Sponsored Projects Administration is hiring an Outreach and Education graduate assistant for the 2017-18 academic year.

Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) announces a full-time (20 hrs/week) graduate assistantship
available for the 2017-18 Academic Year with potential to begin Summer Semester 2017 and continue in Summer Semester 2018.
Position Title: Outreach and Education Assistant
Position Reportage: The graduate assistant reports to the Director of Sponsored Projects
Administration and designee, Outreach and Education Coordinator.

Position Duties and Responsibilities: 

• update information on the SPA website and work with office staff and Strategic Communications to create new content as needed;
• assist with office desktop publishing needs (writing/graphics/layout);
• assist with updating and monitoring office social media outlets and the office blog;
• attend University-related events associated with the office (may include evenings and weekends as needed);
• act as SPA photographer and recorder/scribe at University and office functions;
• assist the Publications Assistant with their duties: including writing content for the office Research Magazine, office blog, and other office publications;
• assist with office video/audio production as needed;
• assist with SPA events, including the Student Symposium, Research Week, and Benefacta;
• assist with SPA data and information management, including support for SPA wiki;
• perform front of office duties: including, but not limited to, answering the phones, greeting guests, and other front of office activities as needed;
• assist Research Information Coordinator with her duties;
• other duties as assigned.

Qualifications: Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) is looking for a tech-savvy content producer to assist in the Outreach and Education area of the office. Candidate will produce and update SPA web-site content through the Sitecore content management system (training will be provided). Candidates will assist in some desktop publishing (writing/graphics/layout) and experience in these areas is preferred.

-Candidate should possess superior communication skills, both verbal and written. Candidate should be familiar with common principles of blogging and social media. SPA uses Blogger to maintain the office blog, but experience with any blogging platform is acceptable. SPA is currently active on Facebook and Twitter, but will be expanding into other social media platforms. Video production and/or photography experience preferred.
-Candidates will be expected to interact with members of the campus community in an official capacity; they should therefore exhibit a level of maturity and professionalism that will allow them to best represent themselves and the Sponsored Projects Administration in these interactions.
-Candidates must be able to work independently and problem solve, but also follow instructions as given. High levels of organization and time management are required.

Schedule: This position is a full-time assistantship (20 hours/week). May be required to
work evenings and weekends as needed, but regularly scheduled hours will occur
during normal business hours.

Application: To apply, please submit, via email, the following materials in PDF or Word format:
 Cover letter, including a brief description of how this position fits into your
career goals.
 Résumé/CV, including contact info (email address & telephone number)
 Three references, including names, titles, and telephone/email addresses
Please send via email to Ms. Jessie Roark in Sponsored Projects Administration
(jaroark@bsu.edu).

Application Deadline: March 13, 2017 by 11:59pm.
Ball State University operates on an equal opportunity basis in hiring practices.

SPA Welcomes Clement Matasane, UASP IREX Fellow

Sponsored Projects Administration was pleased to welcome a UASP (University Administration Support Program) IREX Fellowship recipient in the first week of February. Clement Matasane, Grants Coordinator at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal’s College of Health Sciences (Durban, South Africa), will be staying in Muncie until the first week of March to learn about research administration at Ball State University. 

Matasane will be meeting with faculty, staff, and administrators across campus to gain an enhanced understanding of how research administration works at the university level, with a prospect to develop an implementation plan for his own research office upon returning to Durban. He hopes to become familiarized with several aspects of the Ball State research enterprise, including  identifying funding opportunities, electronic research administration, pre-award, post-award, and compliance. 

"We are trying to do more at the university I work at and my main goal is to develop a plan of action to take back with me when I return," Matasane said. "We need more human support, special project officers, and overall a more centralized process for research administration." 

Matasane spent the past two weeks visiting with various staff at SPA, as well as faculty members across campus to network and witness the processes of internal and external funding. He said he admires the working relationships and interactions of collaborators on campus. 

"I believe in hand-in-hand working relationships and everyone works as a team here," he said. "Everyone shares the responsibilities and tasks when it comes to completing grants. When there are challenges, they sit down and talk about them together." 

Matasane said his first two weeks in Muncie were busy with meetings and interviews, but he is also interested in seeing what the community has to offer. 

"I have gone to dinner with some of the staff at SPA and I would love to see a show at Emens Auditorium before I leave," he said. "I am so thankful for this opportunity and the support of IREX and Ball State. It's difficult to be away from my family, but I have received a warm welcome from the entire office and university." 

Matasane will be flying to Washington D.C. on March 3 to complete his fellowship program. Upon returning to Durban, Matasane said he is looking forward to maintaining the relationships he formed while working at Ball State. 

"This is an everlasting relationship," he said. "I will continue to collaborate with the staff at SPA and treat them as my mentors as I take this next step at my university."