Principal Research Administration Officer

• Faculty of Science
• Be a key member of the Research Management team
• Facilitate the dissemination of information and provide advice to researchers
• Full-time continuing position
• Based at St Lucia Campus

About UQ

As part of the UQ community, you’ll have the opportunity to work alongside the brightest minds, who have joined us from all over the world.

Everyone here has a role to play. As a member of our professional staff cohort, you will be actively involved in working towards our vision of a better world. By supporting the academic endeavour across teaching, research, and the student life, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute to activities that have a lasting impact on our community.

Join a community where excellence is at the core of our culture, contributions are valued and a range of benefits and rewards are available, such as:

• 26 weeks paid parental leave or 14 weeks paid primary caregiver leave
• 17% superannuation contributions
• 17.5% annual leave loading
• Access to flexible working arrangements including hybrid working options, flexible start/finish times, purchased leave, and a condensed fortnight
• Health and wellness discounts – fitness passport access, free yearly flu vaccinations, discounted health insurance, and access to our Employee Assistance Program for staff and their immediate family
• On campus childcare options
• Cheap parking (from just $5.75 a day)
• Salary packaging options

About This Opportunity 

The Principal Research Administration Officer facilitates the dissemination of information and provides advice to researchers on sources of research support, both external and internal. They also provide high-level assistance to researchers throughout all stages of the grants and supports the Associate Dean Research and two Deputy ADRs as appropriate.

Key responsibilities will include: 

Research Advisory

• Act as a senior subject matter expert and source of high-level advice on all aspects of research administration and governance, including:
  • The research performance and grants profile of the Faculty/Schools/Centres
  • UQ research-related governance, policies and procedures and any changes or updates
  • Contribute to briefings, statistics, discussion papers, and/or policy-related documentation arising from the administration of research grants, either in conjunction with other senior staff members or independently
  • The administration of relevant Faculty Research Committees including bookings, preparation of agenda and minutes and support of implementation of committees’ strategies and action plans
  • Coordination of intermediate and high-complexity internal funding schemes as required, including preparation of guidelines, advertisements, and administration of review and award processes
  • Providing advice regarding key points of contact within the Faculty/Schools/Centres, the Research Office and other areas of UQ and external to UQ

Funding and Grant Administration

• Identify and distribute information regarding research income opportunities as relevant to the specific discipline/context
• Plan, organise and participate in research funding seminars/workshops, including as lead/co-lead
• Ensure applications are submitted by required deadlines, both internally and externally
• Coordinate review of research grant applications through the Faculty Readership scheme including the appointment and management of readers and scheme finances
• Assist with Faculty consideration of requests for research co-investment

Communication and engagement

• Design and maintain research webpages and intranet sites to ensure that academic staff have access to relevant information on grants, events, seminars and workshops
• Assist in the promotion of Faculty/Schools/Centres research activity on websites
• Support communication of research-related information through preparation of a fortnightly Faculty Research e-newsletter
• Oversee delivery of researcher development events such as seminars, workshops and research days including arranging bookings, promotion, approvals and payments
• Administer the Faculty Researcher Mentoring Scheme
• Establish strong and effective networks across UQ to develop consistent approaches to research administration

This is a full-time (100%), continuing position.

At HEW level 7, the full-time equivalent base salary will be in the range $96,649.64 - $105,244.58, plus a generous super allowance of up to 17%. The total FTE package will be up to $113,080.08 - $123,136.15 annually. As this role is covered by an Enterprise Agreement, you will also receive regular remuneration increases – at least once a year.

About You

• Completion of a degree with at least four years subsequent relevant experience; OR Extensive experience and management expertise; OR • An equivalent combination of relevant experience and/or education/training.
• Demonstrated and well-advanced experience of research administration or research management
• Proficiency at an advanced level using computer software packages for word-processing, data storage and retrieval, and spreadsheets as well as a high level of proficiency and practical understanding of administrative computer applications, especially with data on mainframe corporate systems
• Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills
• Detailed knowledge of higher education policies and procedures in relation to research administration, or demonstrated capacity to gain this knowledge
• Demonstrated experience in the development of strong external and internal relationships
• Demonstrated ability to generate and write briefings, strategic reports, and/or policy papers with a high attention to detail, either in conjunction with other senior staff members or independently
• Integrity, diplomacy and sensitivity in communicating with a range of client groups
• Ability to work cooperatively and constructively with staff from within a variety of settings from within the University and external to the University
• Excellent abilities as a team player

In addition, the following mandatory requirements apply:

• Work Rights: You must have unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this appointment to apply. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment. 
• Background Checks: All final applicants for this position may be asked to consent to a criminal record check. Please note that people with criminal records are not automatically barred from applying for this position. Each application will be considered on its merits. 

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Dr Andrea Belcher at [email protected] . For application queries, please contact [email protected] stating the job reference number (below) in the subject line. 
 

All applicants must upload the following documents in order for your application to be considered:

• Cover letter addressing the ‘About You’ section  
• Resume 
   

At UQ we know that our greatest strengths come from our diverse mix of colleagues, this is reflected in our ongoing commitment to creating an environment focused on equity, diversity and inclusion .  We ensure that we are always attracting, retaining and promoting colleagues who are representative of the diversity in the broader community, whether that be gender identity , LGBTQIA+ , cultural and/or linguistic , Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples , or people with a disability . Accessibility requirements and/or adjustments can be directed to [email protected] .

If you are a current employee (including casual staff and HDR scholars) or hold an unpaid/affiliate appointment, please login to your staff Workday account and visit the internal careers board to apply for this opportunity. Please do NOT apply via the external job board.

Applications close March 28th 2024 at 11.00pm AEST (Job Reference Number - R-36476). Please note that interviews have been tentatively scheduled for mid-April.