities. Working closely with reporting to and supervised by the Director the Associate will be responsible in managing a diverse set of tasks aiming to fulfill the Centers mission of providing genomics services disseminating knowledge and educating stakeholders. We are looking for someone who wants to contribute their skills and enthusiasm to grow the Center is interested in understanding and executing the mission of the Center while expanding their own skills and has the ability to fulfill multiple tasks within the organization.

Administrative/Clerical Support:

• Provide clerical support for Director and associated staff
• Perform administrative and secretarial duties with wide latitude for exercising discretion and judgment including identifying and resolving problems that would not require the Directors direct involvement
• Provides customer service support for the Center (greeting visitors answering phones responding to email inquiries and equipment scheduling etc).
• Work with other team members to develop and reconcile budgets manage vendor relationships ordering and supply management
• Assists the Director with various committee activities as necessary (ex. organizes meetings for the Center including advisory board meetings)
• Records write and distributes meeting minutes
• Perform Center administrative duties including management and maintenance records
• Perform specialized duties according to program guidance which may include compiling data data analysis such as metrics regarding Center grants faculty students publications and other productivity data and document preparation
• Works with time-sensitive and confidential materials

Communications and Marketing:

• Develop and maintain Center listserv groups
• Be well-versed in marketing platforms and coordinate with the Departments and UTIA Marketing and Communications unit
• Develop and maintain Center website and other social media platforms
• Creates updates and submits communication materials for review
• Be able to translate scientific findings and concepts into marketable materials in collaboration with the faculty and students
• Plans and organizes retreats conferences seminar series and/or annual meetings

Logistical Support:

• Uses judgment and independence to make changes to the schedules and matters of the Director and Center faculty and staff
• Plan execute and close out meetings seminars workshops of various sizes
• Coordinate meetings of the Centers internal and external advisory boards
• Assist in management of grant applications (assemble materials (such as bio-sketches) and edit grants)
• Coordinates travel plans and creates itineraries for Center faculty staff and guests

Human Resources Support:

• Assist Center faculty completing Dossier Enhanced Review and Promotion & Tenure packets
• Compose process and track information documents and materials necessary for staff position searches via OED and Taleo
• Works closely with the Business Manager regarding funding changes and other related items
• Coordinates on-boarding of new employees that are directly tied to the Genomics Center including working with the Center for Global Engagement and preparing materials to request J1 and H1-B visas for visiting scholars

Required Qualifications:

• Education/Experience:

  • A high school diploma and two years of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education training and experience.

• Knowledge Skills Abilities:

  • Excellent interpersonal skills and professionalism; Excellent written and verbal communication skills

  • Strong knowledge and proficiency with office software programs

  • Ability and willingness to learn new skills as necessary

  • Excellent organizational and time management skills with demonstrated ability to prioritize multi-task and meet multiple deadlines

  • Demonstrated attention to detail

  • Ability to exercise good judgment confidentiality and discretion in the performance of all work assignments

  • Ability to develop and maintain positive working relationships with diverse audiences including administrators faculty staff students and stakeholders

  • Demonstrated ability to exercise initiative for problem solving; Must be self-motivated and pro-active

  • Have the ability to be flexible in adapting to changing conditions

Preferred Qualifications:

• Education/Experience:

  • Associates Degree or Bachelors Degree in business management education leadership communications marketing biology or related fields and one year of experience relevant to the position.

• Knowledge Skills Abilities:

  • Software proficiencies including Microsoft Office (Word Outlook Excel PowerPoint Teams) Adobe Creative Suite (Acrobat Pro Photoshop Illustrator Publisher) WordPress and Zoom

Work Location:

• Location: Knoxville TN
• Onsite-Monday-Friday first shift; occasional weekends evenings and overnight travel

Compensation and Benefits:

• UT market range: MR05
• Find more information on the UT Market Range structurehere
• Find more information on UT Benefitshere

Application Instructions:

To express interest please submit an application with the noted below attachments. To be assured of full consideration completed applications with all requested materials should be submitted on or before 12/31/2025.

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• List of 3 Professional References

About The College/Department/Division:

The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is committed to the advancement of agriculture by developing new strategies for improvement of productivity and sustainability of food production systems.

Specifically beef production is vital to the economy of Tennessee. The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is the flagship program for education discovery and service to beef producers and agricultural communities to support the breadth of the industry.

UTIA has identified genetics and genomics as a high priority area in which to commit resources needed to create a nationally pre-eminent program that can provide leadership in the advancement of the beef industry through a holistic approach including genetics animal health reproduction structural soundness disease and pest resistance heat tolerance nutrition and consumer sciences among others.

The beef industry particularly Angus breeders have developed progressive rapidly changing genomic testing programs as a means of accelerating genetic selection and improving consistency of progeny outcomes for desired performance characteristics. Phenotypic selection criteria have been the basis for genetic improvement of beef cattle for many years.

Phenotypic data represents the culmination of influences from genetic environment and management on the ultimate performance outcomes of progeny. Phenotype alone has been limited in its ability to eliminate genetic defects accurately predict outcomes and yield consistent progeny performance. Also phenotypic assessment does not yield reliable data regarding disease resistance parasite resistance fertility and other physiologic expressions. Future algorithms that guide the development of the beef industry are best served by a combination of phenotypic and genomic analysis. To that end we propose to develop a program of excellence in livestock genomics as a high priority area for UTIA. This may only be accomplished by forming partnerships with beef and allied industries.