Research Administrator II, Office of Scientific Research Management

Job details

The people of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) are united by a singular mission: ending cancer for life. Our specialized care teams provide personalized, compassionate, expert care to patients of all ages. Informed by basic research done at our Sloan Kettering Institute, scientists across MSK collaborate to conduct innovative translational and clinical research that is driving a revolution in our understanding of cancer as a disease and improving the ability to prevent, diagnose, and treat it. MSK is dedicated to training the next generation of scientists and clinicians, who go on to pursue our mission at MSK and around the globe.

Exciting Opportunity at MSK: We are seeking a highly organized and diligent Research Administrator to join our team in the Office of Scientific Research Management, supporting major post-award activities within our programs.

This role is critical to financial stewardship, ensuring efficiency and accuracy by supporting financial analysis and operations of research funding streams that advance MSK’s mission to fight cancer through groundbreaking research.  

Role Overview: 

• Assume financial oversight and support for assigned PIs and review funding expenditures by the investigators. Assign expenses appropriately based upon activity and partnering with Research Financial Management (RFM) to ensure allowability, administrative reasonableness, appropriate award applicability, and funding availability. 
• Assist labs and Private Investigators navigating the complex research ecosystem, including offices and key business process requirements. 
• Reconcile and monitor transactions to ensure they are correctly allocated and align with available funding by spending plan or budget available and make corrective adjustments when needed. 
• Support purchasing and invoice payments by ensuring purchased supplies/services are received and monitoring outstanding obligations to inform requesting adjustments to close or amend purchase orders when appropriate. 
• Establish payroll allocation plans for PIs and their lab members salary coverage and monitor to ensure that allocations are adjusted and extended as needed to maintain. 
• Review effort reporting approach as means to review and reconcile payroll, and ensure certifiers complete their certifications by established deadlines.  
• Support PIs and labs as a key liaison with RFM efforts to establish and maintain fiscal year budgets for research activity. 
• Review and handle spending plans based on grants and approved budgets utilizing established reports available. 
• Assist RFM in sponsored project closeout including reallocation of personnel and supplies while also aiding in reporting to sponsors 
• Maintain discretion for confidential information and appropriately handle critical information and sensitive situations. 

Key Qualifications: 

• Exposure to post-award research administration experience in a healthcare or academic research setting. 
• Knowledge of financial operations activity, including crafting requisitions, expense reimbursements, payroll allocations, and monitoring financials through reporting. 
• Mid to sophisticated level skills in Microsoft Office and business intelligence products such as Tableau or Cognos. 

Core Skills: 

• Outstanding communication and self-awareness, able to effectively interact with faculty and administrators. 
• Able to work under pressure and meet deadlines while maintaining professional and courteous service to our customers. 
• Proactive and resilient to adapt to change and innovations. 
• Maintain high work standards and integrity of financial principles and stewardship. 
• Collaborative and comfortable working as part of a team to ensure adherence to established policies and procedures. 
• Proactive in monitoring and reviewing financial information to connect with collaborators and help advise business decisions. 
• Accurate in carrying out transactions and business processes.  

Additional Information: 

• Location: Hybrid 
• Schedule: Monday-Friday, 37.5 hrs. 
• Reporting to Director, Research Initiatives

Helpful Links:

• Compensation Philosophy
• Benefits

Closing:

At MSK, we believe in fair, competitive pay that reflects your job, experience, and skills.

MSK is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of recruiting and employment. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration without regard to race, color, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran status or any other factor which cannot lawfully be used as a basis for an employment decision.  

Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment.