Research Project Administrative Assistant

This position is a part of the Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA).

This position has a term length of 3 years and offers a comprehensive benefits package which can be viewed on our Benefits Overview page .

Location

This role is hybrid with a mix of remote and in-person at North Campus Edmonton. 

Working for the University of Alberta

The University of Alberta acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, and respects the histories, languages and cultures of First Nations, Métis, Inuit and all First Peoples of Canada, whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant community.

The University of Alberta is teeming with change makers, community builders, and world shapers who lead with purpose each and every day. We are home to more than 40,000 students in 200+ undergraduate and 500+ graduate programs, over 13,000 faculty and staff, 260,000 alumni worldwide and have been recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for over a decade.

Your work will have a meaningful influence on a fascinating cross section of people—from our students and stakeholders, to our renowned researchers and innovators who are quite literally curing diseases, making discoveries and generating solutions that make the world healthier, safer, stronger, and more just.

Working for the Department/Faculty

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Alberta helps students develop the skills they need to dream of and invent the technology of the future. Offering both undergraduate and graduate programs, ECE is a leader in engineering education in Canada. We offer students a unique hands-on experience in state-of-the-art labs and instruction from our award-winning faculty.

Position

• The position seeks a temporary part time employee with a 3 year appointment as part of two or more major ongoing research projects at the University of Alberta, and reporting to the lead principal investigators (PIs) of those projects.
• The role involves collaboration with multiple stakeholders including academic partners (e.g. University research services and finance personnel), industrial collaborators, and funding-agency staff
• The role is a blend of administrative assistance, analysis, and project coordination, as described in the next section
• The ideal candidate must be a self starter with expertise coordinating high profile, complex, multidisciplinary
  and multi-location teams, particularly in reporting (technical/financial) and compliance with funding-agency requirements. Experience in academia will be considered a significant asset
• The role is expected to be largely remote with occasional in-person requirement and the rare possibility of travel.

Duties

• Understanding the technical aspects of the projects is not required
• Facilitating meetings and special events involving multiple academic partners and industry stakeholders (15%)
• Keeping all partners on schedule in meeting the funding agencies’ technical and financial reporting deadlines (10%)
• Attending meetings with funding-agency staff and other stakeholders (5%)
• Taking minutes and notes as necessary (5%)
• Creating report templates and gathering the required material from partners to assemble progress reports (15%)
• Liaising with finance staff and contracts specialists at RSO (10%)
• Understanding contracts with the funding agencies and ensuring that all partners in the project adhere to contract terms (5%)
• Procurement of equipment/supplies/materials as requested by lead PIs (5%)
• Assistance in administrative aspects of interviewing, hiring, processing, and managing graduate students/highly qualified personnel on the project (5%)
• Credit-card reconciliation (5%)
• Other administrative duties as assigned (20%)

Minimum Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience or the equivalent combination of education and experience
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, and in collaboration with, staff and faculty
• Excellent organization skills, accuracy, and attention to detail
• Ability and enthusiasm to work across organizational boundaries and foster a cooperative work environment between key stakeholders
• Ability to exercise tact and discretion
• Advanced verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to prioritize and work effectively under pressure to meet deadlines
• Intermediate skills in word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation applications

Preferred Qualifications

• Government relations experience or demonstrable aptitude
• Previous experience working within a research and/or post-secondary environment is preferred

Note: Online applications are accepted until midnight Mountain Standard Time of the closing date.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those individuals selected for an interview will be contacted.