Research Center Business Operations Specialist

Job no: 495263
Work type: Staff Full-time
Location: UMBC Campus
Categories: Business/Accounting/Finance

Department:
Office of Earth & Space Research Administration

This position is part of the Earth & Space Research Administration (ESRA) under the Division of Research and Creative Achievement (ORCA). ESRA serves as a centralized shared resource to support UMBC's Research Centers and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) with administrative pre-award and post-award support. The ESRA staff supports these centers, working with UMBC or partner staff, students, research faculty, GSFC sponsors, appointed fellows, and
affiliated tenured/tenure-track faculty.

Position Overview:
This position serves as a critical bridge between financial compliance and technical documentation within the Earth & Space Research Administration (ESRA). The position acts as the Project Coordinator for a team of five, overseeing the lifecycle of proposal document collection and procurement workflows.

UMBC offers competitive compensation. This role starts at $77,500 and has over 4 weeks of vacation for regular full-time roles. Tuition remission is also available.

Telework:
A hybrid telework schedule may be available.

Responsibilities:
Combining the skills of a Technical Writer and Financial Analyst, the position is responsible for drafting complex budget justifications, editing non-technical proposal components, and managing the project management timeline to ensure all team deliverables meet Sponsor and University standards.

In addition, the position will: analyze and manage sponsored project finances for a portfolio of research faculty from the Centers from pre-award through closeout; support and review grant proposal documents for all ESRA proposal submissions, ensuring accuracy and compliance; execute and oversee procurement activities, including vendor coordination and purchasing; provide cross-team support with the team of ESRA Analysts and support administrative operations related to research activities and documentation.

Required Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree and three (3) years of relevant experience.

Preferred Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree preferably in English, Communications, Business Administration,
Management, Accounting, or Finance.

Special Instructions to Applicants:
Upload a cover letter and a resume.

Closing Date:Open Until Filled

Benefits:
UMBC offers a rich benefits package.

Regular and grant funded regular positions (Full benefits summary click here):

Generous Leave which includes accruing:

• 22 Days of Annual Leave
• 15 Days of Sick Leave
• 15 Holidays
• 3 Personal Days

Tuition Remission:

• 8 credit hours per semester
• Tuition remission at UMBC for eligible dependents after two years of FT employment

Additional Benefits:

• Life and disability insurance
• Retirement plans (including the choice of joining the pension plan)
• Professional development opportunities
• Wellness opportunities
• & Much more

Contingent II positions may include some benefits.

Benefits offered align with type (Regular, Contingent II, etc.) of position.

Salary:
Salary: $77,500 - $87,000 depending on qualifications and experience.

The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to internal equity, budget, prior experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business considerations.

The above salary range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Hours:Full-time

Type:
Grant Funded

This position is Grant Funded, wherein employment is contingent upon award renewal.

FLSA Status:Exempt

Advertised: May 27 2026 09:00 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: Open Until Filled

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