Administrative Assistant

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The Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering seeks an experienced Administrative Assistant to support a Professor of Chemical Engineering. The Chemical Engineering faculty is among the most distinguished and innovative in the world, actively leading chemical engineering research into new areas of study and application. The successful candidate will provide advanced administrative and secretarial support to Professor Kornfield, with a special focus on detailed schedule management, project management, and communication. Further information on the Kornfield Lab can be found at:http://kornfield.caltech.edu/.

Schedule Management

• Maintains calendars in the manner the professor prefers, while ensuring sensitive and confidential information is maintained with a high level of privacy.
• Schedules meetings, appointments, conferences, and interviews to the specifications of the professor. Meeting schedules may cross international time zones.
• Provides active assistance to the professor with navigation of her daily schedule.This includes reminders regarding upcoming appointments/commitments throughout the day and timely communication of schedule changes and cancellations using preferred technological methods.
• Creates and maintains log to track professor's weekly priorities for work related to research grants, scientific publications, and meetings. Utilizes log to remind professor of weekly priorities.

Communication

• Acts as the point of contact between the professor and her research group members and external collaborators.
• Answers, drafts, edits, archives correspondence on behalf of the professor to her specification.
• Screens communication received via mail, telephone, and electronic mail. Proactively responds to inquiries and requests for information, while ensuring the professor is kept informed of critical information.
• Takes minutes for all meetings with professor, clearly documenting and reminding the professor of follow-up items.
• Maintains existing research group website by adding/updating people, papers, projects, etc. as needed.
• Maintains academic CV for faculty.

Project Management

• Coordinates tasks, deadlines, and deliverables for research grants, scientific publications, and meetings.
• Coordinates grant process for new submissions and routine reporting. Organizes and compiles data, tracks due dates, milestones, and collaborator correspondence.Provides routine communication to assist faculty in meeting deadlines.
• Archives presentation materials and original content as needed.
• Manages manuscript submission process including preparing documents for publication that include technical documents containing numerous equations. Follows through on requests from publishers in a timely fashion.
• Plans, organizes, and coordinates special events such as lunches, meetings, seminars, and conferences, which includes, but is not limited to, key faculty meetings/dinners with speakers, etc. using established checklist of tasks.
• Coordinates interview process for prospective postdoctoral scholars. Coordinates post-interview hiring process for incoming postdoctoral scholars. Keeps up-to-date versions of the lab's Postdoc Guide and Fellowship Guide and distributes to incoming postdoctoral scholars.

General Administrative Support

• Coordinates travel arrangements and processes expense reports including advances and payment requests; plans and coordinates logistics associated with domestic or international travel; ensures compliance with all funding agency travel requirements.
• Prepares classroom materials and makes arrangements for delivery and set-up of teaching equipment for undergraduate and graduate courses; collects homework and examinations from undergraduate and graduate students.
• Manages purchasing cards, which includes responsibility for recordkeeping and timely reconciliation of expenses. Completes petty cash forms and processes reimbursements.
• Assists in budget-related activities and in handling accounts, assists in reconciling discrepancies, tracks purchase requisitions for research group, maintains equipment inventory and maintenance contract lists, etc. Provides input and/or data to support financial projections.
• Creates tracking system to document research group schedules. Maintains tracking system of student progress both during the time they are at Caltech and tracking alumni progress after they depart.

Records Management

• Maintains files of standard elements of grant proposals, including biographies and descriptions of facilities and other boilerplate documents.
• Maintains up-to-date group member roster, project list, lab jobs list, and phone numbers list for the lab.
• Maintains records, document files, and databases electronically and in hard copy; includes patent, publication, and grant files.
• Maintains up-to-date information on group members (includes grad students, Postdoctoral Scholars, Visiting Associates, Visitors, and Undergraduate Research Students). Maintains current affiliations of former group members and other information.
• Maintains files of letters of recommendation; prepares letters and forms associated with student and postdoctoral applications for graduate study or employment.
• Maintains CV of faculty member to ensure it is current and includes accurate and up-to-date lists of publications, patents, presentations, awards, honorary degrees, and current and pending research support.
• Performs ad hoc assignments as required.

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years of administrative support experience.
• Experience using software including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, as well as email and calendaring programs and internet systems.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and effective oral and written communication skills necessary to interface with faculty, students, staff, and visitors in a professional manner.
• Highly organized with the ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and accomplish assigned tasks with a high level of accuracy and in a timely manner.
• Requires someone who is very detail-oriented and proactive, delivering high quality services under minimal supervision.
• Understanding of basic financial and accounting principles with the ability to research and analyze data.
• Strong word processing and proofreading skills.
• Ability to interpret and apply knowledge of Division, Institute, and external guidelines to resolve issues and/or problems.
• Ability to manage and organize multiple projects with multiple deadlines.
• Experience handling and maintaining confidential information.

• Experience supporting faculty in an academic and research setting.
• Familiarity with Caltech policies, procedures, and systems.
• Experience working on a Mac operating system with Mac hardware (i.e. phone, tablet, computer).
• Ability to learn and use various software programs.
• Experience compiling and uploading NIH and NSF proposals to grants.gov.

• Resume.
• Cover Letter.