Job Description
Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Penn State University is seeking a Project Manager - Sponsored Research to support complex interdisciplinary research initiatives. The role involves full-lifecycle project management including proposal development, financial stewardship, and compliance oversight for sponsored research awards. Responsibilities Manage the full lifecycle of research administration activities, including proposal development, award setup, post-award management, reporting, and closeout Coordinate administrative and cross-functional project teams during pre-award activities and lead coordination during post-award execution Serve as a primary liaison with Principal Investigators, subrecipients, sponsors, PSU central offices, and departmental staff Coordinate and support multidisciplinary working groups and committees Attend and lead administrative and technical project meetings Track milestones, deliverables, timelines, reporting deadlines, extensions, and prior approval requirements Coordinate preparation of sponsor-required financial and administrative reports Review sponsor and University policies to ensure compliance and shared understanding across project teams Assess project-specific requirements and coordinate with appropriate units to support execution Use project management tools to monitor progress, communicate status, and track performance metrics Recommend and implement process improvements and develop standard operating procedures to enhance project execution Planning and forecasting budgets aligned with project goals and milestones Monitoring financial performance and spending trends to ensure appropriate burn rates Coordinating budget revisions, supplemental funding requests, and prior approval submissions Developing and maintaining financial tracking tools for expenditures, commitments, and projections Overseeing financial management of subrecipients, including review of budgets, expenditures, and modifications Coordinating complex sponsor financial reporting with research administration and finance offices Supporting timely and compliant financial and administrative closeout Participating in internal and external audits related to sponsored projects Skills Microsoft Office Suite (advanced proficiency in MS Excel required) Experience with collaborative tools such as Airtable, GitHub, Slack, Teams, and Google Drive Experience with project management platforms Strong organizational, analytical, and time management skills Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously Excellent written and verbal communication skills Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within cross-functional teams Bachelor's Degree 1+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted Experience in project management of research administration Experience overseeing sponsored project budgets and financial monitoring of research awards Familiarity with federal sponsor requirements (e.g., NIH, DOD, NSF) and foundation-funded (i.e. Bill and Melinda Gates) projects Familiarity with DOD, foundation grant, and training grant management systems is a plus Benefits Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage Robust retirement plans Substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time Generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children Company Overview There’s a reason Penn State consistently ranks among the top one percent of the world’s universities. It was founded in 1855, and is headquartered in University Park, pa, US, with a workforce of 10001+ employees. Its website is