Senior Administrative Associate, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in Cockrell School of Engineering
The Chandra Family Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is the largest department in the Cockrell School of Engineering with more than 2,500 students and 80 faculty. Our outstanding faculty bring state-of-the-art research, development, and design experience into the classroom, ensuring that our students and alumni are amongst the best in their fields and that our research advances the scientific community as well as society and business.
Purpose
The Senior Administrative Associate provides comprehensive administrative support to assigned ECE faculty and their research groups, serving as the primary liaison for post-award financial activity, HR/student personnel processes, visitor and work authorization coordination, records management, and related reporting. The role supports day-to-day research operations by managing transactions, procurement, account maintenance, onboarding, timesheets, space records, policy compliance, and other duties that advance faculty research and departmental goals.
Responsibilities
- Serves as the primary liaison between supported faculty and the ECE Department by managing and submitting monthly financial transaction information to the post-award research administrative manager for all faculty grants and processing necessary account changes, including costing allocations. Provides comprehensive financial administrative support to supported faculty and their research students, including accounts payable (entertainment, travel, contractors, Procards, etc.), procurement support, reconciliation, general account maintenance, financial planning, account management, and preparation of all required financial reports.
- Liaison between supported faculty and the ECE Department for managing and submitting data to ECE HR Coordinator for all students, Visiting Scholars, Postdocs and Researchers, which includes onboarding, processing tuition reduction benefits (TRB) and managing timesheets.
- Manage work authorizations for research staff and official university visitors, including H-1B, Permanent Resident and J-1 authorizations. Collaborate with Texas Global for federal submissions to the USCIS for individual cases and process related fee payments.
- Maintain records and manage seating information for all students, Visiting Scholars, Postdocs and Researchers of supported faculty. Provide timely reports of these records to the HR coordinator.
- Attend training opportunities, on campus, off-campus, and virtually to stay current with changing University policies, Federal policies, and other policies as mandated by grant sponsors/donors.
- Other duties as assigned to support the overall initiatives and goals of supported faculty as directed.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in a related field
- Three years of relevant administrative experience.
- Demonstrated ability to multitask, meet deadlines, and work well as a team member.
- Demonstrated ability to work with accuracy and attention to detail and follow instructions without close supervision.
- Goal-driven, self-directed and creative with excellent problem-solving, interpersonal, verbal and written skills.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Knowledge of office productivity tools including Microsoft Office.
Equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in higher education, particularly in a STEM or research environment.
- Experience in administrative support functions in a large unit in a faculty-facing position.
Salary Range
$57,000+ depending on qualifications
Working Conditions
- May work around standard office conditions
- Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation
Required Materials
- Resume/CV
- Letter of interest
- 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor