Administrative Assistant Position

  • by Christine Coleman

–FILLED–

Job Summary
Under general supervisor of the Principal Investigator (PI) and his executive assistant, provide administrative assistance to the Vector Genetics Laboratory, a research group dedicated to advancing scientific understanding of the genetics, genomics, and bioinformatics of insect vectors that transmit human and animal disease and to improving vector control strategies through applied research.

The laboratory’s major research emphasis includes projects on malaria vectors in Africa and related international collaborations that involve field site work, entomological studies, and community engagement.

In this role, you will coordinate complex domestic and foreign travel for the PI, laboratory staff, and visitors; prepare and submit expense reports and cash advance requests; and serve as a key administrative contact for the lab’s travel and logistics. You will also support operational needs through scheduling meetings and calendars, managing purchasing and shipment of supplies and equipment (including for remote field sites), tracking invoices and contracts, and maintaining accurate administrative records.

Additional responsibilities include coordinating vendor communications, editing and proofreading documents, updating lab web content, and planning laboratory events. This position requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, discretion, and the ability to manage multiple priorities independently in a fast-paced research environment.

This career appointment is for two years from date of hire, with the possibility of extension contingent upon continued funding.

 

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Apply By Date: January 30, 2026

 

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications - For full consideration, applicants are encouraged to upload license and/or certification if required of the position

  • Demonstrated experience (minimum 2 years) providing administrative support in an academic, research, or complex organizational environment, including supporting faculty, research staff, or project teams with multiple concurrent priorities.
  • Documented experience arranging and managing both domestic and international travel for multiple travelers, including flights, lodging, ground transportation, conference registrations, and last-minute or mid-trip changes.
  • Proven experience using institutional purchasing systems and purchasing cards, including submitting purchase orders, reconciling charges, selecting appropriate funding sources, and resolving discrepancies with vendors or internal finance staff.
  • Demonstrated experience managing invoices, payments, and vendor communications, including tracking payment status, resolving delayed or incorrect payments, and maintaining accurate records or spreadsheets for multiple vendors or accounts.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of, or direct experience working within, institutional or organizational travel and expense reimbursement policies, including preparation and submission of expense reports and cash advance requests in compliance with established deadlines and procedures.
  • Strong organizational and communication skills, demonstrated by experience coordinating calendars, scheduling meetings, preparing agendas and minutes, tracking action items, and managing competing deadlines with minimal supervision.
  • Ability to manage complex, detail-oriented administrative workflows involving multiple stakeholders, including coordinating schedules, tracking deadlines, maintaining accurate records, and communicating effectively with faculty, staff, vendors, and external partners in a fast-paced research or laboratory environment.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Prior experience working with UC Davis systems, such as Aggie Enterprise/AggieBuy, UC Travel, or similar enterprise purchasing and travel platforms.
  • Experience supporting contracts and agreements, including assisting with new vendor setup, contract extensions or amendments, tracking available funds, and coordinating with purchasing or contracts offices.
  • Ability to communicate clearly and professionally with domestic and international vendors and collaborators, including explaining administrative requirements, tracking follow-ups, and resolving issues related to payments, contracts, or scheduling across time zones.
  • Skills to organize work effectively to achieve timely progress on multiple simultaneous projects, distribute effort appropriately among the projects, meet deadlines, and maintain a high level of productivity.
     

Key Responsibilities
40% - Travel / Purchasing

  • Arrange and schedule travel, both domestic and foreign for PI and all lab members; make air travel, ground transport, and/or hotel arrangements, register participants at conferences, assist with passport and visa applications, and coordinate cash advances.
  • Gather travel documents including insurance and location safety information, agendas, permits, etc. into a travel packet presented to the traveler.
  • Know and understand University of California policies regarding domestic and foreign travel.
  • Arrange long-term travel to remote foreign destinations and assist in coordinating meetings and conferences of lab members and foreign officials relating to project goals.
  • Act as travel arranger for all lab members; ensure travel profiles are complete and up to date, make last minute and mid-trip changes to travel plans when needed.
  • Coordinate travel arrangements for laboratory guests; register non-employee travelers, make air travel, ground transport, and/or hotel arrangements, act as laboratory contact until arrival at PI's office.
  • Submit expense reports for all travel and travel card expenses for PI and all lab staff, postdocs, and guests within designated UC Davis deadline.
  • Receive and place lab supply orders through Aggie Enterprise and via an assigned purchasing card.
  • Order and maintain office supplies.
  • Determine appropriate grant account to charge for all orders.
  • Work with account manager to resolve account discrepancies and use initiative to resolve purchasing disputes.
  • Coordinate the purchase of large equipment to be sent to remote field locations in Africa including laboratory and insectary equipment and off-roading cars.

30% - Invoice and Contracts Management

  • Ensure seamless communication with domestic and international vendors regarding Purchase Order (PO), invoices, and payments.
  • Review of incoming invoices to verify all details are accurate and nothing is missing prior to sending to the invoicing department for processing.
  • Manage tracking system for invoices and payments to ensure the vendor has received payment and that there are no internal issues.
  • Submission and management of help desk tickets as needed when payments are not received or there have been delays.
  • Manage data spreadsheet for all UCMI vendors, keeping all information updated.
  • Communicate with vendors regarding contracts – terms, payments, extensions, amendments, etc.
  • Assist Program Administrator with completion and submission of all required contract documents to establish a new vendor, vendor contract extensions, or vendor contract changes.
  • Manage new contract submissions from start to finish to ensure timely review and delivery of PO to each vendor.
  • Communicate with purchasing and contracts department staff as needed to ensure timely review and approval of new contracts, amendments, extensions, and changes.  
  • Track available funds for all contracts.  
  • Inform program administrator of expiring contracts or contracts in need of additional funds.

20% - Scheduling

  • Coordinate vacation scheduling among laboratory staff.
  • Manage weekly lab meetings including: issuing email reminders to staff, preparation of agenda, preparing and distributing minutes, follow‐up on action items, and scheduling guest speakers.
  • Manage laboratory schedule including follow-up on project completion deadlines, travel, and staff leave requests.
  • Manage PI's schedule including travel, project meetings, teleconferences, and interviews.

10% - Other

  • Update and maintain lab website content.
  • Plan, organize, and participate in lab events such as joint lab meetings, publication celebrations, malaria day event, and a yearly holiday party.
  • Occasional travel to grant related meetings.
     

Department Overview

The Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology is one of six academic departments in the School of Veterinary Medicine; it provides a unique and critical linkage between the basic and clinical sciences. The mission of the department is the effective integration of the disciplines of immunology, microbiology (including bacteriology, parasitology and virology) and pathology (both anatomic and clinical) into the teaching, research, and service programs of the school and campus. Through this mission, the department promotes the understanding of causes and diagnosis of disease in animals and the mechanisms by which diseases develop at the organismal, cellular and molecular, and, increasingly, genetic levels. The correlated applied (translational) mission is to advance the use of morphologic, microbiologic, biochemical, genetic, and immunologic methods for diagnosis and prevention of disease.

 

POSITION INFORMATION

Salary or Pay Range: $25.45 - $36.05/hour
Salary Frequency: Hourly
Salary Grade: 109
UC Job Title: BLANK AST 2
UC Job Code: 004723
Number of Positions: 1
Appointment Type: Career
Percentage of Time: 100%
Shift (Work Schedule): Mon-Fri 8am-5pm
Location: Davis, CA
Union Representation: Yes - CX
Benefits Eligible: Yes
This position is 100% on-site

Primary Category

Job Openings