Research Coordinator (7377U), Department of Chemistry - 72681 About Berkeley

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Departmental Overview

UC Berkeley was rated the number one public university in the US for 2022, with the Department of Chemistry rated the best program for chemistry in the world in 2019. Since 1946, UC Berkeley has won 8 Nobel Prizes for Chemistry, our most recent was awarded in 2020. The Department of Chemistry is seeking a new Faculty Support Administrator to support our top-rated research. Our faculty address major scientific and technological challenges facing the world. Join us in our mission to advance society through education and research.

Position Summary

Position involves performing the administrative services and managing the full general operations of one or more large, complex laboratories. Administrative services include activities in finance and personnel and facilities. Performs complex financial planning, management of contracts and grants, and research support functions.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is: September 18, 2024

Responsibilities

Financial/Extramural Management

Liaison to the College of Chemistry and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory business services support units.
Formulate annual operating budgets including spending projections.
Audit and analyze financial reports and forecast expenses to ensure Principal Investigator (P.I.) meets financial obligations of the research group.
Integrate UCB and LBNL reports to create current and accurate comprehensive financial picture to ensure fiscal integrity.
Anticipate and resolve operational, fiscal or other discrepancies.
Work with both UCB and LBNL relevant personnel at the facility and in the central support offices to provide overall support to this function.
Oversee the post-award administration of grants, contracts, and agreements.
Ensure the terms and conditions of all awards are met and manage funds in compliance with university, LBNL, DOE, federal, and state policies and regulations.
Confer with Sponsored Project Office (SPO), UCB and LBNL service units on terms and conditions of awards, budget augmentation, project period, and award extension.
Ensure financial integrity of research funds by regularly reviewing expenditures and comparing to budget and ensuring funds are not in overdraft.
Advise research unit and P.I. on how funds can be used optimally.
Analyze expenses, develop cost projections, and provide financial tracking to fulfill reporting requirements to agencies. This includes reviewing of blanket purchase orders and comparing tracking worksheets to general ledger postings.
Develop, implement, and maintain internal group operating policies and procedures for operation of research, and to comply with federal, state, private grant agency rules and regulations.
Allocate resource levels according to project funding.
Review all grant assignments of resources and equipment.
Contract and Grant Development, Preparation and Reporting

Facilitate the pre-proposal preparation process compliance with UCB, LBNL, and agency announcements, policies, restrictions, and deliverables.
Interpret and analyze agency proposal format, content, budgetary components, and funding guidelines.
Prepare for final submission (i.e. editorial review of documents).
Coordinate submission with proposal coordinator and SPO.
Liaison between PI, SPO, and LBL pre-award units to oversee the establishment, negotiation and administration of grants, contracts and subcontracts and the implementation of consultant agreements in coordination with the Financial Services Office.
Resolve any problems or discrepancies that may include providing technical reports, research summaries, annual and final reports, additional financial reports, and invoice back-up.
Maintain schedule of agency submission and reporting deadlines.
Provide assistance to pre-doctoral and post-doctoral researchers with fellowship applications.
Review applications for accuracy.
Coordinate submissions through proposal coordinator, SPO and LBNL pre-award units.
Personnel Management

Oversee the human resource activities (hiring, termination, change of status, etc.) of the research group personnel with the PI, the shared service units, respective academic and staff payroll offices, UCB, and LBNL administrators.
Ensure proper documentation is obtained for foreign visitors/researchers on visa and work permit applications.
Obtain visa and work permit applications for international researchers.
Establish, implement, and maintain the group's application and interview process for orienting and hiring of postdoctoral scientists and visiting scientists, graduate student researchers, and undergraduate students, ensuring compliance with the policies and procedures of UCB, LBNL, and federal regulations.
Establish, implement, and maintain the group's termination process and compliance of postdoctoral scientists and visiting scientists, graduate student researchers, and undergraduate students ensuring compliance with the policies and procedures of UCB and LBNL.
Material and Facilities Management

Work with the shared services units, and central procurement and receiving units at UCB and LBNL to coordinate the research group's ordering and delivery of all supplies, equipment and services, selecting local, campus or outside vendors.
Define procedures for ordering and delivery of all supplies, equipment, and services using local campus sources and outside vendors.
Evaluate purchasing options and institute practices based on the most economical and effective use of funds.
Arrange purchases of highly specialized, often custom-made equipment, and manage repair and maintenance of existing equipment by outside vendors.
Obtain price and availability quotes from outside vendors for supplies and equipment.
Manage equipment maintenance agreements and warranty repairs.
Work with research group to ensure materials are on hand for experiments.
Ensure systems are in place for fax orders, freight shipments, special handling orders, special software orders, and controlled substance licenses.
Identify laboratory's facilities problems, report problems, follow-up aggressively to ensure problems receive timely attention and are resolved to the P.I.'s satisfaction.
Program/Office Management

Manage the business affairs of the office; develop operational procedures to ensure efficiency in the administrative office and laboratories.
Document and update the procedures on a regular basis.
Serve as primary office contact to broad range of organizations and liaison to UCB and LBNL.
Keep PI apprised of significant issues, events, requests, problems, and deadlines.
Design, manage and keep updated databases, logs, and spreadsheets that facilitate efficient retrieval of a variety of information including laboratory alumni, personnel, publications, etc. Manage data and keep data updated on institution-wide databases such as UCB's academic personnel database.
Edit and maintain PI's publication list for grant reporting requirements.
Set up laboratory personnel travel arrangements, reimbursements for travel and entertainment, composing correspondence, processing personnel activities.
Required Qualifications

Relevant administrative knowledge and extensive experience including demonstrated ability to independently manage an administrative office with a broad spectrum of support services.
Ability to liaison with and integrate and/or quickly learn UCB and LBNL rules, regulations, and procedures for budget, fund, personnel, grant, and facility management.
Extensive administrative experience managing an office for a senior scientist in a research and academic environment with minimal supervision.
Experience in budgeting, cost, and financial analysis.
Experience in overall coordination and budget preparation for scientific and technical proposals for large, complex projects with subcontracting and collaborating institutions.
Demonstrated ability to interact effectively with scientific, management, technical, and other staff from academic, public, and private sector environments.
Possesses tact and diplomacy in all interactions.
Knowledge of current laboratory and office computer software and computer hardware with advanced skills in computer applications, including MS Office.
Ability to work independently, take initiative, and manage multiple high priorities.
Demonstrated problem-solving skills and ability to analyze data/problems and provide solutions.
Excellent organizational, group communication, verbal, and writing skills.
Bachelor's degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training.
Salary & Benefits

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $80,400.00 - $98,000.00.
This is an exempt, monthly paid position.
This is a full-time, Career position that is eligible for full UC benefits.
This position is eligible for up to 20% remote work. Exact arrangements are determined in partnership with your supervisor to meet role responsibilities and department needs, and are subject to change.