Pre-Award Grants and Contracts Officers

University of Utah; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 60,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Utah LAS Liberal Arts & Sciences invites a collaborative Pre-Award Grants & Contracts Officer to join a centralized college research administration team. This role supports pre-award activities across departments, helping faculty pursue external funding from federal agencies, foundations, and industry sponsors.

Responsibilities include proposal development, budget creation, sponsor guideline interpretation, and submission coordination, with a focus on accuracy, deadlines, and

Qualifications

• Supports pre-award lifecycle including proposal preparation and budget development.
• Coordinates cross-departmentally to research, prepare, finalize, submit, and follow-up on grants.
• Maintains records and communicates with funders.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate the grant process pre-award for the university.
• Coordinate cross-departmentally to research, prepare, finalize, submit, and follow-up on industry, foundation, and/or government grants.
• Research and draft proposals, develop budgets, and manage the submission process ensuring deadlines are met.
• Maintain records, and communicate with funders.
• Establish relationships with foundations and private contributors.
• Independently complete pre-award administration of research grants &/or contracts, including both basic and complex proposals.

Skills

Organized

Detail oriented

Collaborative

Communication skills

Analytical thinking

Customer service

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Job description

Pre-Award Grants and Contracts Officers

Job Summary

The Colleges of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) seeks a collaborative and service-oriented Pre-Award Grants & Contracts Officer (GCO) to join a centralized college research administration team supporting pre-award activities across multiple departments, centers, and research initiatives. This position provides comprehensive proposal development and research administration support to faculty pursuing external funding from federal agencies, industry sponsors, foundations, and other entities.

Working closely with Principal Investigators (PIs), department leadership, the Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP), and college research administration partners, the GCO assists with all aspects of the pre-award lifecycle, including proposal preparation, budget development, sponsor guideline interpretation, submission coordination, and award transition support.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, collaborative, and able to manage multiple complex deadlines in a fast-paced research environment. This role requires strong communication skills, analytical thinking, and the ability to provide excellent customer service to faculty and research teams across a broad portfolio of disciplines.

LAS is home to a dynamic research enterprise spanning multiple disciplines, centers, and industry partnerships. As part of a centralized college pre-award support model, this position partners with departments across the college to expand research capacity, improve consistency in proposal development processes, and enhance the faculty experience in securing external funding. The role offers the opportunity to work closely with innovative faculty and research teams advancing impactful engineering research and technology development within a collaborative environment that emphasizes professional growth, operational excellence, and high-quality faculty support.

The University of Utah offers outstanding benefits, professional development opportunities, and a collaborative environment committed to advancing research, innovation, and student success.

This position is not eligible for work visa sponsorship.

Learn more about the great benefits of working forUniversity of Utah: benefits.utah.edu

Responsibilities

• Facilitate the grant process pre-award for the university.
• Coordinate cross-departmentally to research, prepare, finalize, submit, and follow-up on industry, foundation, and/or government grants.
• Research and draft proposals, develop budgets, and manage the submission process ensuring deadlines are met.
• Maintain records, and communicate with funders.
• Establish relationships with foundations and private contributors.
• Independently complete pre-award administration of research grants &/or contracts, including both basic and complex proposals.

Minimum Qualifications

EQUIVALENCY STATEMENT: 1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience(Example: bachelor's degree = 4 years of directly related workexperience).

Pre-Award Grants & Contract Officer (GCO),III: Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 6 years or a master's (or equivalency) + 4 years of directly related workexperience.

Requisition Number: PRN46609B

Full Time or Part Time?: Full Time

Department: 02476 - LAS Liberal Arts & Sciences

Location: Campus

Pay Rate Range: $60,000-$65,000

Close Date: 01/26/2027