Direct Support Professional Jobs in Ruston, LA (NOW HIRING)

Thank you for your interest in employment with Louisiana Tech University.

Louisiana Tech seeks a skilled, knowledgeable, and experienced professional to lead the Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP). Reporting to the Vice President for Research, the Director is responsible for managing and overseeing all aspects of the operation of the OSP.

Louisiana Tech University is a public research university located in Ruston, LA. It is part of the University of Louisiana System and designated as R2: Doctoral Universities - High Research Activity university by the Carnegie Classication. The University's annual research expenditures (three-year average of $32M) are currently on a strong growth trajectory, with the goal of reaching or exceeding $50M by 2030.

The OSP offers direct support to faculty and staff in all aspects of seeking and managing external grant and contract funding. The OSP Director oversees the management of grant accounts by grants accountants, which involves timely invoicing, subrecipient monitoring, and timely submission of financial reports to sponsors. The position also requires close collaboration with the Division of Finance, which handles drawdowns from sponsors as well as payments.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

-Provide leadership in all aspects of the OSP's functions: pre-award, post-award, award closeout, compliance, training, and grant accounts management.

-Serve as the point of contact for sponsors, partners, and faculty.

-Actively engage with the campus research community to identify interests, expertise, and funding needs and communicate funding opportunities to appropriate audiences.

-Provide faculty and staff training for sponsored project management processes as needed.

-Monitor sub-awards and amendments to partner institutions and agencies and oversee sub-recipient monitoring.

-Actively monitor and manage contracts and award closeouts and proactively address account balances and reporting requirements as applicable.

-Collaborate with the Division of Finance to ensure timely invoicing, fund drawdowns, and disbursement of payments related to grant accounts.

-Develop and maintain efficient management tools and systems that facilitate the administration of sponsored awards by faculty, administrators, and staff (prior experience with Workday ERP system preferred).

-Serve as the OSP liaison for internal and external audits, including the Louisiana Legislative Auditors, compliance audits, and other federal and non-federal auditors.

-Oversee or support (as appropriate) various annual reporting requirements, including but not limited to the Schedule of Expenditures on Federal Awards (SEFA) and the NSF HERD Survey.

Essential Qualifications:

• An earned Bachelor's degree in a relevant field is required; a Master's degree is preferred.
• Knowledge of the Uniform Guidance for Federal Awards (2 CFR Part 200), and familiarity with the compliance, cost principles, and audit requirements set forth therein.
• Experience working in the sponsored projects office in an academic setting is highly desirable.

To apply, submit the following at the link provided (Workday):

• A cover letter highlighting relevant expertise and experience
• A resume
• Names and contact info for three references (who will be contacted only if the candidate is a finalist, and with the candidate's knowledge and permission)

Priority consideration will be given to applications received by May 15, 2026.

Louisiana Tech is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/ADA Employer and places a high priority on the creation of an environment supportive of ethnic minorities, women, veterans, and persons with disabilities.

Please Note: Applications must be completed by 11:59 p.m. on the Job Closing Date to ensure consideration.

Note to Applicant:

Applicants should fully describe their qualifications and experience with specific reference to each of the minimum and preferred qualifications in their cover letter. The search committee will use this information during the initial review of application materials.

References will be contacted at the appropriate phase of the recruitment process.

This position may require a criminal background check to be conducted on the candidate(s) selected for hire.

As part of the hiring process, applicants for positions at the Louisiana Tech University may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform job-related tasks.