Administrative Assistant II
Rice University
Houston, TX 77030
$18.89 - $22.69 an hour
Description
Special Instructions to Applicants:
All interested applicants should attach a resume and cover letter in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.
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.
Position Summary:
The Department of Bioengineering is seeking a highly organized, detail-oriented, and proactive administrative professional to support a wide range of business and operational functions critical to the department’s success. The administrative assistant reports to the Bioengineering Finance and Business Manager and the Executive Administrator. This position serves as a central resource for coordinating budget and finance activities—including processing transactions, tracking expenditures, and assisting with financial reporting—while also managing day-to-day office operations to ensure an efficient and well-functioning environment.
The role provides key support for the Bioengineering core staff, faculty, research staff, and students, processing department expenditures, purchasing card expenditure reconciliation and re-allocations, preparing expense reports and encumbrance reviews, resolving discrepancies, and helping investigate department past due invoices. This position will oversee the front office space, including serving as the primary point of contact for visitors, departmental purchasing, organizing, and supporting routine functions of the office.
Rice Bioengineering is one of the top biomedical engineering departments, with its graduate program consistently ranked among the top 10 in the country. This is an excellent opportunity for a skilled administrative professional who thrives in a collaborative, fast-paced academic setting and is committed to delivering high-quality service to faculty, students, and staff.
Ideal Candidate Statement:
The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong follow-through, excellent customer service, and the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced academic environment. The candidate will be a reliable team player who can effectively collaborate with colleagues across the department. A proactive approach to problem-solving and a commitment to delivering high-quality work are essential to the smooth day-to-day functioning of the department.
Workplace Requirements:
This position is a full-time on-campus position, necessitating all duties to be performed in person at Rice University Campus. Per Rice policy 440 , work arrangements may be subject to change.
Hiring Range: 18.89 – 22.69 per hour.
*Non-Exempt (hourly) positions under FLSA are eligible for overtime.
Minimum Requirements:
- High School Diploma or equivalent
- 2+ years of administrative experience
Skills:
- Proficient computer skills and demonstrated experience with office software and email applications
- Demonstrated success in follow-through and completing routine tasks
- Advanced organizational skills and attention to detail
- Advanced verbal and written communication skills
- Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills
- Ability to prioritize and multi-task
Essential Functions:
- Coordinates multiple administrative and business functions, with emphasis on budget and finance support, general office operations, and process coordination across the unit.
- Generates routine communications; coordinates production (formatting, copying, etc.) and distribution of documents, such as presentations, course handouts, grant proposals, conference and seminar materials, complex reports, brochures, and displays
- Plans and schedules calendar(s), resolves calendaring conflicts, and arranges travel
- Processes and monitors financial transactions, including resolution of discrepancies
- Schedules, organizes, and operates conferences, seminars, and events, including recommending vendors for services, overseeing the production and distribution of materials, coordinating logistics, and serving as liaison with internal and external vendors
- Maintains office supplies and equipment; obtains vendor quotes, as needed
- Coordinates office moves
- Serves as the point of contact for general maintenance, health and safety, and other facility concerns within the unit(s); reports any incidents or potential safety problems to appropriate representatives
- Maintains and updates approved web content
- Performs human resources transactional support, e.g. time cards, I9's, and / or faculty affairs support
- Performs other duties as assigned
Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits
Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University
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.