Project Specialist I

Agency

Department

Why work for Texas A&M Engineering?

Who we are

Texas A&M Engineering is a large employer in the great and growing cities of Bryan/College Station, offering thousands of career opportunities in a wide variety of fields. We are deeply committed to recruiting and retaining a talented workforce that embraces our core values of respect, excellence, leadership, loyalty, integrity, and service. Texas A&M Engineering offers competitive salaries, full benefits, an extensive support network, and above all, an enriching and highly collaborative working community that is deeply passionate about our vision for higher education, research, and public service.

Job Description

Purpose:

The Project Specialist will provide administrative, operational, and financial support to ensure the efficient functioning of a dynamic research laboratory. The individual will be responsible for managing lab personnel records, coordinating meetings and communications, handling financial transactions, assisting with grant-related reporting, and ensuring compliance with institutional policies and procedures. This role requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to effectively collaborate with faculty, staff, and external partners.

Responsibilities:

Administrative & Lab Operations:

• Maintain and update the current list of all lab personnel.
• Manage Teams communications, including maintaining email lists and repositories for project documentation.
• Ensure all lab documentation is up to date and properly posted.
• Schedule lab meetings and appointments.
• Serve as the point of contact for visiting scholars and coordinate visa extensions/changes in collaboration with Engineering HR, ISSS, HR, and Faculty Affairs.
• Process and track paperwork for visiting scholars and foreign national students.
• Submit equipment repair requests and track maintenance.
• Oversee and coordinate complex project timelines, ensuring that milestones are achieved and scientific objectives are met.
• Lead in the design of new experimental protocols or modifications to existing methods based on in-depth scientific knowledge.

Financial & Procurement Management:

• Approve and assign payments in IMS.
• Process and track orders through Aggiebuy, Amazon, or directly with vendors, ensuring proper documentation (sole source forms, accessibility review documentation,
• Assist in preparing budget justifications for large grants or multi-year funding, utilizing in-depth understanding of project goals, timelines, and expected outcomes.
• Provide insight into resource allocation based on project needs and adjust budgets according to changing research objectives.

IT licensing requirements, and quotations).

• Track and verify lab spending, including monthly supply and equipment purchases and quarterly account spending in Maestro/Canopy.
• Work with SRS and grant sponsors to track allowable and unallowable spending.
• Set up new vendor requests and maintain purchasing records.

Travel & Expense Management:

• Book travel and event registrations for lab members.
• Create and submit expense reports and travel requests, ensuring proper receipt tracking in Concur.
• Oversee EWARs submissions and pay increase requests for HR/Payroll.
• Approve timesheets for undergraduate lab workers.
• Organize and lead attendance at scientific conferences, workshops, or collaborations, ensuring that all logistics are handled according to specific scientific needs.

Compliance & Reporting:

• Maintain compliance records, including updates to IBC and Bioraft.
• Assist in preparing and submitting annual project reports and updates for CVs, Current & Pending Support documents.
• Ensure all required institutional documentation is submitted and up to date.
• Draft and review sections of grant reports, ensuring that they are scientifically rigorous, complete, and align with grant guidelines.
• Lead the preparation of scientific reports or manuscripts for publication, ensuring data is appropriately presented and conforms to journal standards.

Technical & IT Support:

• Provide support for TAMU IT systems, including Workday, Howdy, Concur, Printers, and Transportation systems.
• Assist laboratory manager in tracking assets and ensuring proper inventory tagging.

Grant & Publication Support:

• Assist in editing publications and proposals for submission.
• Gather and submit required information for grant reports and compliance tracking.
• Lead in writing, editing, and reviewing grant proposals, with a focus on high-level scientific content and methodologies.
• Contribute to scientific publications as the author, ensuring proper interpretation of complex experimental data and discussion of scientific implications.

What we need:

• Bachelor’s Degree. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Experience in project management preferred.

What is helpful:

• Ph.D. in a relevant field or equivalent high-level research training and experience.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in academic research, administrative support, project coordination, or financial management in a research or academic setting.
• Experience working with university research administration, grant management, or procurement systems is a plus.
• Experience with Microsoft Teams, Workday, Concur, Aggiebuy, and other TAMU IT systems.
• Certified Research Administrator (CRA) or similar research administration certification is a plus.
• Certification in project management (PMP or CAPM) is desirable but not required.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize competing deadlines.
• Knowledge of institutional policies, grant management, and financial tracking.
• Ability to analyze and interpret financial data related to grant funding and spending.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work independently while collaborating with a diverse research team.

Work Location:

• Main Campus – College Station, TX.

About Biomedical Engineering

The Department of Biomedical Engineering at Texas A&M University is committed to solving the world’s greatest health problems through the exploration of new ideas, integrated research and education, and innovation. It is training the next generation of industry-ready biomedical engineers, working closely with clinical and industry partners to develop and translate new technologies into clinical application or commercial products, and achieving revolutionary advancements for the future of health care.

Texas A&M Engineering provides an outstanding benefits package including but not limited to:

• Competitive health benefits.
• Generous paid vacation, sick time, and holidays.
• Vision, Dental, Life, and Long-Term Disability insurance options.
• Teachers Retirement System of Texas (TRS), a defined benefit retirement plan with 8% employer contribution.
• Additional Voluntary Retirement Programs: Tax Deferred Account 403(b) and a Deferred Compensation Program 457(b).
• Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses
• Robust free training access through LinkedIn Learning plus professional development opportunities.
• Tuition assistance: https://engineering.tamu.edu/information/esac/educational-assistance-programs.html
• Wellness program release time offered to employees to promote work/life balance.

Helpful Applicant Information

Required Materials for Application:

• Resume/CV
• Three work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor/former supervisor.
• Letter of interest

Compensation Philosophy:

• Recruit and retain high-performing workforce through competitive compensation and career development including career pathing, coaching and skills development.
• Offer total rewards, flexible benefits, professional development, performance recognition and work-life balance.
• Ensure resources are readily available and utilized to attract and retain the highest quality researchers, faculty, and staff.

Employment Eligibility Verification

• If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form.  You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States.  Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment.  Failure to do so will result in delay of start date.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.