Why Work at BYU
As the flagship higher education institution of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Brigham Young University (BYU) strives to be among the exceptional universities in the world. At BYU, we are devoted to our faith and to our students. We take an active role in the University's Mission: "To assist individuals in their quest for perfection and eternal life.”
Our unique mission, deeply rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, provides countless ways to serve and make an impact. This, along with our remarkable culture of belonging, weekly devotionals, and endless opportunities for learning and growth—all situated within a beautiful and historic campus—make it hard to imagine a more inspiring place to work.
Brigham Young University strongly prefers to hire faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Research Administrator
Research Administrators in the Sponsored Projects Office (SPO) assist faculty and staff with the mechanics of preparing research proposals through internal approvals (via Kuali Research) and submitted to the sponsor. Upon award, they represent the university in research contract negotiations and facilitate award setup. They coordinate any contractual needs during the course of each project and ensure close-out requirements are met.
What You'll do in this Position:
Proposal Preparation and Submission
- Coordinate with the corresponding academic research development representative to prepare research proposals, including large, inter-collegiate, and inter-institutional proposals.
- Provide guidance on proposal budget development
- Track, manage, coordinate and assist with institutional approvals.
- Train and assist users in the use of Kuali Research, a cloud-based tool.
- Be familiar with all agency-specific submission mechanisms and submit research proposals on behalf of the university.
Negotiating and Interacting with Sponsors
- Represent the university’s research programs to research organizations, funding agencies, and universities.
- Communicate directly with sponsors during contract drafting and negotiation for new awards and amendments.
- Coordinate, as needed, with BYU General Counsel, Technology Transfer, Grants & Contracts Accounting, and Risk Management offices.
- Maintain awareness of research funding changes and trends with major sponsoring federal agencies.
Compliance with Federal and Other Requirements
- Monitor and stay current on government regulations pertaining to federal grants and contracts.
- Ensure research proposals and awards are compliant with university policies and procedures.
- Upon award, verify approval has been obtained from the appropriate compliance committees (IRB, IACUC, IBC), when applicable.
Negotiating and Interfacing with Subrecipients
- Negotiate terms and conditions of subawards and subcontracts with subrecipients.
- Review and apply agency regulations and university procedures to determine flow-down of prime award terms and conditions.
- Prepare and finalize new subawards and amendments; initiate processing with Grants and Contracts Accounting Office (GCA).
Project and Account Management (Post-Award)
- Submit awards for internal processing and account set-up.
- Support GCA, as needed, to ensure compliance with award requirements, government regulations, and university policy.
- Assist Financial Services with audits of research accounts.
- Assure compliance with reporting requirements and submit closeout documents when requested.
- Act as a resource for researchers, other university offices, and sponsors to facilitate and administer projects.
Educate Faculty, Staff, & Students
- Educate university faculty (principal investigators), staff, and students on the above and on university policies and procedures, government regulations, and contract negotiations relating to sponsored project research.
What qualifies you for this role:
Required
- A firm commitment to the mission of BYU
- Masters Degree, 5+ years research administration/management experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Exceptional attention to detail with a proven ability to produce accurate, high-quality work.
- High degree of written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong interpersonal skills/emotional intelligence.
- Proven ability to engage in team building, management and interaction, leadership, take initiative, and adapt through motivated learning.
- Excellent computer proficiency, particularly in learning sponsor systems/submission portals, using spreadsheets and word processing; adept at learning new computer systems and processes.
- Ability to work and solve problems independently.
Preferred
- Master’s degree or higher in a related field, (e.g., MPA, MBA, MAcc, Finance, Law) or 8+ years of relevant experience.
- Possess Certified Research Administrator (CRA) credential.
- Familiarity with Federal Uniform Guidance regulations.
- Experience with Research Administration systems (e.g., Kuali Research, sponsor web portals, government websites).
Knowledge of budgeting and accounting.
-
Application Instructions: Please attach a resume, cover letter describing your experience and fit for the role and three professional references.
Posting End Date: August 19, 2026, at 12:00am MDT
*Last Day to Apply is Tuesday August 18, 2026, at 11:59pm
What we offer in return:
In addition to our competitive pay structure, this position comes with fantastic benefits , including:
- 401k. BYU automatically contributes 8% at no cost to you. Additionally, if you contribute 5%, BYU adds an additional 4% (Rehires may qualify for different retirement plans)
- Excellent work-life balance: 13 paid holidays + 22 days paid vacation + 12 sick days, accrued annually
- Employee assistance program, available to the employee and all members of their household
- Tuition benefits for employees and eligible family members
- Access to athletic facilities
- Excellent medical/dental benefits
- Short/long term disability benefits
- Paid parental and maternity leave
- Wellness program
- Free on-campus parking
- Free UTA passes for employee, spouse, and qualified dependents
- Discounts at the BYU Store and for many events at BYU
Pay Grade: 54
Typical Starting Pay: $82,000.00 - $106,500.00
Required Documents:
All Staff positions require a resume.
Refer to the Job Posting for any additional required documents.
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints must hold and be worthy to hold a current temple recommend.
Brigham Young University is an equal opportunity employer, including disability and protected veteran status.
Brigham Young University (BYU) is widely recognized not just for its world-class education, but for its deep commitment to inspired religious values. Gathered together in a Christ-centered atmosphere, BYU employees are a vital part of a community of belonging, where we value the experiences, perspectives, and talents of each individual. If you share in our devotion to faith and to excellence, we have a place for you here at BYU!
