Duties Responsibilities Pre-Award Serve as the primary Sponsored Research liaison between the Principal Investigator, the Astronomy Business Office, and the Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) office; support Astronomy leadership with sponsored research fiscal responsibilities. Review solicitations and provide guidance on submission of sponsored research proposals across Astronomy's diverse research areas, including compact objects, cosmology, galaxies, instrumentation, observational programs, stars and planets, and theory. Develop complex project budgets and other components of applications submitted through various federally managed electronic research administration systems, including Research.gov, Grants.gov, and NASA NSPIRES, as well as private research sponsors. Counsel researchers through the pre- and post-award processes for externally-funded research projects, utilizing a solid understanding of federal regulations for sponsored research. Conduct analysis of faculty effort in accordance with regulatory compliance guidelines. Collaborate with interdisciplinary researchers on campus, as well as with other educational institutions, government agencies, national labs, and private organizations during both the application and award execution process. Confirm that investigators and other personnel on a proposal have completed required University, sponsor, regulatory, and other training mandates and disclosures. Post-Award Maintain professional relationships with departmental and central campus offices to facilitate effective and efficient business processes. Work in coordination with faculty, principal investigators, and staff to monitor expenditures in accordance with sponsor and university guidelines. Provide advice and action plans on use of research funding according to federal agency or other sponsor terms and regulations. Confirm with faculty and principal investigators that all subrecipients have completed their scope of work, including all required deliverables, and submitted their final billing. Verify contributed effort and cost share on sponsored projects, including but not limited to the semi-annual expenditure confirmation process with SPA. Develop internal business systems and specialized reports as needed for sponsored research management. Facilitate project close-out functions, including tracking of sponsor billing and final reporting requirements Compliance Responsible for verification of allowability, allocability, and consistency among like transfers to ensure compliance with all applicable rules and regulations. Stay current on changing campus, sponsor, and federal policies and guidelines, including regulations specific to major Astronomy funding agencies (NSF, NASA, DOE). Seek continuing education opportunities or relevant certifications, including pursuit of Illini Certified Research Administrator (ICRA) designation.