Senior Administrative Assistant, Laboratory for Translational Engineering

The Laboratory for Translational Engineering is a highly interdisciplinary biomedical research group that develops next-generation technologies at the interface of engineering medicine chemistry materials science biology and data science. Research areas include advanced drug-delivery systems ingestible and implantable devices robotic capsules bioresorbable materials electroceuticals diagnostics sensors closed-loop therapeutic systems and computational approaches that support therapeutic discovery and translation. The laboratory collaborates extensively with MIT Mass General Brigham Brigham and Womens Hospital Harvard Medical School government and philanthropic sponsors academic institutions and industry partners.

This is a 40-hour-per-week 100% in-person position based at the Broad Institute in Cambridge. Regular remote work is not anticipated. Consistent on-site presence is essential to support Professor Traverso laboratory personnel visitors meetings events travel purchasing reimbursements appointments workspace coordination and daily laboratory operations.

The role requires initiative independence discretion sound judgment responsiveness and exceptional follow-through. The Senior Administrative Assistant will serve as a central administrative resource for the laboratory coordinate across multiple institutions and stakeholders anticipate needs resolve complex administrative and logistical matters and bring time-sensitive projects to completion.


Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Senior Faculty and Research Administrative Support

• Provide high-level proactive administrative support to Professor Traverso laboratory personnel and collaborators serving as a central point of contact for complex inquiries.
• Prepare organize proofread and format correspondence briefings reports announcements meeting materials and presentations from drafts notes or established content.
• Serve as a key administrative resource by anticipating needs tracking deadlines drafting responses resolving administrative issues and ensuring priorities are completed accurately and on time.
• Serve as a key administrative resource by anticipating needs tracking deadlines drafting responses resolving administrative issues and ensuring priorities are completed accurately and on time.
• Coordinate special projects collect information across internal and external participants and maintain laboratory web content announcements and collaborator distribution lists.

Calendar Management Meetings Travel and Itineraries

• Manage complex calendars and schedule meetings involving Professor Traverso laboratory members Broad colleagues cross-institutional collaborators sponsors and external partners.
• Accommodate multiple time zones urgent requests and travel constraints while protecting focus time for high-priority research and institutional responsibilities.
• Arrange domestic and international travel for Professor Traverso laboratory members and guests; prepare detailed itineraries lodging transportation and meeting locations.
• Attend selected meetings as requested draft and distribute action items and maintain follow-up trackers to ensure timely execution.

Personnel Appointments Onboarding Reviews and Immigration Coordination

• Serve as the key administrative liaison with Broad Human Resources and partner offices on laboratory personnel appointment performance review and compensation matters.
• Coordinate logistics for annual performance and development reviews including timeline tracking scheduling meetings gathering materials and routing required documentation.
• Maintain precise records of appointment terms renewal deadlines personnel rosters emergency contact information and onboarding/offboarding checklists.
• Prepare submit and track appointment reappointment onboarding and offboarding materials in coordination with laboratory leadership and central offices.
• Coordinate immigration and visa administrative processes for international scholars monitoring timelines and initiating renewals proactively.

Financial Transactions Purchasing and Budget Support

• Order supplies equipment office materials and services within established budgets and Broad policies using institutional procurement systems.
• Process purchase orders requisitions invoices payment requests procurement-card transactions journal adjustments and travel/expense reimbursements.
• Identify vendors obtain quotes validate deliveries reconcile invoices with packing records and resolve missing or delayed items promptly.
• Partner with finance procurement and research administration teams to reconcile accounts address discrepancies maintain audit-ready documentation and track budgets and expenditure projections.

Research Administration Sponsors Collaborators and Events

• Support proposal preparation routing and submission as well as progress reports sponsor updates letters of support biosketches and current-and-pending support documents.
• Maintain deadline trackers and version control while collecting required documents and approvals across internal partner and sponsor contacts.
• Plan and execute sponsor visits program reviews seminars retreats recruitment visits and laboratory events coordinating space AV catering travel and logistics.
• Act as an administrative liaison for cross-institutional collaborations spanning Broad MIT Mass General Brigham Harvard and industry partners.

Office Operations Space Coordination and Process Improvement

• Maintain an organized welcoming administrative presence; greet visitors manage incoming mail/deliveries and handle general laboratory operations inquiries.
• Coordinate desk/workspace assignments room access credentials equipment facilities requests and office supplies in partnership with Broad teams.
• Establish and maintain efficient records management systems documentation templates and shared file structures.
• Continuously improve local administrative workflows and guide students interns or temporary staff on laboratory procedures and institutional systems.
• Provide flexible backup support during team absences peak periods or deadline-driven cycles.

Core Values and Expectations

• Confidentiality & Discretion: Maintain high standards of confidentiality tact and sound judgment when handling sensitive personnel financial research sponsor and clinical information.
• Professional Growth & Excellence: Proactively maintain proficiency with institutional systems policies and procedures seeking continuous learning opportunities to enhance laboratory operations.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

• High school diploma or equivalent required; bachelors degree or more advanced education preferred.
• At least four years of progressively responsible administrative office academic research healthcare biotechnology or related experience required.
• Experience in a research institute university hospital biotechnology company or similarly complex organization strongly preferred; prior Broad Institute experience is desirable.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Ability to work 100% in person at the Broad Institute and provide a consistent on-site administrative presence each workday.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex and competing priorities in a fast-paced environment exercise sound judgment and bring projects to closure.
• Excellent organizational customer-service interpersonal written-communication editing and document-preparation skills.
• Ability to work effectively and professionally with faculty trainees staff clinicians researchers sponsors executives visitors vendors and external collaborators.
• High degree of discretion tact diplomacy and judgment in handling confidential or sensitive matters.
• Strong attention to detail accuracy deadlines documentation and follow-through.
• Experience managing complex calendars and arranging domestic and international travel.
• Experience processing invoices purchases expense reports reimbursements and supporting account reconciliation and budget tracking.
• Experience supporting personnel processes appointment and renewal tracking onboarding and offboarding and confidential records.
• Ability to track time-sensitive deadlines related to appointments immigration reviews reimbursements reports proposals and sponsor activities.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Word Excel Outlook and PowerPoint along with experience using collaborative file-sharing videoconferencing and web-based administrative platforms.
• Ability to learn and use new software Broad systems and institutional procedures quickly and accurately.
• Willingness to work occasional extended hours evenings or weekends during major events sponsor reviews proposal deadlines travel disruptions or other peak periods.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting a principal investigator physician-scientist senior academic leader research group or complex laboratory.
• Familiarity with Broad Institute policies and systems related to human resources finance purchasing expense reporting research administration facilities access and information technology.
• Experience supporting sponsored research grant submissions progress reports sponsor meetings advisory meetings or multi-institutional programs.
• Experience coordinating staff postdoctoral student intern visiting-scientist or affiliate appointments and tracking immigration-related deadlines.
• Experience coordinating high-profile visitors seminars workshops retreats sponsor reviews recruitment activities or scientific meetings.
• Experience maintaining websites through WordPress or another content-management system.
• Comfort working in an interdisciplinary environment spanning engineering medicine biology chemistry drug delivery materials science robotics diagnostics data science and translational research.
• Demonstrated ability to improve administrative processes and train or guide others on systems and procedures.

The Broad Institute will not offer visa sponsorship for this job opportunity.