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This position has closed. University of Chicago removed this listing from their careers page on Oct 1, 2026. The interview prep below is still useful, and there are similar open roles at the bottom of this page.

Post Award Administrator

University of Chicago · Chicago, IL · $75,000–$100,000 a year · Full time

Posted Jul 23, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 30, 2026

Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

How do you keep current on the rules of different funding agencies?

What they are checking: The posting names working knowledge of both University and funding agency policies.

The posting calls this an intensive customer service environment. What does good service look like here?

What they are checking: The posting uses those words, and a compliance role delivering service is a real balance.

Tell me about a time your checking caught a problem before it mattered.

What they are checking: Accuracy described through a real case rather than claimed as a trait.

What would you do

This monitors about 560 active faculty accounts. How would you keep on top of that many?

What they are checking: The posting states the number, and scale is the defining feature of the job.

You find spending that does not match the budget, particularly on faculty salary. What do you do?

What they are checking: The posting names comparing actual to budget with particular attention to faculty salary.

A faculty member wants to charge something to a grant that you do not think is allowable. How does that conversation go?

What they are checking: The daily tension of research administration, and whether they hold the line kindly.

How do you work with a subcontractor or a funding agency on a problem?

What they are checking: The posting names relations and communications with funding agencies and subcontractors.

About the work

Tell me about your post-award grant administration experience.

What they are checking: The posting is specifically post-award, which is unlike pre-award proposal work.

Walk me through reconciling an account and correcting an error you find.

What they are checking: The posting names maintaining, reconciling and correcting errors in accounts.

How do you handle invoicing and deposits for an industry funded clinical trial?

What they are checking: The posting names check and wire deposits and earnings invoicing for industry trials.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at University of Chicago from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by University of Chicago.

Department BSD ADM - Post Award - Team A About the Department The Department of Medicine was the first department created when the medical school began over 110 years ago. It has evolved into the largest department not only in the medical school with over 300 full time faculty but is also the largest department in the University. The main missions of the Department of Medicine, scholarship, discovery, education and outstanding patient care, occur in a setting of multicultural and ethnic diversity. These missions are supported by exceptional faculty and trainees in the department. The Department of Medicine also takes great pride in providing unparalleled, comprehensive and innovative patient care. The Department's clinical excellence is continually recognized by the highly regarded US News and World Report. Each of the Department's sub-specialty practices are recognized as programs of national, regional, and local distinction for our novel diagnostic and therapeutic patient care offerings. The Department of Medicine has a long and proud history of research and discovery in the basic, clinical and translational sciences. Currently, the Department of Medicine is among an elite group of medical centers who are leading in the discovery and delivery of personalized medicine. Our impressive pool of talented researchers is renowned for bridging the bench to the bedside, and clinical research evaluations of new drugs and devices. The educational mission of the Department of Medicine is to train exceptional healers and the future leaders in academic medicine. The Department is home to four top residency programs (Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Dermatology and Medicine-Pediatrics) and twelve fellowship programs, including seven federally-funded training grants. Diversity of house staff and faculty is a key priority in our enterprise, both to cultivate leadership from underrepresented minorities and women and to reflect the ethnic and racial makeup of the patients we serve. Job Summary The job provides professional support for pre-award and/or post-award activities relating to grant and contract proposals and funding within a department or unit. Pre-award activities include research, preparing applications, and editing proposals. Post-award activities include compliance monitoring, payment processing, and salary allocations. Performs work with moderate guidance and utilizes knowledge of University and business drivers. The Post-Award Administrator provides financial management in an intensive customer service environment for the Department of Medicine. This position is eligible for a flexible work arrangement. Responsibilities • Serves as a primary account administrator for account owners. • Creates accounts and works within the Financial Accounting System. • Allocates, authorizes, monitors, and controls expenses. • Manages check and wire-transfer deposits, and earnings invoicing for industry funded clinical trials. • Maintains accurate accounts receivable and payable data in VETS (Visit Earnings Tracking System). • Maintains, oversees, reconciles, and corrects errors in accounts. • Processes clinical research and core bills for payment. Works with other administrators on the procurement process including purchasing, internal requisitioning, and personal travel reimbursements. • Allocates and authorizes expenditures. • May work with administrators to manage financial and administrative aspects of sponsored project proposal preparation, submission, and post-award grant administration. • Advises and assists in most relations and communications with funding agencies, subcontractors, and others. • Monitors expenditures on approximately 560 active individual faculty accounts. • Proposes solutions to discovered problems and fixes according to proper policy and procedure. • Compares actual spending to original budget and identifies any variances with particular attention being paid to faculty salary. • Develops a working knowledge of University policies and procedures as well as a working knowledge of policies and procedures of various funding agencies. • Creates and maintains excel spreadsheets and Access databases as necessary to track Section finances. • Works closely with Section Administrators to effectively manage faculty accounts and ensure proper spending. • Reviews all applications against University guidelines, in addition to drafting progress reports, non-competing applications, amendments, and budgeting. Responsible for all data entry and preparation of grant reports and trend analysis. • Prepares summaries of grants and effort allocations for Principal Investigators, meets with them and responds to their questions. Coordinates with other departments/units/divisions regarding multi investigator grants. Serves as department contact for annual audits and agency site visits. • Performs other related work as needed. Minimum Qualifications Education: Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field. Work Experience: Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline. Certifications: --- Preferred Qualifications Education: • Bachelor's degree or higher in accounting, business administration, or science. Experience: • Administrative, accounting, or grant and contract administration experience. • Budgets, ledgers, invoices, and fiscal reporting. • One or more aspects of sponsored program administration in a research environment. • Accounting systems. Preferred Competencies • Strong analytical and organizational skills. • Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills. • Work closely with senior University officials. • Independently complete projects on time and accurately with minimal supervision. • Flexibility and ability to work effectively under considerable time pressure. Working Conditions • Work non-traditional hours. Application Documents • Resume/CV (required) • Cover Letter (required) The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions. When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application. Job Family Financial Management Role Impact Individual Contributor Scheduled Weekly Hours 40 Drug Test Required No Health Screen Required No Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required No Pay Rate Type Salary ​ FLSA Status Exempt ​ Pay Range $75,000.00 - $100,000.00 The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting. Benefits Eligible Yes The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook . Posting Statement The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination. Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form. All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position. The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu . Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.