Administrative Assistant - Materials Research Institute

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POSITION SPECIFICS

The Materials Research Institute seeks qualified candidates for the position of Administrative Assistant (Intermediate Support level).

This position provides shared administrative and financial operations support within MRI. The role is intentionally split 50% financial request initiation and coordination and 50% center administrative support for the Center for Living Multifunctional Materials Systems (LiMC2).

The position supports efficient research operations by serving as a front-line initiator for financial requests submitted through ServiceNow into SIMBA, while also providing essential administrative, communications, and project coordination support to a highly interdisciplinary research center.

Key Responsibilities:

50% - Financial Request Initiator (ServiceNow / SIMBA Support)

• Serve as an initiator and intake point for MRI-related financial and administrative requests submitted via ServiceNow for processing in SIMBA
• Prepare, review, and submit:
  • Purchase and payment requests
  • Service agreements and related financial documentation
  • Supporting materials required for compliance and routing
• Coordinate with MRI leadership, faculty, and staff to:
  • Ensure requests are complete, accurate, and properly documented
  • Resolve missing information prior to submission
• Track request status and follow up with central offices, Research Accounting, and unit partners as needed
• Maintain documentation and process notes to support consistent and compliant financial workflows
• Contribute to the development and documentation of standard operating procedures related to financial request initiation

50% - LiMC2 Center Administrative Support

• Provide general administrative support, including:
  • Calendaring, scheduling, and meeting coordination
  • Clerical tasks and maintenance of center records
• Monitor and maintain calendars and task lists for:
  • Project deadlines
  • Programming milestones
  • Center events and deliverables
• Support center communications, including:
  • Website and content updates
  • Maintenance of contact and member lists
  • Correspondence with internal and external partners
• Assist with research project coordination by:
  • Supporting meetings and webinars with national and international collaborators
  • Maintaining shared documents and project timelines
• Provide event and program support for workshops, symposia, and education/outreach activities
• Contribute to documentation of center procedures and administrative processes

Skills and Experience:

• Demonstrated experience in administrative or operational support roles
• Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent tasks
• Experience using Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, SharePoint/OneDrive)
• Ability to communicate professionally and effectively with faculty, staff, students,

Preferred Experience:

• Experience supporting research, academic, or administrative units
• Familiarity with financial or administrative systems (e.g., ServiceNow, SIMBA, or similar enterprise systems)
• Experience coordinating meetings or projects involving multiple stakeholders
• Comfort working in a hybrid, fast-paced research environment

MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS

BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES

SALARY & BENEFITS

Salary Structure - Information on Penn State's salary structure

Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time. One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children. For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page.

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