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Senior Grants and Contracts Specialist

The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX Full Time
POSTED ON 6/3/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 7/1/2026
Job Posting Title:

Senior Grants and Contracts Specialist




  • Hiring Department:

    Applied Research Laboratories




  • Position Open To:

    All Applicants




  • Weekly Scheduled Hours:

    40




  • FLSA Status:

    Exempt from FLSA




  • Earliest Start Date:

    Immediately




  • Position Duration:

    Expected to Continue




  • Location:

    PICKLE RESEARCH CAMPUS




  • Job Details:

    Purpose

    Senior level contract administrator for grants and federal contracts for Applied Research Laboratories.

    Responsibilities

    • Responsibilities Pre-award: Work with research staff to develop, compile, process and submit proposals for federal grants and federal research contracts to meet sponsor guidelines and time frames. Assist with review of documents, spreadsheets and related data for accuracy and compliance with sponsor guidelines and relevant regulations. Review/negotiate terms for Federal, State and other research contracts/agreements at all levels of complexity, with emphasis on special programs/closed rooms.
    • Award maintenance: Administer awards, provisions and deliverables for research agreements of all levels of complexity and classification and collaborate with internal and external constituents on account management, sub-contract management and closeout. Prepare and review cost estimates to meet university accounting requirements. Serve as a subject matter expert on federal regulations, sponsor guidelines and university policies related to research contracts and grants administration with a focus on closed room research contracts.
    • Post-award: Work with property administration staff and PIs to complete forms and administer closeout requirements for research agreements of all levels of complexity processed in closed rooms.
    • Communication: Utilizing classified systems, maintain communication with sponsors to compile, maintain, track and disseminate status information and other research administration data and act as a liaison with internal/external contacts. Ensure the award requirements are accurately documented and communicated to relevant lab personnel. Ensure Grants and Contracts Office grants and contracts specialists are up-to-date on administrative office functions related to the agreements.
    • Professional development: Stay informed about changes in Federal regulations and sponsor policies that impact research grants and contracts administration. Acquire and maintain knowledge of FAR/DFARS, Uniform Guidance and other Federal regulations to support research contract administration. Mentor and provide guidance to Grants and Contracts Office grants and contracts specialists, fostering professional development and growth; contribute to process improvement initiatives by working with the Grants and Contracts Manager and the non-UARC Team Lead.
    • Other functions as assigned.


    Required Qualifications

    • Bachelor's degree in business or public administration, social sciences, or a technical/scientific field.
    • Five years of related experience including preparation, processing, and submission of research proposals to a variety of sponsoring organizations; negotiation of contract terms/conditions.
    • Ability to exercise sound decision making and problem-solving skills during proposal preparation, contract negotiation, and award administration.
    • Excellent interpersonal communication and writing skills.
    • High level of proficiency in spreadsheet and word processing applications (MS Office Suite and Adobe Acrobat Pro).
    • Demonstrated ability to 1) interact tactfully and professionally with a wide variety of people under stressful and time-sensitive conditions; 2) be supervised; and 3) work independently, and as a team member.
    • Demonstrated ability for accuracy, attention to detail, and ability to follow established guidelines and office protocol are critical.
    • Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.


    U.S. Citizenship. Applicant selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information, job offer will be contingent on selected applicant applying for access to classified information within 14 days of job offer and receiving at least interim access to classified information within 10 days of the application being submitted. If interim access is approved as described, employment must commence within 30 days of approval for access. Eligibility for access must continue without interruption during employment in this position. Equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

    Preferred Qualifications

    • Experience with Federally funded grants and research contracts
    • Certified Research Administrator
    • Advanced skills with Microsoft Excel
    • Proficiency in business writing
    • Experience with Federal acquisitions and contracting
    • Familiarity with Federal Acquisitions Regulations (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisitions Regulations Supplement (DFARS), and Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200)
    • Eligibility for immediate access to classified information.
    • Experience with Federally funded research contracts


    General Notes

    An agency designated by the federal government handles the investigation as to the requirement for eligibility for access to classified information. Factors considered during this investigation include but are not limited to allegiance to the United States, foreign influence, foreign preference, criminal conduct, security violations, drug involvement, the likelihood of continuation of such conduct, etc.

    Please mark "yes" on the application question that asks if additional materials are required. Failure to attach all additional materials listed below may result in a delay in application processing.

    Visit our website (www.arlut.utexas.edu) for additional information about Applied Research Laboratories.

    UT Austin offers a competitive benefits package that includes:

    • 100% employer-paid basic medical coverage
    • Retirement contributions
    • Paid vacation and sick time
    • Paid holidays


    Please visit our Human Resources (HR) website to learn more about the total benefits offered.

    Salary Range

    $68,000-$76,000 /negotiable depending on qualifications.

    Working Conditions

    • Standard office conditions
    • Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation
    • Use of manual dexterity
    • Possible weekend, evening and holiday work
    • Possible interstate/intrastate travel


    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:

    • E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
    • Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
    • Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]



  • 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.

    Salary : $68,000 - $76,000

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