SPA Departmental Research Administrator

Portland State University is Oregon’s most affordable public research university, located in the heart of one of America’s most dynamic cities. Our mission to “let knowledge serve the city” reflects our dedication to turning ideas into action — in Portland and around the world. The city is our campus, giving students unmatched access to career connections, a vibrant cultural scene and hands-on learning experiences with hundreds of community partners.

More than 20,000 students from all backgrounds bring diverse perspectives to our classrooms and campus life, from the tree-lined Park Blocks to the bustling Urban Plaza and state-of-the-art science labs. We are proud of our world-class faculty, groundbreaking research and international reputation for excellence in sustainability, community engagement and innovation.

The Departmental Research Administrator (DRA) serves as a key operational and financial partner to faculty and research teams in the administration and stewardship of sponsored projects. As part of Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA), the DRA supports the post-award management of a diverse portfolio of sponsored projects, helping investigators navigate sponsor requirements, manage project resources effectively, and maintain compliance with institutional, sponsor, and regulatory expectations.

The DRA works closely with Principal Investigators, departmental personnel, Proposal Analysts, and other SPA colleagues to support award implementation, financial monitoring, rebudgeting, effort coordination, forecasting, reporting, prior approval requests, and award closeout activities throughout the sponsored project lifecycle. This role helps ensure that sponsored projects remain financially sustainable, operationally effective, and aligned with sponsor and institutional requirements as project needs evolve over time. The DRA may also provide operational or post-award perspective during proposal budgeting and implementation planning to support effective project transitions and long-term award management.

Successful DRAs combine strong analytical and financial skills with the ability to interpret complex regulations, communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders, identify potential risks or issues, and provide practical guidance in a dynamic research environment. The position requires independent judgment, collaborative problem solving, attention to detail, and a service-oriented approach to supporting research and scholarly activity.

In accordance with the AAUP collective bargaining agreement this position is open only to current PSU AAUP academic professionals. Article 17 Section 11 refers.

Bachelor’s Degree with 3 or more years of related experience

Related experience includes:

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities of Incumbent

Contributes to a culture of environmental stewardship, practices resource conservation, and actively works toward achieving long-term sustainability goals.

Salary is dependent on several factors, and new employees will typically start around the Q1 level to allow for later growth within the salary band. PSU has a structured process for determining starting compensation, taking into account years of related experience, applicable skills, knowledge and abilities, market parity, and internal equity.

The starting annual salary for this position will be between $58,596 and $63,048 but may be negotiated above this range dependent upon the factors above, the budget of the hiring department, and approval from HR.

An excellent includes 95% premium paid healthcare; a generous retirement and vacation package; and reduced tuition rates for employee, spouse or dependent at any of the Oregon University System schools.

Please visit our to see the full value of our benefits package.