GRANTS AND CONTRACTS MANAGER

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

The Center for Environmental and Information Systems (EIS) at the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) at the University of Washington is expanding – see yourself at APL!

The Applied Physics Laboratory is a research unit at the University of Washington. Our research expertise is in ocean physics and engineering, ocean and medical acoustics, polar science, environmental remote sensing, and signal processing. We conduct research and development that is sponsored by a variety of federal and state agencies, and take great pride in our long-standing status as a US Navy-designated University Affiliated Research Center (UARC). Our work takes place not only on the University of Washington campus and medical centers, but in field locations around the world – at sea, in the air, and on polar ice caps. We apply rigorous scientific inquiry and engineering excellence in pursuit of solutions to important problems for the good of our region, nation, and world.

Diversity is a core value at University of Washington and the Applied Physics Laboratory shares this commitment. We are focused on building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable research environment for all students, staff, and collaborators. We believe every member on our team enriches our community by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design and deliver solutions.

Environmental and Information Systems develops new methods for environmental observation and new tools for data analysis and signal processing. Our three core research areas are: acoustics and signal processing; environmental sensing and modeling; and, information and control systems. Researchers in the Lab are also embarking on a number of cutting-edge projects including collaborations both within and outside the University, including the Office of Naval Research and the Naval Sea Systems Command, with detailed and complex proposal and reporting requirements involved.

EIS is the largest applied research unit at the Applied Research Lab, and the Grants and Contracts Manager will be solely responsible and accountable for the Autonomous Systems and Controls grants program within EIS.  This program has 20 Principal Investigators with varied research projects, and the incumbent will assist in the management of the EIS grant and contract program and financial reporting of grants, contracts, and sub-awards. The Department Head will rely on this position to answer all key questions and manage issues related to research administration.

Examples of these duties include:

*Financial and Compliance Management: manage pre- and post-award grants and contracts; develop and prepare budgets, graphs, figures, and other administrative sections of highly complex proposals for grants and contracts; establish and maintain a current knowledge base of Laboratory and University policies and procedures and provide subject matter expertise to EIS staff; maintain a current-state understanding of each PI’s portfolio of funded awards; prepare periodic reports that include spending analysis, forecast future needs, and other spending activities; interface with University Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), Grants and Contracts Accounting (GCA), and funding agencies (including NAVSEA, ONR, DARPA, NSF, NOAA).

*Quality Assurance: conduct a thorough quality control review of all PI proposals to proactively identify and address aspects which could result in administrative delay or rejection at the APL, UW, or sponsor level; collaborate with other staff on the development of improvement in departmental processes, tools, and communication to further enhance the service provided to PIs.

*Administrative: enhance or develop policies and procedures for pre- and post-award administrative functions that result in streamlined processes and increased efficiencies; collaborate and work closely with other grants, contracts, and fiscal staff members across the Laboratory to provide training and back-up as needed; serve as mentor and “go to” advisor for research administration topics; administer onboarding and offboarding processes for department staff; assist with periodic organization and logistical support of occasional onsite meetings; assist with equipment inventory compliance and audits; provide support, as needed, on navigating insurance needs and requirements.

REQUIREMENTS:

Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, or related discipline AND as least five years’ experience working in research administration with responsibility for proposal development, including complex budgets and subawards.

•    Prior experience with DoD research contract administration, with emphasis on the proposal preparation process and all other areas of pre-award administration. Proficient at developing grant proposals and managing all post award budgeting and expenditures.
•    US Citizenship.
•    Ability to obtain/maintain a Department of Defense clearance.
•    Experience interacting with faculty and department leadership in grant management context.
•    Ability to work independently, take initiative and ownership of work, successfully prioritize, and manage multiple projects in a deadline-driven environment.
•    Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
•    Ability to exercise independent judgment and manage competing priorities using strong organization skills.
•    Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Office skills using a range of software programs including Word and Excel.
•    Skilled at developing complex linked spreadsheets.
•    Demonstrated ability and/or experience handling high volume of diverse tasks, under deadlines, with consistently excellent accuracy and attention to detail.
•    Flexibility and resourcefulness.

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

The person hired into this position must be a U.S. citizen and successfully obtain and continue to maintain a Department of Defense (DOD) Personnel Security Clearance. The process for obtaining a DOD Security Clearance can be view using the following links: Processing Applicants (dcsa.mil) or General Investigations and Clearance Processes (dcsa.mil)

Desired:

•Active Department of Defense security clearance.
•Experience working with staff from UW operations (OSP, GCA, ISO, etc.) and sponsor program and research staff.
•High level of accountability – drives for results, displays a sense of ownership, and is passionate about attaining goals and surpassing expectations.
•Proactive problem solver and communicator, with a desire to improve systems.
•Comfortable in collaborative setting and working within and across cultures.
•Advanced knowledge and experience in UW and sponsor administrative submission, personnel, acquisition, and reporting systems such as NSF Fast lane, grants.gov, GrantTracker, e-Verify, SAGE,  MyFD, Workday, FIN, PAS, e-travel, eProcurement and e-Reimbursement, PaymentNet, Grant and Contract Certification Reports, and Faculty Effort Certification reports.

Application Process:  

The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process.  These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others.  Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.