Program Administrator - Resilience and Catastrophe Modeling
Rice University
Houston, TX 77005
$65,000 a year
Description
About Rice:
Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.
Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.
About George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing:
The George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing ranks among the top 20 undergraduate engineering programs (US News & World Report) and is strongly committed to nurturing the aspirations of faculty, staff and students in an inclusive environment.
We seek greater representation of women, minorities, people with disabilities, and veterans in disciplines in which they have historically been underrepresented; to attract international students from a wider range of countries and backgrounds; to accelerate progress in building a faculty and staff who are diverse in background and thought, and we support an inclusive environment that fosters interaction and understanding within our diverse community.
Position Summary:
The Padgett Research Group and newly launch Consortium for Enhancing Resilience and Catastrophe Modeling (CERCat) housed in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is seeking a part-time Program Administrator to support research coordination and strategic initiatives in disaster resilience, catastrophe modeling, and multi-hazard risk mitigation. CERcat connects academic research with industry and public-sector partners to advance applied work in risk and resilience.
This position is ideal for a self-directed, organized professional with experience in project coordination, grant development, and research communications. It offers a flexible, intellectually engaging part-time opportunity to contribute to impactful interdisciplinary work.
Workplace Requirements: – Part-time, approximately 30 hours per week, with flexible scheduling to accommodate both in-person and remote work. Per Rice policy 440 , work arrangements may be subject to change.
Annual Hiring Range (for 30 hours a week): $65,000
*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.
This position is funded by a grant, soft and/or restricted funds. Continued employment is contingent on the renewal of funding.
Minimum Requirements:
- Bachelor's Degree
- 3+ years of experience in analytical or project-focused roles in communications, marketing, law, engineering, public policy, environmental science, or a related field
- In lieu of education or experience requirement additional related experience, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year for year basis may be substituted
Skills:
- Ability to develop and initiate new strategies that support research coordination, grant development, and stakeholder engagement
- Advanced problem-solving skills and the ability to manage complex research and administrative challenges
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, including experience drafting grant proposals, research briefs, and professional correspondence
- Ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines, and stakeholder needs in a fast-paced environment
- Strong organizational and time management skills with close attention to detail
- Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office suite and ability to prepare polished reports, presentations, and data summaries
- Strong data analysis and synthesis skills to support grant applications and research progress reports
- Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team, including faculty, research staff, and external partners
- Skilled in identifying issues and resolving problems to maintain project momentum
- Strong client service orientation and professionalism in communication with internal and external stakeholders
- Ability to cultivate and manage complex program partnerships, including industry, academic, and government collaborators Knowledge of budgeting principles and experience supporting the development of financial plans and funding proposals
Preferences:
- Master’s degree or equivalent experience in relevant field experience in analytical or project-focused roles in communications, marketing, law, engineering, public policy, environmental science, or a related field.
- Familiarity with research in resilience, catastrophe modeling, infrastructure systems, insurance, or risk mitigation
- Ability to translate complex scientific or technical concepts into accessible content for non-technical stakeholders
- Experience coordinating interdisciplinary initiatives or research collaborations, including event planning and the development of professional communications such as reports, presentations, and outreach materials
Essential Functions:
- Develops, implements, administers, and evaluates research programs by tracking project milestones, conducting background research, compiling reports, and recommending improvements aligned with program objectives in resilience and catastrophe modeling
- Develops and implements strategies related to outreach, events, communications, and partnerships, including organizing workshops, stakeholder meetings, and the CERCat Industry Advisory Board gathering
- Creates short- and long-term plans to advance program goals in disaster resilience, catastrophe modeling, and multi-hazard risk mitigation, in coordination with faculty and consortium members
- Leads or contributes to grant development by identifying funding opportunities, drafting proposal narratives, and coordinating submissions with university offices and external partners
- Supports the development of professional research communications, including presentations, research briefs, reports, and promotional materials tailored to academic, industry, and agency audiences
- Coordinates collaboration among internal and external research partners, including faculty, students, staff, and members of the CERCat consortium
- Manages financial and budgetary plans for program activities and funding proposals, and monitors expenditures in collaboration with faculty and administrative staff
- Provides administrative support for the Padgett Research Group and resilience-focused initiatives housed within the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- May supervise student workers or temporary staff supporting program activities
- Performs all other duties as assigned in support of program success and strategic goals
Additional Information
- Preferred start date as soon as possible
- Occasional domestic travel may be required to attend conferences, consortium meetings, or stakeholder events.
Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits
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Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact Rice University’s Disability Resource Center at 713-348-5841 or adarice@rice.edu for support.
If you have any additional questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu . Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.