Senior Administrative Associate

Job Posting Title:

Senior Administrative Associate

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Hiring Department:

Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering

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Position Open To:

All Applicants

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Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

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FLSA Status:

Non-Exempt

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Earliest Start Date:

Immediately

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Position Duration:

Expected to Continue Until Aug 31, 2025

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Location:

UT MAIN CAMPUS

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Job Details:

General Notes

This is a fixed term grant-funded position, funding for one year with the possibility of renewal for another two years based upon performance and continuation of funding.

As a top-10 engineering school, the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin has been a global leader in technology innovation and engineering education for over a century. 

In the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering, we design and build devices and systems that transform industries and improve lives around the world. With nearly 70 faculty members, 27 staff members, 1500 students and thousands of alumni worldwide, the Walker Department has a supportive community aspired to solve the most pressing challenges of the 21st century through world class research, unsurpassed student education, and dedicated service to the community.

This job description may not reflect all assigned duties, responsibilities, or aspects of the job described.

Purpose

Responsible for performing advanced program administration and managing the day-to-day operations of the Molten Salt Digital Twin Initiative funded by the State of Texas in the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering. This includes facilitating effective communication and coordination across research faculty, staff, research vendors/partners, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students at multiple universities and organizations, ensuring smooth project-wide operations.

Responsibilities

• Manages all aspects of accounting, purchasing, and budgeting for the Molten Salt Digital Twin Initiative.  Reconciles account monthly. Accurately tracks expenses; procuring supplies and equipment of varying costs in accordance with state law and university policy; processing payment vouchers, payroll vouchers, and travel vouchers; maintaining the Procurement Card, ensuring purchases are made and documented in accordance with university policy; maintaining accurate departmental records.

• Serve as the primary contact for faculty regarding grants/contracts process, including application preparation, budget preparation/revision, preparation of figures/tables, proposal formatting, and editorial remarks on proposals and other deliverables. Serve as Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) liaison regarding grants/budgets. Distribute information to faculty regarding new grant opportunities, calls for proposals, changes in contracts and grants policies for federal agencies, national organizations, and national foundations.

• Arranges travel and hotel reservations for PI’s, guests, and researchers associated with the grant. Processing payment and travel vouchers/reimbursements.

• Maintain PI’s schedules/calendars. Coordinate or schedule group meetings including room reservations and coordinating itineraries. Prepare or assist with committee report preparations. Prepare memoranda, prepare/proofread out-going correspondences.

• Serves as primary coordinator, initiates, and monitors human resources assignment transactions in Workday for the grant including job postings, and managing the interview and hiring process.  Monitors and ensures timely completion of all timesheets and payroll transactions in Workday for the research staff and students. Coordinate annual performance evaluations, and coordinate title and compensation adjustments as needed.  Processes tuition remission benefit and scholarship awards for students as needed.

• Facilitate effective coordination with departmental staff on regular communication, publication, and promotional efforts for the Molten Salt Digital Twin Initiative. Liaison to other staff of the department as needed. Coordinate work with other campus department or centers as needed.

• Other related functions as assigned.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree and three years of administrative experience. Excellent communication skills, both written and oral. Excellent interpersonal skills and professional demeanor. Demonstrated ability to pay attention to detail and follow through. Demonstrated ability to work successfully under pressure of deadlines. Demonstrated ability with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

More than the required amount of experience. Experience with maintaining research grant accounts. Experience in the preparation and processing of research grant and/or contract proposals. Demonstrated ability with web-based data management systems. Familiarity with The University of Texas at Austin, in particular the University offices that oversee faculty research practices (including Office of Sponsored Projects and Office of Research Support and Compliance).

Salary Range

$55,000+ depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

• May work around standard office conditions.

• Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation.

• Use of manual dexterity.

• Climbing of stairs.

Work Shift

• Monday – Friday, 8 am – 5 pm.

• This position may be eligible for a hybrid (on-campus and off-campus) work based on business needs and at the discretion of the supervisor.

Required Materials

• Resume/CV

• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor

• Letter of interest

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded.  Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

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Employment Eligibility:

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

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Retirement Plan Eligibility:

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

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Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

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Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer , complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

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Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

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Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form.  You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States.  Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment.  Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

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E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

• E-Verify Poster (English) [PDF]
• E-Verify Poster (Spanish) [PDF]
• Right To Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right To Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

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Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031 .

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.