Description

Job Summary

The School of Chemistry and Materials Science (SCMS) is seeking a dynamic Senior Staff Specialist to support financial, academic, administrative, and facility operations. This key role requires exceptional organizational skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with leadership, faculty, staff, and students to ensure smooth daily operations and contribute to strategic planning. Ideal candidates are detail-oriented, customer-focused, and thrive in team environments. If you're ready to apply your strengths in organization, accounting, coordination, and problem-solving to help advance a vibrant academic community, we invite you to join our team!

Job Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

Financial Affairs

• Advise the School Head on budgetary planning and financial health; monitor accounts and awards for potential issues.
• Prepare financial reports by gathering and reviewing data for internal and external use.
• Collaborate with Sponsored Programs Accounting (SPA) for post-award grant administration.
• Prepare and submit summer salary data to the College of Science Financial Team.
• Attend monthly budget meetings with the COS Senior Financial Team to review SCMS financial statements and plan future budgets.
• Reconcile monthly financial reports and statements; initiate journal entries to correct ledger discrepancies.
• Monitor faculty and student financial statements for accuracy and compliance.

Academic Affairs

• Serve as a primary point of contact for student contracts, faculty/staff requisitions, and academic operations.
• Respond to inquiries regarding SCMS policies, procedures, and academic processes.
• Coordinate course enrollment activities with Academic Advisors, including section management, room assignments, and adjunct faculty needs.
• Participate in the SCMS Curriculum Committee; assist with curriculum documentation including Table 1A revisions and course outlines.

Administrative Operations

• Maintain accurate electronic records for all SCMS business processes.
• Oversee monthly Payroll Distribution Report reviews for student lab workers.
• Process faculty hiring paperwork and support onboarding activities.
• Collaborate with Academic Advisors to maintain student and curriculum statistics for accreditation, assessment, and grant reporting.
• Support departmental and outreach events, including the annual graduation reception.
• Assist the School Head with special projects involving complex scheduling, international travel, and stakeholder coordination.
• Provide general office support including travel arrangements, accommodations, and reservations for faculty and leadership.
• Manage purchasing and financial transactions including requisitions, reimbursements, journal entries, and vendor communications.

Graduate Program Support - MSE Master's Program

• Monitor student progress toward MS degree completion through periodic audits.
• Provide coordination and communication support for MS and BS/MS students and the program director.
• Enroll students in required coursework and manage academic paperwork (e.g., merit scholarships, program changes, independent study contracts).
• Assist in developing course planning worksheets and contingency coursework for incoming students.
• Serve as the first point of contact for MS student inquiries and concerns.
• Prepare certification documentation and ensure compliance with academic requirements.

Required Qualifications

Education/Experience:

• Associate's degree or equivalent experience
• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in financial or academic administration, preferably in a higher education setting.

Skills

• Strong analytical, organizational, and strategic problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; able to collaborate effectively across departments.
• Proficient in financial systems, reporting tools, and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Skilled in account analysis, reconciliation, and HR-related practices.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and priorities independently.
• Professional, customer-focused demeanor with sound judgment and discretion in handling sensitive information.
• Comfortable working with diverse stakeholders including faculty, researchers, and administrative staff.

Department/College Description

The School of Chemistry & Materials Science offers undergraduate degrees in Chemistry and Biochemistry, Master's degrees in Chemistry and Materials Science & Engineering, and several BS/MS program options. The school currently has 21 faculty members and supports approximately 149 BS Chemistry and Biochemistry majors, 37 MS students in Chemistry and Materials Science & Engineering, and many BS/MS students. For more information on our school, please visit our web page at https://www.rit.edu/science/scms.

The RIT College of Science offers 12 undergraduate programs and 18 graduate programs including 12 MS programs and 6 Ph.D. programs. In addition, we offer 22 BS/MS pathway programs. The College has established an inclusive community among our education, research, and the scientific community at large. Our students benefit from the intersection of science and technology at RIT, including access and training with state-of-the-art laboratory equipment and facilities starting in their first year at RIT. As one of the top external grant-funded colleges on campus, the College of Science gives students unrivaled opportunities to engage in real-world research with supportive faculty mentors. Our alumni stand out from their peers at Cornell, MIT, Harvard, Regeneron, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, and the Cleveland Clinic, just to name a few.

How To Apply

In order to be considered for this position, you must apply for it at: http://careers.rit.edu/staff. Click the link for search openings and in the keyword search field, enter the title of the position or the BR number.

Additional Details

The hiring process for this position may require a criminal background check and/or motor vehicle records check. Any verbal or written offer made is contingent on satisfactory results, as determined by Human Resources. RIT does not discriminate. RIT promotes and values diversity, pluralism and inclusion in the work place. RIT provides equal opportunity to all qualified individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, age, marital status, sex, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, veteran status or disability in its hiring, admissions, educational programs and activities. RIT provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities under the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the New York Human Rights Law, or similar applicable law. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact the Human Resources office at 585-475-2424 or email your request to hr@rit.edu. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.