Job Description

Program Specialist

PURPOSE: To provide administrative support to ORAU/ORISE Science Education Programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Serve as Point of Contact for assigned research participants supporting all aspects of their appointment.  

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Coordinate and perform administrative support activities for SEP-C-2, a group which annually administers educational appointments for approximately 2500 research participants in 70 sponsor offices across multiple agencies. Work with project managers and group manager to ensure that all administrative support priorities, schedules, tasks, and activities (based on sponsor requirements and program objectives and milestones) are met.

• Interact with research participants, laboratory coordinators and mentors, and program sponsors to provide general assistance, to gather and supply information to complete tasks, and to respond to routine inquiries either in person, by telephone, or through email correspondence.

• Administer details associated with accepting/processing research participant applications. Respond to questions from potential applicants Process applications and applicant documents to include screening for eligibility and completeness. Prepare coding, data entry and verification of applicant information.

• Serve as Point of Contact for assigned research participants and administers details associated with their activities for the duration of the appointment. Enter participant data into Oracle, APSS and other program spreadsheets and databases, and maintain accurate participant physical files and electronic files. Monitor and maintain stipend tracking records and assist in the processing of stipend payments, tuition, fees and other program-approved costs. Monitor progress of participants and respond to administrative inquiries from participants.

• Hold government credit card and make purchases necessary to support on-going programs. Confirm and log expenditures.

• Participate on process improvement teams and make recommendations for improvement in program procedures and practices. Prepare and revise procedures documents.

REQUIREMENTS:

High School diploma or equivalent and two to four years of job-related experience. Excellent verbal, written, and proofreading skills required. Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, and Outlook required. Knowledge of Oracle for participant data input, stipend and/or payroll functions, expenditure review, funding balances, requisitions and purchase orders preferred. Knowledge of APSS for participant data preferred. Knowledge of ORAU credit card and purchasing policies preferred. Demonstrated ability to interact effectively and tactfully with people at various academic, professional and cultural backgrounds required. Demonstrated ability to provide excellent customer service is required. Demonstrated ability to be self-directed and able to prioritize and handle multiple tasks with minimum supervision is required. Demonstrated ability to solve problems is required.