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Job Summary

The Administrative Assistant and Program Coordinator will be responsible for organizing administrative and programming activities for the Merkin Institute for Translational Research.

Essential Job Duties

• Reporting to the Executive Director of the Merkin Institute for Translational Research, the successful candidate will be responsible for organizing Executive Committee activities including taking notes and initiating prompt follow-ups to ensure decided action items are completed. This role requires flexibility as requirements and tasks evolve.
• Working with the grant manager and the Merkin Institute Executive Director, prepare and allocate budgets, set up new accounts, monitor and process expenditures.
• Assist with Merkin research grants, graduate student grants, equipment grants; work with grant managers and Executive Director to set up accounts, prepare budgets, identify, and notify awardees, and obtain approvals from Merkin director.
• Also included in this role is initiating calls for proposals, assisting with the preparation of quarterly newsletters, and following-up with awardees when end-of-grant reports are due.
• Schedule and manage seminar series. Work with lab representative(s) to update the seminar calendar.
• Schedule and manage “save the date” notices, invitations, and RSVPs for seminars and lectures, a summer translational workshop, and special events (e.g. Annual Merkin Institute Director's Dinner). Work with the Caltech or off-site venue staff to ensure that all arrangements are in order. Coordinate travel arrangements/reimbursements for all advisors, visitors, speakers, reserve meeting rooms, and organize catering.
• Schedule and manage Poster Sessions.
• Regularly update Merkin Institute website content. 
• Maintain a record of Merkin Institute awards/expenditures/products that can be shared with the Provost and/or chairs of BBE, CCE and EAS upon request.
• Act as primary contact for all Merkin-related inquiries.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree with at least 2 years of related experience.
• Finance or budgeting experience.
• Excellent customer service skills including strong verbal and written communication skills with meticulous attention to detail. Must possess the ability to interact professionally with all levels of faculty, postdocs, staff, and students, and with external contacts in a fast-paced environment required.
• Excellent organization and time management skills.
• Must be able to use sound judgment to handle a variety of tasks and to shift priorities simultaneously, as well as to effectively solve problems.
• Must possess a high level of initiative and the ability to work with general supervision. Must be capable of solving both routine and semi-routine problems while applying job skill and departmental policies and procedures.
• Ability to handle a variety of tasks simultaneously. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in biology or related discipline.
• Experience in laboratory and/or university administration environment.
• Web design experience.
• Grant application and management.
• Familiarity with Caltech processes.
• Experience in event organization.

Required Documents

• Resume.