Pre-Award International Grants Officer

Vall d’Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR) - Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca; Barcelona; On-site; EUR 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Meal vouchers

Health insurance

Flexible working hours

Extensive annual leave

Job summary

Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) in Barcelona is seeking a Pro-Award Grants Specialist to support international funding opportunities, focusing on Horizon Europe. The role emphasizes proposal preparation, consortium development and strategic evaluation to help researchers secure competitive funding.

You will participate in international calls, build collaborations, and contribute to improving project plans while aligning with the institute’s goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor or Master in biomedical sciences or related disciplines
• Excellent written and oral communication in Catalan and/or Spanish; fluent English
• Doctoral degree in biomedical sciences or related disciplines
• Additional training in competitive research projects is desirable

Responsibilities

• Detect, analyse and disseminate Horizon Europe calls (Cluster Health, ERC, etc.).
• Contribute to strategic evaluation of funding opportunities and project ideas.
• Support researchers during proposal preparation and project plan creation.
• Contribute to consortium building by identifying strategic partners.
• Prepare and review international competitive research proposals.
• Maintain internal call information and proposal data with high-quality indicators.

Skills

Proposal preparation

Horizon Europe

Consortium building

Project planning

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor or Master in biomedical sciences

Doctoral degree in biomedical sciences

Job description

Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) is a public sector institution, located in Barcelona (Spain) that promotes and develops innovative biomedical research at the University Hospital Vall d'Hebron. VHIR is oriented towards finding solutions to the health problems of the citizens and has the will to contribute to the scientific, educational, social and economic development within its area of competence. The Competitive Research Directorate assists the scientific community at Vall d’Hebron throughout the full lifecycle of competitive projects. This Directorate encourages and supports researchers in the pursuit of competitive funding for research, detecting opportunities and contributing to the development of quality proposals (Pre-Award unit), and the successful implementation of granted projects (Post-Award unit). Linked to the Pre-Award Unit, the Project Coordination team manages and coordinates ongoing collaborative projects, and provides guidance and expertise in the setting up of new international consortia. We are currently seeking an enthusiastic candidate to join the Project Coordination team at the Pre-Award Unit as a Pre-Award Grants Specialist with focus on international grants.

Main responsibilities and duties

• Detect, analyse and disseminate Horizon Europe calls (Cluster Health, ERC, etc.) as well as other calls from international funders
• Contribute to the strategic evaluation of funding opportunities and project ideas
• Support researchers during proposal preparation and help in the project plan preparation
• Contribute to consortium building: search and select strategic partners
• Participate in the preparation of international competitive research proposals (writing and review)
• Feed and maintain the internal database with call information and proposal data, providing high-quality indicators when requested
• Join infodays and events to establish new collaborations and contacts
• Any other duties related to the job as requested to contribute to the general functioning of the Pre-Award Unit

Education and qualifications

Required:

• University degree in biomedical sciences or related disciplines
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in Catalan and/or Spanish
• Fluency in English (business level)
• Doctoral degree in biomedical sciences or related disciplines

Desirable:

• Additional training in competitive research projects

Experience and knowledge

Required:

• Experience working in research management (proposal preparation and/or managing competitive research projects, especially in Horizon Europe related projects) at least 1 year
• Experience in the preparation of ERC and MSCA proposals
• Well organized person with very good attention to detail and the ability to work to tight deadlines
• Self-motivated, creative, proactive, well-organized and results oriented
• Excellent teamwork with good interpersonal, written and oral communication skills
• A thorough knowledge of European funding programmes, with special emphasis on Horizon Europe.
• Knowledge of other EU, national and international funding programmes (ie: EU4HEALTH, DIGITAL, NIH, etc).

Desirable:

• Experience in addressing RRI aspects and/or other transversal aspects important for Horizon Europe projects
• Track record of successful consortium management activities and/or grant applications (as researcher or research manager)
• International work experience

Labour conditions

• Working hours: Full-time (37,5 hours per week).
• Starting date: As soon as possible
• Gross annual salary: Remuneration will be determined by experience, skills and responsibilities and aligned with the Collective Agreement pay scale.
• Contract type: Open-ended contract linked to the project

What can we offer?

• Incorporation into the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), a public sector institution that promotes and develops biomedical research, innovation and teaching at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital (HUVH), the largest hospital in Barcelona and the largest within the Catalan Institute of Health (ICS).
• A dynamic scientific environment of excellence, where cutting-edge biomedical projects are continuously developed.
• Continuous learning and career development pathways.
• Flexible working hours.
• 23 days of annual leave plus 9 personal days.
• Flexible remuneration programme, including meal vouchers, health insurance, transport and more.
• Corporate benefits platform, offering significant discounts on travel, culture, technology, gastronomy, sports and more.
• Healthy offering- "Feel Good, Feel VHIR": VHIR’s wellbeing programme offers a variety of activities to help staff thrive-physically, mentally, and socially. Through four pillars-Feel Well, Feel Connected, Feel Empowered, Feel Welcomed-it fosters health, growth, and community.
• International mobility support (Welcome Services): we aim to make your arrival in Barcelona smooth and pleasant by providing city information, guidance on required procedures, access to the International Welcome Desk, family support and assistance with finding accommodation.

Deadline to apply: 03-11-2026

VHIR embraces Equality and Diversity. As reflected in our values we work toward ensuring inclusion and equal opportunity in recruitment, hiring, training, and management for all staff within the organisation, regardless of gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, age, functional diversity or ethnicity.

Information on Personal Data Protection

Data Controller: Fundació Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca -VHIR-. Purpose: Personnel selection. Legal Basis: Your consent. Data retention period: One year. If you are selected, as long as the employment relationship is in force and legal responsibilities may arise. Data sharing: Does not occur, except for communications necessary to fulfill the purpose and those required by law to public and private bodies. Rights: You can access, rectify, delete, object to, and limit the processing of data, as well as request data portability where applicable, by contacting [e-mail]. More information can be found here: https://vhir.vallhebron.com/en/personal-data-protection. Data Protection Authority: APDCAT.