Administrative Assistant and Program Coordinator bei Caltech

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Job Summary

The Administrative Assistant and Program Coordinator will be responsible for organizing and managing administrative and programmatic activities for the Merkin Institute for Translational Research, while also providing support to faculty, their lab, and division-wide initiatives within the Division of Biology and Biological Engineering.

Essential Job Duties

The Administrative Assistant and Program Coordinator will support the Merkin Executive Committee by organizing activities, taking detailed notes, and initiating timely follow-ups to ensure completion of action items. This role requires adaptability, as responsibilities may evolve over time. In addition to program coordination, the position includes providing administrative support to BBE faculty and their lab members, as well as contributing to division-wide projects and initiatives.

Program Coordination and Administrative Support for Merkin

• Work with the grant manager and the Merkin Institute Scientific Director to prepare and allocate budgets, set up new accounts, monitor and process expenditures, rectify individual award account balances of Merkin-funded PIs at the end of the project period, and close out the master line of accounts for a given Merkin award RFP.
• Assist with Merkin research grants, graduate student grants, and equipment grants; work with grant managers and Merkin Institute Scientific Director to set up accounts, prepare budgets, identify and notify awardees, and obtain approvals from Merkin Director.
• Coordinate twice-yearly calls for proposals, support the preparation of quarterly reports, and follow up with awardees regarding progress reports and end-of-grant reporting requirements. Aid in the proposal review process, such as through recording the receipt of reviews from reviewers and collating reviews for individual proposals.
• Schedule and manage seminar series. Work with lab representative(s) to update the seminar calendar. Set up seminar recording upon request and prepare summaries of Merkin Executive Committee meeting minutes and Merkin Advisory Board meeting minutes, as needed.
• Schedule and manage “save the date” notices, invitations, and RSVPs for seminars and lectures, a summer translational workshop, and special events (e.g., Annual Merkin Institute Director's Dinner). Work with Caltech or off-site venue staff to ensure all arrangements are in order. Arrange travel and reimbursements for advisors, visitors, and speakers; reserve meeting rooms and coordinate catering.
• Schedule and manage Poster Sessions.
• Regularly update Merkin Institute website content.
• Maintain a record of Merkin Institute awards/expenditures/products that can be shared with the Provost and/or chairs of BBE, CCE, and EAS upon request.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for all Merkin-related inquiries.
• Perform other duties as assigned. 

Administrative Support and Division Projects

• Maintain calendar, schedule meetings and appointments, etc. Coordinate activities of the lab, including purchasing and related activities.
• Prepare documents and track basic administrative data as required. Screen and route mail/inquiries, as appropriate. Process and maintain sensitive and confidential information. 
• Manage paper and electronic filing systems. 
• May be required to manage both current and historical information, with ability to retrieve previous correspondence as a basis for current responses.  Draft documents for PI edits.
• Coordinate travel arrangements and itineraries for lab personnel and visitors to the lab. Process expense reports, advances, reimbursements, and payment requests; assist with logistics associated with domestic or international travel; ensure compliance with funding agency travel requirements and export regulations. Deposit reimbursement checks and ensure proper crediting to accounts.
• Using P-Card or TechMart, initiate and/or place orders for office and laboratory supplies. Help negotiate pricing for these items through regular interaction with sales reps.
• Interface with Procurement and/or vendors on outstanding invoices, discrepancies/returns, etc.  Maintain log of purchases, vendors used by the lab for internal use.
• Manage P-Card record-keeping and timely reconciliation. As necessary, complete petty cash forms and process reimbursements.
• Coordinate special events for lab or division such as lunches, seminars, and conferences which includes, but is not limited to, organizing event logistics, lodging, travel, catering, facilities, etc.
• Assist faculty member with presentations and documents as needed (draft, proofread, format images, design). May assist in preparing or copying classroom materials and/or updating web pages.
• Assist grant manager in obtaining information, as requested. 
• Track deadlines for recommendation letters and coordinate submission with PI approval.
• Act as liaison between PI, lab members, and the division, as well as other units on campus.  
• Provide one-stop assistance for referrals and resources to lab members, ensuring an efficient workflow.
• Other duties as assigned.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with at least 2 years of related experience.
• Finance or budgeting experience.
• Excellent customer service skills, including strong verbal and written communication skills with meticulous attention to detail. Must be able to interact professionally with all levels of faculty, postdocs, staff, and students, as well as with external contacts in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent organization and time management skills.
• Must be able to use sound judgment to handle a variety of tasks and to shift priorities simultaneously, as well as to effectively solve problems.
• Must possess a high level of initiative and the ability to work with general supervision. Must be capable of solving both routine and semi-routine problems while applying job skills and departmental policies and procedures.
• Ability to handle a variety of tasks simultaneously.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in biology or related discipline.
• Experience in laboratory and/or university administration environment.
• Web design experience.
• Grant application and management
• Familiarity with Caltech processes.
• Experience in event organization.

Required Documents

• Resume