Research Accountant

• CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click "Apply" and complete the application process for external applicants.

JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

The Office of Research Accounting is the University's post-award, accounts receivable function for sponsored research projects, funded by Federal, Commonwealth and private institutions. Their mission is to facilitate the timely and accurate reimbursement of sponsored expenditures and provide reliable and meaningful financial information to management, sponsors, and Penn State's partners. The office is seeking an individual for the role of Accountant (Accountant - Advanced Professional).

Responsibilities: The successful candidate will have the following responsibilities:

• Prepare documents, including invoices, financial reports, forecasts, and management reports.
• Review grants, contracts and interpret University policy to ensure compliance; and confer with contract negotiators to resolve issues accordingly.
• Liaise with departments and sponsors to seek opportunities to improve the processing of non-standardized and specialized invoicing.
• Develop, recommend and implement procedures to ensure uniform and efficient accounting practices, internal controls, and compliance with regulations and University policy.
• Oversee proper classification and coding of income and expenditures. Monitor, analyze and resolve complex accounting and accounts receivable issues, which may involve dialog with University departments and external sponsors.
• Perform reconciliations of complex accounts in a timely and accurate manner to ensure full compliance with University policies and internal controls.
• Develop the knowledge base and the ability to backup critical functions within the Department.
• Prepare special reports and provide information to various federal, state and external agencies.
• Other duties include, but are not limited to gathering data, maintaining databases, and maintaining process documentation. Review, collect and analyze information while responding to audit queries and compliance issues.
• Provide backup in times of transition for all four teams within Research Accounting.

Education and Experience: This position requires a Bachelor's degree or higher and 3+ years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience with MS Office Suite software and knowledge of SIMBA (SAP/S4HANA) is preferred. Ability to communicate clearly and accurately both verbally and in writing, strong organizational skills, and proven record of success as a member of a professional team are desirable. Penn State and the Office of the Senior Vice President for Research are committed to fostering diversity, inclusion and equal opportunity.

Work Arrangement: This position is eligible to work remotely within the US. Standard work times are in EST.

The Pennsylvania State University is committed to and accountable for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion inallits forms.We embrace individual uniqueness, foster a culture of inclusive excellence that supports both broad and specific diversity initiatives, leverage the educational and institutional benefits of diversity, and engage all individuals to help them thrive. We value inclusive excellence as a core strength and an essential element of our public service mission.

Penn State offers competitive benefits to full-time employees, including medical, dental, vision, and retirement plans, in addition to tuition discounts (75% discount for spouse and children), and paid holidays. Please visit https://hr.psu.edu/current-employee/benefits for more detailed information.

The salary range for this position, including all possible grades is:

Salary Structure - additional information on Penn State's job and salary structure.

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS: