Research Program Coordinator (4800C), Department of Chemistry - #87571 About Berkeley
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Departmental Overview
UC Berkeley was rated the number one public university in the US for 2026, with the Department of Chemistry rated the best program for chemistry in the world in 2023. Since 1946, UC Berkeley has won 19 Nobel Prizes for Chemistry, our most recent was awarded in 2025.
The Department of Chemistry is seeking a new Faculty Support Administrator to support our top-rated research. Our faculty address major scientific and technological challenges facing the world. Join us in our mission to advance society through education and research.
Position Summary
The Research Program Coordinator provides administrative support and manages the general operations of the laboratories of Professors Tatyana Polenova and Ashok Ajoy, as well as the Pines Magnetic Resonance Center (PMRC). This position handles complex financial planning, contract and grant management, research support, center operations, and event management. The Research Program Coordinator functions with a high degree of autonomy in a fast-paced environment, seamlessly switching between projects and drawing on an advanced understanding of financial procedures in an academic setting.
Application Review Date
The First Review Date for this job is: August 5, 2026. For full consideration, please apply on or before the first review date.
Responsibilities
PMRC Support - 30%
Administers PMRC and is primarily responsible for administrative academic or research and programmatic activities. Assists with research direction, events, and personnel support for specific types of experiments and research.
Organizes PMRC related events and conferences as needed to support scientific collaboration with PMRC users and affiliates.
Participates in the program budgeting and accounting processes to support a self supporting / sustaining financial infrastructure of the academic or research program.
Manages financial and HR Resources to assist with hiring, purchasing and procurement, and research staff and equipment management. Develop and implement procedures for managing research staff appointments, equipment needs, supply inventory and others as needed.
Facilitates proposal submissions and reporting: Assisting in preparation, submission, and collection of information for internal and external review. Collect and compile data for internal and external reports, such as progress reports for funding agencies. Maintain accurate records of research activities and outcomes for reporting purposes.
Oversees center internal and external communications including Center newsletter, social media, website, and printed materials. Draft press releases and other PR materials to promote research. Point of contact for public relations officers at PMRC institutions and other members of the media.
Identifies cost-saving measures and optimize resource allocation.
Is responsible for PMRC equipment maintenance, procurement, inventory, etc. Work with campus partners to manage space and equipment needs.
Financial/Extramural Management - 25%
Liaison to the College of Chemistry and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) business services support units. Formulate annual operating budgets including spending projections. Audit and analyze financial reports and forecast expenses to ensure Principal Investigator (P.I.) meets financial obligations of the research group.
Integrate UCB and LBNL reports to create current and accurate comprehensive financial picture to ensure fiscal integrity. Anticipate and resolve operational, fiscal or other discrepancies. Work with both UCB and LBNL relevant personnel at the facility and in the central support offices to provide overall support to this function.
Oversee the post-award administration of grants, contracts, and agreements. Ensure the terms and conditions of all awards are met and manage funds in compliance with university, LBNL, DOE, federal, and state policies and regulations. Confer with Sponsored Project Office (SPO), UCB and LBNL service units on terms and conditions of awards, budget augmentation, project period, and award extension.
Ensure financial integrity of research funds by regularly reviewing expenditures and comparing to budget and ensuring funds are not in overdraft.
Advise research unit and P.I. on how funds can be used optimally. Analyze expenses, develop cost projections, and provide financial tracking to fulfill reporting requirements to agencies. This includes reviewing of blanket purchase orders and comparing tracking worksheets to general ledger postings. Develop, implement, and maintain internal group operating policies and procedures for operation of research, and to comply with federal, state, private grant agency rules and regulations.
Allocate resource levels according to project funding. Review all grant assignments of resources and equipment.
Personnel Management - 20%
Oversee the human resource activities (hiring, termination, change of status, etc.) of the research group personnel with the PI, the shared service units, respective academic and staff payroll offices, UCB, and LBNL administrators. Ensure proper documentation is obtained for foreign visitors/researchers on visa and work permit applications.
Establish, implement, and maintain the group's application and interview process for orienting and hiring postdoctoral scientists and visiting scientists, graduate student researchers, and undergraduate students, ensuring compliance with UCB and LBNL policies and procedures, as well as federal regulations.
Establish, implement, and maintain the group's termination process, and ensure compliance by postdoctoral scientists and visiting scientists, graduate student researchers, and undergraduate students, in accordance with UCB and LBNL policies and procedures.
May supervise a small staff of support employees and/or students.
May act as safety coordinator.
Material and Facilities Management - 10%
Work with the shared services units, and central procurement and receiving units at UCB and LBNL to coordinate the research groups ordering and delivery of all supplies, equipment and services, selecting local, campus or outside vendors.
Define procedures for ordering and delivery of all supplies, equipment, and services using local campus sources and outside vendors. Evaluate purchasing options and institute practices based on the most economical and effective use of funds.
Arrange purchases of highly specialized, often custom-made equipment, and manage repair and maintenance of existing equipment by outside vendors. Obtain price and availability quotes from outside vendors for supplies and equipment.
Manage equipment maintenance agreements and warranty repairs. Work with research group to ensure materials are on hand for experiments. Ensure systems are in place for fax orders, freight shipments, special handling orders, special software orders, and controlled substance licenses. Identify laboratory facilities' problems, report problems, follow up aggressively to ensure problems receive timely attention and are resolved to the P.I.'s satisfaction.
Program/Office Management - 10%
Manage the business affairs of the office; develop operational procedures to ensure efficiency in the administrative office and laboratories. Document and update the procedures on a regular basis.
Serve as primary office contact to broad range of organizations and liaison to UCB and LBNL. Keep PI apprised of significant issues, events, requests, problems, and deadlines.
Design, manage and keep updated databases, logs, and spreadsheets that facilitate efficient retrieval of a variety of information including laboratory alumni, personnel, publications, etc. Manage and keep data up to date in institution-wide databases, such as UCB's academic personnel database. Edit and maintain the PIs' publication list for grant reporting requirements.
Set up laboratory personnel travel arrangements, reimbursements for travel and entertainment, composing correspondence, processing personnel activities.
May serve as safety coordinator for research group.
Updates research group's website and assists in designing and drafting content including newsletters and other public-facing content.
Department Faculty Support Lead - 5%
Develop subject matter expertise in Faculty Support Administration in order to assist FSA supervisor in creating unit staff meeting agendas, staff development opportunities, and training schedules for colleagues in the Faculty Support Unit.
Serves on hiring committees for staff in the department. Assist FSA Supervisor in training other staff in job areas.
Required Qualifications
Thorough knowledge of University rules and regulations, processes, protocols and procedures for budget, accounting and fund management, and / or personnel management and/or the ability to learn.
Interpersonal skills including verbal and written communication, active listening, critical thinking, persuasiveness, advising and counseling skills.
Knowledge of a variety of administrative operational activities such as event planning, basic fundraising processes, risk management planning, website design, accounting and payroll, and contracts and grants regulations and guidelines.
Solid knowledge of common University-specific computer application programs and/or the ability to learn.
Ability to use discretion and maintain confidentiality.
Strong skills in short-term planning, analysis, problem-solving, and customer service.
Thorough knowledge of financial analysis and reporting techniques, and / or human resources policies and procedures for staff and academic employees and/or the ability to learn.
Education / Training
Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training
Salary & Benefits
For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.
Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.
The budgeted annual salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $97,572.24 - $123,734.88, Step 1 - 13. The full pay scale for this classification is $97,572.24 - $147,872.16, Step 1 - 22.
This is an exempt, monthly-paid position.
This is a full-time (40 hours/week) Career position eligible for UC benefits.
