Assistant Coordinator 

The Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (IBACS) Assistant Coordinator provides staffing support to grant-funded researchers affiliated with the Institute.  

About the Position

External research awards sometimes enable PIs to hire part- or full-time staff in support of the project, for instance, to support training grants. These positions can be difficult to fill, and funding gaps can force PIs to hire new staff for each new grant.  

Instead, PIs affiliated with the Institute can use grant funding to “buy out” time with the IBACS Assistant Coordinator. As a full-time employee of the Institute, this highly trained ready-to-go staff member offers institutional knowledge and valuable experience with grant management administration. Their services can increase efficiency and enhance a submission’s impact.  

Services 

The Assistant Coordinator assists with program/grant administrative support tasks such as:  

  • Budget and purchasing. 
  • Website creation and maintenance. 
  • Communications and advertisements. 
  • Event planning. 
  • Travel arrangements. 
  • Coordinating outreach efforts. 
  • And more! 

Compensation and Buy Outs 

The pay rate for FY24 is $53/hour based on a 35-hour work week (this includes fringe). 

How to Get Started

The application for this opportunity is currently closed.

Required Materials

Community members who wish to use the Assistant Coordinator’s services must submit the Administrative Assistance Form. You will be asked to provide the following information with your form: 

  • A description of your project and the job duties you require.  
  • Whether the assistance you require is project based or recurring.  
  • The timeframe of your request. 

Please email ibacs@uconn.edu if you would like an estimate of the Assistant Coordinator’s services prior to submitting the form. 

Conditions

Recipients are expected to meet the following conditions during the award period:

  • Recipients must complete the Institute’s annual data collection form to report on the grant activities, outputs, and plans for follow-up and/or external grant funding.
  • Recipients will be asked to serve for one year on the IBACS Review Panel. This panel will review our Seed Grant, Graduate Fellowship, and Undergraduate Research Grant applications. You may defer due to sabbatical or other appropriate reasons.
  • For awards intended to seed subsequent applications for external funding: If the funded activity leads to a successful outcome (e.g., is publishable, demonstrates feasibility of an approach, etc.), the PI(s) is expected to submit an external grant proposal based on these activities. Failure to do so will impact funding of subsequent Seed Grant applications. The Institute can assist with the preparation of applications (e.g., with budgeting, multi-institution agreements, etc.) and applicants are strongly advised to utilize the External Application Review Panel.
  • For equipment awards: PIs are responsible for ensuring that equipment is prioritized for projects intended to seed external funding applications. IBACS will work with the PIs to monitor usage with an annual report detailing use and outputs.
  • Any products (publications, grant applications, conference presentations, or any other information disseminated electronically or in print) that received the support of Institute funds must acknowledge the Institute’s support and should list the Institute among the author’s affiliations. Outputs based on use of Institute-funded equipment must also acknowledge Institute support.

Contact Us

If you have questions about the Assistant Coordinator or the Administrative Assistance form, please email ibacs@uconn.edu or contact the IBACS Program Coordinator