Career Center

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $90,000- $110,000

Position Summary

Reporting to the Principal Investigator (PI), the Administrative Director, Bioelectronic Systems Lab provides high-level expense and personnel management to the Principal Investigator and group researchers. The Lab Administrative Director works very closely with the PI to oversee the operation of a large engineering research group, including the entire sponsored projects and discretionary portfolio as well as all procurement and capital asset administration. Produces and analyzes reports necessary for government grant proposals, including budgets, and other administrative items. Assists in the development of new grant proposals. Advises students on account issues, housing issues, and other personal matters, as well as ensure research needs are met.  Works independently and under minimal supervision, ensuring the accuracy of work product and timeliness of submission to meet critical deadlines. Oversees the work product of other administrative staff, procurement, and capital asset tracking.   Suggests and makes changes as necessary that will streamline processes. This role may include  other lab management responsibilities, including  with animal protocols, safety compliance, and equipment maintenance and training.

Responsibilities

• (20%) Manages sponsored projects portfolio and discretionary financial portfolio for the group:

  Manages all pre and post-award functions for group???s sponsored project portfolio, including contract execution, budget set-up, subcontract set-up, and compliance checks on spending. Tracks all account expenses on a monthly basis for a portfolio of over 30 grant accounts and over 6 discretionary accounts, maintaining a monthly shadow ledger to reconcile with university financial systems. Projects expenses on all accounts through the end of the fiscal year and/or account end date. Reconciles expenses on a monthly basis to ensure every transaction posting to an account is in compliance with sponsor and university policy as well as in line with the PI???s research operations; conducts compliant procurement and labor accounting adjustments as necessary. Meets with Principle Investigator regularly to review financial reports and advise on planned spending.     

• (20%) Manages procurement operations for the group:

  Oversees the procurement of supplies and minor equipment, both through PCard and tracks receipt of orders (packing slips) on shared group mySQL database. Oversees the procurement and tracking of major capital assets and complex fabricated assets through requisitions in ARC. Reviews and approves Program Coordinator???s PCard transactions on a monthly basis in ARC. Oversees procurement, vendors, and lab requisitions, liaising with vendors and lab members to source competitive quotes, complete sole source justifications when necessary, and execute purchasing agreements. Works on procurement independently and under minimal supervision in a timely and accurate manner. Reviews and approves Program Coordinator???s vouchers and requisitions in ARC.

                 

• (20%) Provides HR support for the group:

  Manages and tracks postdoctoral research scientist, associate research scientist, and graduate student appointments, working with PI and department to ensure appointment letters and other documentation are completed in a timely manner. Tracks graduate students??? academic progress ??? thesis defense, completion of dissertations, class registration, etc. ??? and research scientist appointment timelines for PI effort reports and personnel planning. Conducts all labor accounting transactions (salary allocations, cost transfers, combo code creation, etc.) in PAC, as well as budget analyses and planning, using group's Excel shadow ledge.

• (20%) Provides support for government grant proposals and progress reports:

  Produces and analyzes justifications for new grant proposals and outlines budget parameters for collaborators at other institutions and senior managers and leaders. Manages confidential data and sensitive information, including proposals and progress reports as necessary. Evaluates detailed statements for progress reports and audits (internal and external) as necessary.

                 

• (10%) Student and Postdoc advising:

  Liaises between students and Student Financial Services to troubleshoot account issues. Advises students on thesis defense planning. Serves as mediator between postdocs and department on housing issues (housing applications and housing supplement payment status

                 

• (10%) Performs other related projects and assignments.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and/or the equivalent required.

• A minimum of four to six years of related experience and excellent communication, interpersonal and organizational skills. Must be able to work independently with minimal supervision. Quantitative skills are essential for this position.

• Must be able to work interactively and collaboratively with faculty, research staff, University offices, and external granting agencies. Must be very detail-oriented and must be able to prioritize tasks.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel, and other related software required. (Proficiency in a corporate or enterprise database management system such as PeopleSoft is desirable but certainly not required.)  

   

• Lab management  including help with animal protocols, safety compliance, equipment maintenance and training preferred,

   

• Must be flexible in terms of working hours, priorities, and deadlines.  Compensation will be competitive and commensurate with the considerable responsibilities of the position and the skills of the applicant.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.

About Columbia University

Columbia University is one of the world's most important centers of research and at the same time a distinctive and distinguished learning environment for undergraduates and graduate students in many scholarly and professional fields. The University recognizes the importance of its location in New York City and seeks to link its research and teaching to the vast resources of a great metropolis. It seeks to attract a diverse and international faculty and student body, to support research and teaching on global issues, and to create academic relationships with many countries and regions. It expects all areas of the university to advance knowledge and learning at the highest level and to convey the products of its efforts to the world.

Connections working at Columbia University