Research Accountant, CAST

General Description of the Position

The Research Accountant is a full-time professional responsible for the financial management, accounting, and reporting of sponsored research projects for the College of Agriculture, Science and Technology (CAST). With strong knowledge in compliance standards, this role ensures adherence to university policies and sponsor requirements, while supporting principal investigators (PIs), research administrators, and central offices in the stewardship of sponsored funds. The Research Accountant works closely with the CAST financial team and staff to ensure that grants and contracts are administered in compliance with federal, state, institutional, and sponsor-specific guidelines. The position also serves as liaison between external university offices – Business, Restricted Funds Accounting, Sponsored Programs – and federal agencies to maintain fiscal integrity. As such, this position plays an essential role in advancing CAST’s research mission.

Essential Functions & Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Essential Functions
The following are the functions essential to performing this job:
1. Oversee the complete financial lifecycle of externally funded research awards, from initial
account setup through close-out, ensuring fiscal responsibility and alignment with project objectives.
2. Review and process complex budgets, expenditure requests, and financial transactions in
accordance with institutional and sponsor guidelines.
3. Manage timely billing processes, cost allocations, and expenditure tracking to support accurate
reporting and fund availability.
4. Interpret, implement, and ensure ongoing compliance with federal, state, institutional, and
sponsor-specific regulations, including Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200).
5. Maintain vigilant oversight of research activities to confirm adherence to allowable cost
principles and programmatic spending restrictions. Serve as a compliance resource for research
personnel, clarifying regulatory requirements and internal policy interpretations.
6. Prepare, validate, and submit detailed interim and final financial reports to federal and non
federal sponsors in accordance with reporting timelines and format standards. Maintain
comprehensive and well-organized documentation to support audits and internal reviews.
7. Act as the primary financial liaison for principal investigators (PIs), research administrators,
and department staff regarding project financials.
8. Coordinate with external vendors and subcontractors to ensure proper financial reporting and
fund disbursement.
9. Design and deliver training sessions and individual support to faculty and administrative staff
on post-award financial procedures and compliance expectations.
10. Contribute to the development and refinement of internal processes and tools to promote
efficiency, consistency, and regulatory adherence.
11. Participate in cross-functional initiatives to enhance institutional grant management capabilities.
12. Initiate and process reimbursements, purchase requisitions, and check requests for assigned
grants/contracts. Coordinate with appropriate research staff on supplies spending for assigned
grants/contracts.
13. Develop collaborative working relationships with ancillary services such as Office of Sponsored
Programs (OSP), Restricted Funds Accounting (RFA), Accounts Payable, Purchasing, Human
Resources, etc.

Other Functions
1. Monitor time and effort reporting.
2. Support financial close-out and account reconciliation.
3. Coordinate with sponsors and subcontractors on financial matters.
4. Draft correspondence and financial updates for investigators.
5. Provide real-time budget status updates to research team.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
The individual in this job must possess these skills and abilities or be able to explain and demonstrate that they can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation using some other combination of skills and abilities:
1. Ability to make decisions quickly and independently.
2. Excellent interpersonal/communications skills.
3. Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, Access and Banner applications.
4. Demonstrated ability to be organized and flexible in an environment, which requires continuous
monitoring of priorities.
5. Highly goal oriented, self-motivated, and able to work independently as well as in coordination
with various teams.
6. Willingness to take on new challenges and openness to change.

Qualification Standards

• Education: Master’s degree in business administration or a related field; equivalent professional experience may be considered.
• Successful experience: One or more years of successful experience in managing, analyzing, and reporting using Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Access, and PowerPoint.
• Three (3) or more years of successful experience in research grants/account management required.
• Three (3) or more years of successful experience in state accounting system and/or Banner Software.
• Three (3) or more years of successful experience in accounting principles, practices, and procedures.

EEO Statement

Delaware State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The University does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, religion, age, national origin, color, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship or disability, veteran or military status, gender identity or genetic information. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. The University is committed to the policy of equal employment opportunity in recruitment, hiring, career advancement, and all other employment practices.

Equal opportunity employer/program'' and “auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities''.