Colorado School of Mines
Overview
Research Accountant II
at
Colorado School of Mines
is responsible for the expense management of research grants and contracts in the Office of Research Administration (ORA). This role is a key member of the research team and serves as a resource to faculty and administrators in the financial administration of sponsored research awards. Essential duties include the set-up of new awards in the financial system, expense and account monitoring, financial reporting, financial closeout and other post-award financial analysis and support for sponsored awards. The position requires interpreting federal, state and institutional terms and advising Mines’ research community on their application. It requires critical thinking to apply regulatory interpretation to sponsored activity, independently compiling, analyzing, and presenting financial data, and collaborating with campus constituents to manage and reconcile sponsored activity. This is a hybrid role with on-campus presence required at regular intervals. For more on the Office of Research Administration, please visit their website: https://ora.mines.edu/.
Primary Responsibilities
Award Set-Up and Modifications: create new research accounts and amend existing accounts in the School’s financial system and ORA’s enterprise project tracking system. Determine appropriate financial codes to accurately administer and monitor awards in accordance with federal regulations, sponsor terms and conditions, and School policy.
Serve as subject expert for sponsor agreement format and financial terms and conditions to ensure proper setup and provide consultation.
Monitor, review and reconcile award budgets, balances and expenses, including deficit monitoring and expense review pre- and post-expenditure, ensuring expenses are allowable, allocable, and reasonable.
Collaborate with ORA staff to review deficit spending requests to determine financial risk under policy and practices.
Review, approve, and perform salary redistributions and journal entries as needed for proper expenditure accounting.
Identify, investigate and resolve discrepancies in research accounts, coordinating with faculty, ORA staff, other departments and sponsors as applicable.
Approve faculty requests for no-cost time extensions, budget deviations, and pre-award spending when allowed by agreement terms.
Assist the Property Manager to ensure equipment is titled, accounted for, and tagged appropriately.
Develop and/or update ad-hoc reports for tracking, diagnostic and financial analysis of sponsored activity.
Develop templates to improve financial administration of awards (e.g., tuition proportionate to salary, re-budgeting, closeout workbook).
Improve business practices and standing operating procedures related to award financial monitoring.
Serve as subject expert on the financial monitoring of awards.
Award Reporting
Prepare and submit required financial reports within sponsoring agency timeframes, analyzing financial statements and supporting documentation to ensure accuracy.
Prepare and submit required non-financial reports within sponsoring agency timeframes (e.g., Property, Patent, Cost Share reports).
Use School systems (Workday, Cognos, ORA project software) to extract data needed for reporting and navigate sponsor reporting systems.
Serve as subject expert on financial and non-financial reporting.
Award Closeout
Determine and perform required closeout actions, maintain detailed tracking of closeout activities, and coordinate financial closeout between sub-ledger and General Ledger.
Perform final expense review and account reconciliation; act as subject expert for award closeout and improve related procedures.
Training and Process Improvement
Provide guidance and training in policy and procedures related to research administration to faculty and administrators.
Participate in office-wide process evaluation and reengineering to improve efficiency and resource utilization; make recommendations to management and lead improvement efforts when approved.
Provide campus training on procedures and compliance topics.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration or equivalent experience
4+ years of sponsored research accounting experience
Ability to serve as a subject expert in topics related to research accounting and post-award administration
Experience with a high-volume portfolio and a variety of sponsors
Working knowledge of federal and other external research regulations
Proficiency with spreadsheets, databases, presentation software, and enterprise financial systems
Strong customer service skills and ability to work with diverse constituencies and meet multiple deadlines
Analytical and problem-solving skills with independent judgment
Effective oral and written communication skills
Preferred Qualifications
Higher education or government accounting experience
GASB knowledge and experience
Uniform Guidance knowledge
Salary and Benefits $70,100 - $76,000
Mines offers a robust benefits package, including flexible health and dental options, paid holidays, retirement plan, tuition benefits, and more. Details available at mines.edu/human-resources/benefits.
How to Apply Complete an online application (personal information, demographic information, veteran status)
Upload a resume or CV
Candidates must be currently authorized to work in the United States. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
Application review will begin November 3, 2025. Please apply by November 2, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. as applications received after that date may not be reviewed.
Successful Completion of a Background Investigation is Required for this Position.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Research Accountant II
at
Colorado School of Mines
is responsible for the expense management of research grants and contracts in the Office of Research Administration (ORA). This role is a key member of the research team and serves as a resource to faculty and administrators in the financial administration of sponsored research awards. Essential duties include the set-up of new awards in the financial system, expense and account monitoring, financial reporting, financial closeout and other post-award financial analysis and support for sponsored awards. The position requires interpreting federal, state and institutional terms and advising Mines’ research community on their application. It requires critical thinking to apply regulatory interpretation to sponsored activity, independently compiling, analyzing, and presenting financial data, and collaborating with campus constituents to manage and reconcile sponsored activity. This is a hybrid role with on-campus presence required at regular intervals. For more on the Office of Research Administration, please visit their website: https://ora.mines.edu/.
Primary Responsibilities
Award Set-Up and Modifications: create new research accounts and amend existing accounts in the School’s financial system and ORA’s enterprise project tracking system. Determine appropriate financial codes to accurately administer and monitor awards in accordance with federal regulations, sponsor terms and conditions, and School policy.
Serve as subject expert for sponsor agreement format and financial terms and conditions to ensure proper setup and provide consultation.
Monitor, review and reconcile award budgets, balances and expenses, including deficit monitoring and expense review pre- and post-expenditure, ensuring expenses are allowable, allocable, and reasonable.
Collaborate with ORA staff to review deficit spending requests to determine financial risk under policy and practices.
Review, approve, and perform salary redistributions and journal entries as needed for proper expenditure accounting.
Identify, investigate and resolve discrepancies in research accounts, coordinating with faculty, ORA staff, other departments and sponsors as applicable.
Approve faculty requests for no-cost time extensions, budget deviations, and pre-award spending when allowed by agreement terms.
Assist the Property Manager to ensure equipment is titled, accounted for, and tagged appropriately.
Develop and/or update ad-hoc reports for tracking, diagnostic and financial analysis of sponsored activity.
Develop templates to improve financial administration of awards (e.g., tuition proportionate to salary, re-budgeting, closeout workbook).
Improve business practices and standing operating procedures related to award financial monitoring.
Serve as subject expert on the financial monitoring of awards.
Award Reporting
Prepare and submit required financial reports within sponsoring agency timeframes, analyzing financial statements and supporting documentation to ensure accuracy.
Prepare and submit required non-financial reports within sponsoring agency timeframes (e.g., Property, Patent, Cost Share reports).
Use School systems (Workday, Cognos, ORA project software) to extract data needed for reporting and navigate sponsor reporting systems.
Serve as subject expert on financial and non-financial reporting.
Award Closeout
Determine and perform required closeout actions, maintain detailed tracking of closeout activities, and coordinate financial closeout between sub-ledger and General Ledger.
Perform final expense review and account reconciliation; act as subject expert for award closeout and improve related procedures.
Training and Process Improvement
Provide guidance and training in policy and procedures related to research administration to faculty and administrators.
Participate in office-wide process evaluation and reengineering to improve efficiency and resource utilization; make recommendations to management and lead improvement efforts when approved.
Provide campus training on procedures and compliance topics.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration or equivalent experience
4+ years of sponsored research accounting experience
Ability to serve as a subject expert in topics related to research accounting and post-award administration
Experience with a high-volume portfolio and a variety of sponsors
Working knowledge of federal and other external research regulations
Proficiency with spreadsheets, databases, presentation software, and enterprise financial systems
Strong customer service skills and ability to work with diverse constituencies and meet multiple deadlines
Analytical and problem-solving skills with independent judgment
Effective oral and written communication skills
Preferred Qualifications
Higher education or government accounting experience
GASB knowledge and experience
Uniform Guidance knowledge
Salary and Benefits $70,100 - $76,000
Mines offers a robust benefits package, including flexible health and dental options, paid holidays, retirement plan, tuition benefits, and more. Details available at mines.edu/human-resources/benefits.
How to Apply Complete an online application (personal information, demographic information, veteran status)
Upload a resume or CV
Candidates must be currently authorized to work in the United States. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
Application review will begin November 3, 2025. Please apply by November 2, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. as applications received after that date may not be reviewed.
Successful Completion of a Background Investigation is Required for this Position.
#J-18808-Ljbffr