Senior Pre-Award Administrator

The Viterbi School of Engineering’s Office of Research (VOR) seeks to recruit a Senior Pre-Award Administrator to play a critical role as a senior proposal development expert. The successful candidate will serve as a trusted, specialized research administration expert within VOR and the Viterbi community, demonstrating capacity for working with diverse sponsor and proposal types and providing the highest level of service to faculty in preparing grant proposals for timely submission. As an integral part of the research administration community and in support of the School's overall research mission, this position requires an unwavering commitment to service and excellence in a demanding, deadline-driven environment.

This position will focus on proposal review (quality assurance) and serve as a subject matter expert for all matters in proposal development. It requires working closely and serving as a liaison for faculty and staff within the School and across campus to meet proposal objectives and submission deadlines.

The ideal candidate will possess excellent professional judgement and communication skills; demonstrate adaptability and flexibility to accommodate ongoing changes to internal and external policies and regulations; and model composure and effective interoffice diplomacy in facilitating short lead times on proposal or project deliverables. The candidate’s ability to balance conflicting priorities while contributing and adjusting to a continuously evolving environment is essential.

Primary Responsibilities Include:

• Support the Office of Research in overseeing the successful submission of 650+ high-quality proposals on an annual basis.

• Provide a supportive environment for faculty, staff, and students throughout proposal development. 

• Check proposal documents for compliance, prepare sponsor application packages, and work closely with the Department of Contracts and Grants for institutional review and submission.

• Use expert knowledge and sound judgment to interpret sponsor guidelines. Serve as an expert resource to ensure ongoing compliance with all applicable regulatory and financial requirements imposed on institutions of higher education.

• Assist with post-submission action items requested by the sponsor such as revised budgets, completion of sponsor forms, etc. Manage award set-up and ensure a smooth transition to the Post-Award team.

• Utilize and liaise with Viterbi and USC resources and offices to resolve issues related to cost-sharing, exceptional approval, subcontracting, etc.

• Develop and maintain excellent working relationships with stakeholders across campus including but not limited to faculty, researchers, unit leadership and personnel, Department of Contracts and Grants representatives, and members of the USC Research Community.

• Assist with unusually complex projects such as national research centers and other complex submissions.

• Assist with training staff on proposal preparation, budget reallocations, and other contracts and grants responsibilities as needed.

• Direct submit proposals as needed. 

Job duties may be added or modified as needed.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to the mission of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. Viterbi staff are expected to facilitate a culture of support and service, to model civility and respectful engagement at all times, and to maintain the highest ethical standards and to maintain strict confidentiality across all facets of their work.

Additional Information

This is a hybrid position with possibility of fully remote. All remote staff are expected to attend occasional meetings and activities as required by their supervisor and/or department.

The annual base salary range for this position is $98,186.70 - $115,036.01. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope of responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Thorough understanding of research administration guidelines of Federal and non-Federal sponsors supporting research and educational activities, preferably in a university environment. 

• Experience administering research funding from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense and Department of Energy.

• Outstanding customer support, poise, tact, and diplomacy.

• Meticulous attention to detail and organization.

• Capacity to work independently with demonstrated commitment to building and supporting a strong, engaged team.

• Flexibility and adaptability in a continuously evolving operational environment.

• Leadership and training skills.

• Eagerness to continue growing, learning, and developing professionally.

To be a successful member of our team, we will measure performance in the following areas:

• Customer satisfaction and collaboration – you embrace a philosophy that everyone is a customer, including peers and teammates

• Initiative and ownership – you are a self-starter and are responsible for the quality and accuracy of your work, including acting as a resource to others in your department

• Problem-solving and resourcefulness – you demonstrate creative critical thinking and exercise good judgment and intuition

• Timeliness – you thrive in a deadline-driven environment

Minimum Qualifications

• Expert knowledge and fluency of governmental regulations (e.g. FAR, A-21, A- 110, A-133, CAS).

• Knowledge and ability to understand, interpret, and communicate University policies and procedures.

• Excellent oral, written, and communication skills. Excellent analytical skills; demonstrated proficiency in Excel and web-based tools.

• Strong accounting skills; knowledge of accounting principles. Expert in project management, including managing international collaborations and complex multi-sub award contracts.

• Knowledge of personnel management, including proposing effort for and training and hiring of students, post-doctorals, academic appointments, regular staff, bargaining unit staff, and consultants, along with the circumstances appropriate for each type of position.

Required Applicant Documents

A resume/CV and a cover letter are required. Please feel free to upload your application materials in a single document.

USC and the Viterbi School

The University of Southern California (USC), founded in 1880, is in the heart of downtown L.A. and is the largest private employer in the City of Los Angeles. As an employee of USC, you will be a part of a world-class research university and a member of the “Trojan Family,” which is comprised of the faculty, students, and staff that make the university what it is.

Founded in 1905, the USC Viterbi School of Engineering is named for Andrew Viterbi who developed an algorithm to connect the world’s citizens. Similarly, the school, located in Los Angeles, a global center for arts, technology and international business in the heart of the Pacific Rim, is a hub for entrepreneurship that connects students from 64 countries.

USC Viterbi is a pioneer in restoring sight to the blind; restoring memory to sufferers of Alzheimer’s; and socially assistive robots to aid seniors with stroke or children with autism. It is the home of the first operational quantum computing center in academia. Our alumni include Neil Armstrong, first human on the moon; A.C. Mike Markkula, co-founder of Apple; and Wanda Austin, former CEO of the Aerospace Corporation.

The USC Viterbi School is consistently ranked among the top graduate programs (U.S. News and World Report). Under the leadership of Dean Yannis C. Yortsos, the school helped re-imagine the 21st century engineer, pioneering the Grand Challenge Scholars Program in schools across the globe. Our mission is to serve California, the nation and the world. At USC Viterbi, we call this the enabling power of Engineering+.