Director Research Administration - College of Engineering and Computing - 536158

Director Research Administration - College of Engineering and Computing - 536158

About FIU

Florida International University is a top public university that drives real talent and innovation in Miami and globally. Very high research (R1) activity and high social mobility come together at FIU to uplift and accelerate learner success in a global city by focusing in the areas of environment, health, innovation, and justice. Today, FIU has two campuses and multiple centers. FIU serves a diverse student body of more than 56,000 and 290,000 Panther alumni. U.S. News and World Report places dozens of FIU programs among the best in the nation, including international business at No. 2. Washington Monthly Magazine ranks FIU among the top 20 public universities contributing to the public good.

Job Summary :

The Director of Research Administration for the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) provides leadership in the full spectrum of research administration activities, with responsibility for both pre-award and post-award oversight. Reporting to the Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies, the Director ensures effective and compliant management of sponsored research across the College. This role advances the College's research mission by providing strategic direction, operational oversight, and high-level support to faculty and research staff, while fostering partnerships that strengthen the College's competitiveness in securing external funding. Supervises the Associate Director of Pre-Award and corresponding employees, as well as the Associate Director of Post-Award and corresponding employees, ensuring alignment and collaboration across the research administration enterprise.

• Provides leadership, direction, and oversight for all pre-award and post-award research administration activities across the College, ensuring consistency, transparency, and continuous improvement of service delivery.
• Oversees and directs the full life cycle of pre-award proposal preparation and submission processes, guiding faculty in developing competitive applications, budgets, and narratives that comply with sponsor guidelines, federal and state regulations, and University policies.
• Oversees and directs the full lifecycle of post-award administration, including award setup, financial management, invoicing, reporting, subaward administration, effort certification, compliance monitoring, and award closeout, ensuring proper stewardship of sponsored program funds.
• Supervises the Associate Director of Pre-Award and their corresponding team, and the Associate Director of Post-Award and their corresponding team, providing mentorship, guidance, and performance management to ensure effective coordination and delivery of services.
• Establishes, implements, and maintains internal policies, procedures, and best practices that enhance operational efficiency, accuracy, and compliance, benchmarking against peer institutions to ensure competitiveness.
• Leads project management for large-scale, multidisciplinary, and multi-site proposals by coordinating faculty teams, staff, and external collaborators, establishing timelines, monitoring deliverables, and ensuring competitive submissions.
• Provides expert guidance to faculty and research staff on all aspects of research administration, including funding strategies, budget development, compliance requirements, and effective award management.
• Partners with the Office of Research and Economic Development (ORED), CEC Finance, CEC Human Resources, FIU Compliance, and other central and internal units to align College research administration with institutional priorities and sponsor requirements.
• Serves as a resource for interpreting sponsor guidelines and federal / state regulations, providing faculty and staff with clear and practical applications to ensure compliance across all projects.
• Monitors and evaluates internal controls to safeguard sponsored program funds, conducting audits and reconciliations, and implementing corrective actions where needed to ensure fiscal integrity.
• Manages the development and delivery of workshops, training sessions, and resources designed to strengthen faculty and staff understanding of research administration processes and compliance responsibilities.
• Reviews upcoming grant opportunities, proactively disseminates information to faculty, and encourages strategic engagement in order to expand proposal activity and increase funding success rates.
• Cultivates strong collaborative relationships with faculty, departments, centers, and external partners to support the growth of interdisciplinary and high-impact research initiatives.
• Supervises, trains, and evaluates research administration staff within the College, ensuring professional development, accountability, and delivery of high-quality pre- and post-award services.
• Oversees compliance reviews for conflict of interest, human subjects, export control, and other regulatory areas, coordinating with central compliance offices and providing faculty with training and support.
• Provides regular reporting and analysis to the Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies on research activity, proposal trends, award metrics, and emerging opportunities, offering data-driven recommendations to strengthen the College's research portfolio.

Minimum Qualifications :

Bachelor's degree and eight (8) years of relevant experience or a Master's degree and six (6) years of relevant experience.

Desired Qualifications :

Job Category : Administrative

Advertised Salary : $132,000 - $140,000

Work Schedule :

Begin time : 8 : 30 AM

End time : 5 : 00 PM

Pre-Employment Requirements :

Criminal Background Check

Other Information :

For further information or to apply online visit our website at careers.fiu.edu and reference job opening ID # 536158