Research Systems Officer
The City Univerity of New York

General Description

The City University of New York (CUNY) is seeking a Research Systems Officer for the Office of Research (OR). This skilled professional will be primarily responsible for the successful implementation, management, and ongoing maintenance of an electronic research administration (eRA) system for CUNY's 25 colleges and schools, as well as its Central Office. The Officer will be part of OR's Research Integrity and Compliance (RIC) team. They will collaborate closely with RIC colleagues involved in the continuous improvement of CUNY processes, procedures, and policies related to sponsored programs and compliance in the research enterprise. This role will report to the University Executive Director of Research Integrity and Compliance.

In a single integrated system of 25 colleges and schools, the Office of Research is responsible for the leadership of University initiatives that build research capacity for CUNY. Research, scholarly, and creative pursuits are supported through three OR divisions: Research Development and Programs; Innovation and Entrepreneurship; and Research Integrity and Compliance. Jointly, these divisions encourage collaborative and transdisciplinary research innovations; foster startups and commercialization both within and beyond the CUNY community; and ensure adherence to the standards that govern research ethics and sponsored program administration.

Other Duties

In addition to the CUNY Title Overview, other key duties include, but will not be limited to the following:

• Inform the implementation and ongoing management of an eRA system through a comprehensive mapping of CUNY research enterprise business needs and objectives, including pre-award, post-award and compliance functions. Serve CUNY's continuous planning, end-user engagement, and training needs through an expert understanding of eRA system processes and technical capabilities. Develop testing requirements and facilitate end-user testing during implementation and subsequent enhancement phases. Co-design synchronous and asynchronous training modules; deliver live training and onboarding services for new end-users; and provide ongoing customer support for end-users at all levels. Develop policies, procedures, and trainings specific to eRA data management, sharing, integrity, security, and retention; oversee the organization, accuracy, and completeness of University-wide eRA data records; ensure University-wide adherence to best practices by end-users. Curate and deliver end-user guides and materials, as well as ensure consistent and timely stakeholder communications regarding system updates and alterations. Create and run a diverse array of analytic reports including data for sponsored projects and research compliance; conduct ongoing evaluations and analyses of system functions, trends, and patterns; deliver metrics and analyses to CUNY leadership and other key stakeholders, including University-wide and public dissemination. Manage and provide key eRA data in support of both internal and external research-relevant audits, as well as facilitate eRA data interface for adjacent domains such as intellectual property, export control, and research agreements. Serve as a key vendor liaison to diagnose and discover solutions for functional needs and technical issues; support University decision-making around future eRA system modifications and updates as required. Collaborate with University-wide IT offices, HR offices, research administrators, and the CUNY Research Foundation to facilitate ongoing eRA data feeds and integrations, problem-solve, and identify potential system enhancements. May provide support for other CUNY Office of Research information systems as needed. Other duties as assigned by the University Executive Director of Research Integrity and Compliance and Associate Vice Chancellor for Research as needed.

Note: Until further notice, this is a hybrid position, eligible to work a combination of remote and on-site in the office.

Qualifications

MINIMUM

• Bachelor's degree and eight years' related experience required.

PREFERRED

• Advanced degree in a directly related discipline such as business, IT, or research administration, which may substitute for up to two years of the required experience.
• Previous related experience with managing eRA systems, or similar enterprise research software platforms, in a large complex institution.
• Comprehensive understanding of business and systems processes such a workflow, process mapping, and organizational hierarchy and routing chains, and how they translate into technology.
• Comprehensive understanding of all components of a research administration enterprise and the needs of all stakeholders within (I.e., proposal development, pre- and post-award administration, compliance, reporting, etc.).
• Strong system and process troubleshooting skills, including the ability to diagnose a problem and provide technically accurate details and workarounds.
• Exemplary organizational and project management skills to develop objectives, set and adapt to changing priorities, manage competing demands/changes and meet deadlines.
• Proactive, flexible and collaborative work style with strong interpersonal communication, presentation and negotiation skills to forge successful relationships with diverse faculty, staff, and external partners.
• Detail oriented and precise with strong research, writing, and analytical skills, plus ability to thrive in a demanding, multi-faceted, and time-sensitive office.
• Commitment to public service, service excellence, inclusion, equity, ethics, and integrity to manage highly sensitive information and material discretely.

The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) was established as a not-for-profit educational corporation chartered by the State of New York in 1963. RFCUNY supports CUNY faculty and staff in identifying and obtaining external support (pre-award) from government and private sponsors and is responsible for the administration of all such funded programs (post-award).

RFCUNY stands between CUNY's principal investigators (PIs) and the sponsors who support them and strives to fulfill its essential responsibilities to both groups. Working closely with individual PIs and Grants Officers on the campuses, RFCUNY oversees employment, accounting, audit, reporting, purchasing, and special responsibilities that include management of a planned giving program; liaison with governmental agencies and foundations; negotiation of agreements; facility construction and renovation; protection and commercialization of intellectual property; and compliance with applicable standards in research involving human subjects, animal care, environmental and radiological safety, and conflicts of interest.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Research Foundation of the City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-Verify Employer. It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.