Administrative Coordinator, Center for Human-Driven AI

Reporting to the Faculty Director of the newly established Center for Human-Driven AI with a dotted line to the Director of Faculty Support and Administration at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), the Administrative Coordinator plays a pivotal role in supporting the Faculty, the research, teaching, advising, and administrative activities of their lab and the Center. This position is responsible for ensuring the smooth functioning of daily and long-term administrative, research operations, and faculty support. The Administrative Coordinator serves as a key liaison between the Center, the lab, research collaborators, Harvard administrative offices, and external partners. The ideal candidate will be a proactive and resourceful individual who thrives in a dynamic environment, demonstrates strong organizational skills, and is committed to supporting the lab’s research mission and the goals of the Center.

Lab & Faculty Support

• Serve as the primary administrative contact for the PI, ensuring smooth day-to-day lab operations.
• Be physically present in the lab at least three days per week, engaging with lab members and fostering an organized and collaborative environment.
• Manage PI’s complex scheduling, travel arrangements, and email/communications with collaborators and institutional partners.
• Maintain and update faculty documents, including CVs, bio sketches, and publication records.
• With guidance from the PI, gather relevant data to develop initial drafts, and submit research reports, forms, letters, and compliance documents.
• Facilitate the hiring, onboarding, and offboarding of lab members, ensuring appropriate access to facilities, IT systems, and administrative resources.
• Act as an advocate and provide support for the lab’s administrative needs within the institution.
• Anticipate and resolve problems; provide updates on the status of projects and tasks as needed.
• May provide course assistance such as maintaining a course website, tracking grades, and general support for semester-end presentations.

Financial Support

• Use Harvard financial systems to process financial transactions, such as purchasing supplies and/or equipment, reimbursements for travel, corporate card payments, purchasing card transactions, and managing transactional activities for internal and external vendors.
• Collaborate with the Research Portfolio Manager to review grant expenditures to stay up to date on funding sources.
• Gather information to be included in grant proposal submissions, progress reports, and financial projections.
• Collaborate with the Research Portfolio manager to ensure timely completion of budget reconciliation, and process financial transactions such as reimbursements, purchasing, and vendor payments.
• Assist with the preparation of financial reports and grant documentation.

Event & Meeting Coordination

• Plan and coordinate lab meetings, workshops, and research-related events.
• Manage logistics, including event budgets, vendor negotiations, and participant coordination.
• Assist in coordinating conferences and speaker engagements.

Communication & Outreach

• Serve as a primary point of contact, facilitating communication between lab members, university offices, and external collaborators.
• Manage and update websites, ensuring that research publications, achievements, and news are accurately represented.
• Proofread materials such as correspondence, publications, reports, abstracts, and research-related communications.
• With guidance from the PI, prepare funding pitches, proposals, and media-related content to enhance the lab’s and the AI Center’s visibility.
• Maintain professional and articulate correspondence with internal and external constituents.

Administrative Support

• Ensure proper organization and management of documents, shared file systems, and administrative tools.
• Work with lab members and AI Center staff to maintain structured data storage and documentation.
• Quickly learn and implement new software tools as necessary, including Overleaf, GitHub, and other research-related platforms.
• Develop and implement organizational solutions to streamline workflows.
• Ensure lab compliance with technology requirements, coordinating with Harvard IT and Research Computing as needed.

• Minimum of five years of related work experience in an administrative, research, or sponsored research environment. Education beyond high school may count toward experience.

• Bachelor’s degree is strongly preferred.
• Interest in a behavioral science, engineering, or data science field is a plus.
• Experience in a research environment, particularly in grant and financial management.
• High-level organizational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to develop efficient processes and procedures.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and ability to quickly learn new administrative systems.
• Experience with Harvard administrative systems, research compliance, or academic policies preferred.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively across multiple stakeholders.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, exercise discretion, and demonstrate sound judgment.
• Enthusiasm for research, innovation, and academic collaboration.

There are no significant physical requirements.

Work is performed in an office environment.

• The Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences does not provide visa sponsorship for administrative and staff positions.
• Applicants should submit a resume and cover letter.
• The health of our workforce is a priority for Harvard University. With that in mind, we strongly encourage all employees to be up-to-date on CDC-recommended vaccines.

• Paid Time Off: 3-4 weeks of accrued vacation time per year (3 weeks for support staff and 4 weeks for administrative/professional staff), 12 accrued sick days per year, 12.5 holidays plus a Winter Recess in December/January, 3 personal days per year (prorated based on date of hire), and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents who are primary care givers.
• Health and Welfare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, disability and life insurance programs, along with voluntary benefits. Most coverage begins as of your start date.
• Work/Life and Wellness: Child and elder/adult care resources including on campus childcare centers, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness programs related to stress management, nutrition, meditation, and more.
• Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with contributions from 5% to 15% of eligible compensation, based on age and earnings with full vesting after 3 years of service.
• Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive program including $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and reduced tuition through other participating Harvard graduate schools.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Program that provides 75% to 90% reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year for eligible courses taken at other accredited institutions.
• Professional Development: Programs and classes at little or no cost, including through the Harvard Center for Workplace Development and LinkedIn Learning.
• Commuting and Transportation: Various commuter options handled through the Parking Office, including discounted parking, half-priced public transportation passes and pre-tax transit passes, biking benefits, and more.
• Harvard Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks: Access to Harvard athletic and fitness facilities, libraries, campus events, credit union, and more, as well as discounts to various types of services (legal, financial, etc.) and cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.