Senior Contract And Grant Officer

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Job Summary
The Senior Contracts Officer (SCO) is a senior member of the staff of the Office of Sponsored Research (OSR). The SCO has important responsibilities for the performance of research administration functions at a senior level. The primary responsibility of the SCO is to negotiate complex awards from federal, industry and foreign sponsors. The SCO regularly interacts with grants and contracts officials at external sponsoring agencies and other collaborating institutions and represents OSR to Institute faculty and administrators. The SCO must be able to articulate the policies and practices of the Institute with respect to sponsored research activities.
The SCO must be familiar with the sponsored research policies and practices of both Caltech and the principal sponsoring agencies of the federal government that support research at Caltech, e.g., NSF, NASA, NIH, DOE, and DOD. Key aspects of this position are described below.
Essential Job Duties

• Review and submission of complex research proposals to various sponsors, including federal agencies, industrial, non-profit, and foreign entities. This includes review of proposal budget and preparation of all required Representations and Certifications.
• Negotiation and acceptance of sponsored awards and ancillary agreements (e.g., Technical Service Agreements). Determine that terms and conditions are consistent with Caltech policies and practices. Coordinate review of contractual documents with other Caltech offices, as appropriate, including Technology Transfer, General Counsel, Research Compliance, and Post Award Administration. When appropriate, draft and negotiate changes in contractual terms. Clearly articulate Caltech's position on sensitive items such as right of publication, ownership of intellectual property, and inclusion of foreign persons. Assure that contractual terms inconsistent with Institute policies are eliminated from agreements before they are accepted. In highly complex negotiations, use sound judgment in determining when additional assistance is necessary.
• After award acceptance/execution, sets up spending accounts in Institute's financial system, including setting specific account parameters relative to the award's terms and conditions. Prepares internal documentation that identifies key award terms and which accompanies distribution of award documents to relevant Institute offices and personnel.
• Manages non-financial post-award activity, including answering questions from principal investigators and other Institute staff regarding interpretation of award terms, resolving problems that arise during the course of a sponsored award, and seeking sponsoring agency approvals as needed.
• Serves as the direct supervisor of between 2-4 members of OSR staff, providing ongoing training, guidance, and mentorship as necessary to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of each employee. Conducts annual performance reviews of direct reports, coordinating reviews with the Associate Director to ensure consistency. Supervision may include management of the OSR office support team.
• Manages administrative functions such as: a) award closeouts, including coordinating with Post Award Administration, Office of Technology Transfer and Corporate Partnerships, and other Institute offices, and supervises the OSR closeout team; or b) Manages fee-for-service agreements (technical services and facilities use).
• Develops and maintains relationships with colleagues at other educational institutions and research organizations to facilitate research collaborations with Institute faculty, and to promote the exchange of best practices.
• Other Job Duties: Provide support to other OSR teams during times of staff shortages or high volume of work; perform other tasks, as assigned. Maintain currency on changes to applicable polices, regulatory and compliance issues, represent OSR in interdepartmental working groups, contributing expertise with implications to campus policies and practice.

• At least 6 years working in the field of sponsored research administration at an institution of higher education.
• Formal education to the Bachelor's degree or higher level preferred.
• Experience in reviewing and negotiating research agreements (e.g., grants and contracts) from federal and non-government agencies. Knowledgeable about terms, conditions, and requirements that are appropriate for educational institutions, as well as those that are not.
• Thoroughly familiar with fundamental federal regulations applicable to the conduct of research projects, including Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), the Federal Acquisition Regulation (48 CFR); and policies of the major federal granting agencies, e.g., the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense and NASA.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Effective interpersonal skills, including ability to work easily with faculty, Institute staff, as well as with grants management and contracting officials in sponsoring agencies.
• Strong sense of responsibility and initiative. Able to work independently. Able to act in a proactive manner to assure highest standards in service.

• Resume