Senior Unit Research Administrator

The Senior Unit Research Administrator serves as the primary liaison between the Colleges faculty Principal Investigators (PIs) USF Sponsored Research and USF Research Financial Management. This role oversees the development review and administration of grant and contract proposal submissions ensuring compliance with institutional and sponsor requirements.A Senior Unit Research Administrator typically reports to a Director Dean or Associate Dean.

Additionally the position researches funding opportunities and informs faculty of potential grants that align with their research interests. The College of Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity and Computing maintains a diverse portfolio of public and private sponsors requiring adaptability and expertise in navigating various funding sources.

Assists with budget preparation related documentation and sponsor forms. Contacts and collaborates with partner institutions to obtain all necessary subcontract documentation. Assists with uploading materials to electronic proposal packages. Coordinates proposal reviews with the central sponsored research office. Supports corrections and modifications before proposal submission. Reviews and other central proposal registration platforms. Advises on non-financial post-award matters such as re-budgeting requests no-cost extensions and interpretation of award terms and conditions.

Serves as a liaison to central offices across the USF campus. Remains up to date on university and sponsor policies and procedures. Provides policy guidance and assistance with all aspects of proposal development including administrative forms sponsor-required certifications and representations and compliance requirements. Offers tools and support for electronic proposal submissions.

Review sponsor guidelines and identify key requirements. Ensure all regulatory requirements and export control issues are identified. Facilitate cost share approvals.

Identifies funding sources for research and service programs. Assists in preparing letters of intent preliminary proposals grant and contract proposals and supplements. Provides technical assistance and guidance to support faculty in proposal development administrative review and the funding process. Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders on grant applications.

Meets with College faculty PIs at the start of the proposal process to discuss guidelines and potential compliance issues and delegate responsibilities for proposal preparation. Review proposals for grammar clarity and conformance with RFP requirements before submission.

Minimum Requirements

This position requires a Bachelors degree and four years of research or research administration experience; A Masters degree may substitute for two years of the required experience. There is no substitution of experience for the Bachelors degree.

Degree Equivalency Clause: Four years of direct experience for a bachelors degree.
Senate Bill 1310- The Florida Senate ( is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.
SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements
A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required not to exceed:
(a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree;
(b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelors degree;
(c) Six years of direct experience for a masters degree;
(d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or
(e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree
Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure certification or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment.
Minimum Qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310.

Preferred Requirements

Experience: Preferably 3 years of experience in grant development or sponsored research administration within a university or research setting.

Technical Skills: Familiarity with electronic grant application platforms such as FastLane ASSIST and NSPIRES.

Agency Experience: Strongly desired experience working with proposals for the National Science Foundation (NSF) National Institutes of Health (NIH) Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of Defense (DOD).

Software Proficiency: Must be proficient in Excel.

Work Environment: Must be adaptable capable of managing multiple projects and thrive in a fast-paced deadline-driven environment.