Program Administrator: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering - UTK

The Program Administrator at the Innovation South facility of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and will be funded through grant funded projects. This position is key to support the administrative and financial/contracting needs of the team led by Dr. Uday Vaidya. The supporting faculty are Drs. Krishnan Veluswamy, Sagar Kanhere, Romeo Fono-Tamo and other Fibers & Composite Manufacturing at Innovation South staff and students. They will work with team members within UT and across all partner institutions to manage the significant communication and coordination needs of a project of this scope and administer the fiscal, administrative and budget management responsibilities.

• Manage and reconcile multiple sponsored projects, cost-share, and gift accounts, in close cooperation with the MAE Business Office and the FCMF faculty (led by Vaidya)
• Track direct and indirect costs, encumbrances, and spend plans; prepare reports for principal investigators and leadership.
• Process and monitor procurement transactions (Purchase Orders, Procurement Cards, Travel Card) and ensuring proper allocation and documentation.
• Coordinate salary allocations, tuition/benefit splits, and cost transfers across accounts in coordination with the MAE Business Office.
• Prioritize and establish work assignments, and assure balanced workloads amongst undergraduate assistants
• Encourage undergraduate assistants to attend training and workshops related to their tasks
• Ensure that university policies regarding work performance and behavior are followed
• Ensure effective, efficient and safe operations and develop new procedures when needed
• Review, process, and reconcile domestic and international travel reports for faculty, staff, and students, ensuring accurate charging of direct vs. indirect costs
• Check systems to monitor pending travel authorizations, expense reimbursements, and policy compliance.
• Act as a delegate for travel and purchasing transactions to streamline processing on behalf of faculty and research staff. (Purchase Orders, Travel Card, Procurement Card, etc.) Working with MAE financial staff).
• Collaborate with faculty (PIs/Co-PIs), research staff, administrative teams, and external partners (vendors, sponsors, ORNL, IACMI, etc.) to support project and financial deliverables.
• Provide clear, timely communication to team members and students regarding deadlines, required actions, and compliance updates.
• Maintain accurate records, reports, and supporting documentation for audits and sponsor reviews.

Required Qualifications

Education:

• High School diploma or GED

Experience:

• Four to Five years’ experience in Project administration and/or administration of federally funded projects
• Experience with budgets and reporting

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Experienced in Microsoft Excel (advanced formulas, pivot tables), Word, and financial reporting.
• Effective communicator with proven ability to follow up, coordinate, and ensure accountability across individual teams.

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Associate or Bachelor’s degree in accounting or other financial background

Experience:

• Supervisory experience with Graduate students and Undergraduate student employees
• Experience working with faculty and other researchers in an academic or laboratory setting
• Experience working with funding agency electronic research administration tools
• Proficient in UT financial and administrative platforms including Oracle/DASH and Payment Works.
• Strong knowledge of UT fiscal policy, procurement rules, and sponsored program guidelines.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Computer skills and working knowledge of the following are preferred: Microsoft Outlook, Word, other office products and Adobe.

Work Location:

• Location: Knoxville, TN
• Onsite

Compensation and Benefits:

• UT market range: MR07
• Anticipated hiring range: $50,000-$55,000
• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions

To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments:

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• List of 3 Professional References