Job Posting Title:
Senior Research Program Coordinator, Concrete Bridge Engineering Institute, Cockrell School of Engineering
----
Hiring Department:
Fariborz Maseeh Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
----
Position Open To:
All Applicants
----
Weekly Scheduled Hours:
40
----
FLSA Status:
Exempt
----
Earliest Start Date:
Mar 01, 2025
----
Position Duration:
Expected to Continue
----
Location:
PICKLE RESEARCH CAMPUS
----
Job Details:
General Notes
As a top-10 engineering school with the No. 1 program in Texas, the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) has been a global leader in technology innovation and engineering education for over a century.
With 11 undergraduate and 13 graduate programs, over 20 research centers and a faculty community that boasts one of the highest number of National Academy of Engineering members among U.S. universities, Texas Engineering has launched some of the nation's most accomplished leaders and pioneered world-changing solutions in virtually every industry, from space exploration to energy to health care. Situated in the heart of Austin - named "America's Coolest City" by Expedia and "The Best Place to Live in the U.S." by U.S. News and World Report - the Cockrell School embodies the city's innovative spirit. Major companies with Austin campuses, such as Dell, National Instruments, Apple, IBM, Samsung, Google, and many others, continue to recruit Cockrell School students at a remarkable rate, launching thousands of successful careers and developing Texas Engineers into industry leaders.
UT Austin, recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best Large Employers, provides outstanding employee benefits and total rewards packages that include:
Competitive health benefits (employee premiums covered at 100%, family premiums at 50%)
Voluntary Vision, Dental, Life, and Disability insurance options
Generous paid vacation, sick time, and holidays
Teachers Retirement System of Texas, a defined benefit retirement plan, with 7.75% employer matching funds
Additional Voluntary Retirement Programs: Tax Sheltered Annuity 403(b) and a Deferred Compensation program 457(b)
Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses
Robust free training access through LinkedIn Learning plus professional conference opportunities
Tuition assistance
Expansive employee discount program including athletic tickets
Free access to UT Austin's libraries and museums with staff ID card
Free rides on all UT Shuttle and Austin CapMetro buses with staff ID card
Purpose
The Senior Research Program Coordinator provides essential support to CBEI, managing the day-to-day research operations, financial administration, and project coordination. Reporting to the Director, this role requires financial expertise and strong organizational skills to ensure efficient program management and adherence to project goals, particularly for large-scale research projects. This position will exercise a high degree of initiative and judgment and must be able to work autonomously.
Responsibilities
Coordinate research activities with faculty, engineering staff, and laboratory technicians.
Oversee purchasing and procurement processes for large-scale research projects and ensure compliance with institutional guidelines.
Coordinate with the UT Austin purchasing office to manage procurement timelines and resolve any purchase-related issues. Manage high-value purchase orders, contracts, and vendor agreements, coordinating with internal and external stakeholders.
Collaborate with OSP on project management.
Process and approve travel requests and reimbursements.
Responsible for graduate research student appointments and tuition. Provide necessary information to HR coordinator for hiring and appointment processing.
Process all accounts payable vouchers.
Serve as the primary point of contact for communication between internal research teams and external partners.
Organize and handle logistics for research meetings, workshops, and seminars. Assist with event management and event execution.
Collaborate on the development of project scopes, budgets and timelines.
Track and control expenditures, ensuring adherence to project budgets, including large equipment acquisitions and specialized materials.
Ensure adherence to the university policies, safety regulations, and funding agency requirements.
Prepare and submit progress report and documentation required by funding agencies and for internal audits.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree and at least 5 years of administrative experience coordinating or administrating research activities.
Ability to prioritize and manage competing deadlines effectively.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a variety of stakeholders, including faculty, staff, and external contacts.
Strong knowledge of purchasing policies, vendor negotiations, and procurement processes.
Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience working in an academic or research-intensive environment.
Experience in managing large-scale purchases and financial reporting for research or engineering projects.
Familiarity with UT Austin policies, rules, and procedures, including Accounts Payable and large purchase requisitions.
Proficiency with DEFINE, Workday, FRMS, UT Market, and Microsoft Office applications.
Knowledge of engineering or technical project management concepts, particularly in concrete bridge engineering.
Salary Range
$70,000 + depending on qualifications
Working Conditions
Periodic work outside of normal business hours, to include evenings and weekends, may be required on a periodic basis.
Work for events or urgent deadlines.
Office-based role.
Option for one day of remote work.
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.
----
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.
----
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.
----
Background Checks:
A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.
----
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.
----
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.
----
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.
----
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:
----
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.
