Pre-Award Research Grant Specialist (Hybrid/Remote)

University of Massachusetts Amherst; Amherst (MA); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Massachusetts Amherst seeks a Pre Award Research Administrator to support the Office of Research Development Services within the College of Engineering. The role focuses on pre-award submission, budget development, compliance, and coordinating proposals for a high-volume program.

The position requires strong communication, analytical skills, and experience with federal and non-federal funding mechanisms.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 4 years of related experience.
• Demonstrated pre-award financial management experience.
• Familiarity with all award mechanisms: grants, contracts, subcontracts, and cooperative agreements.
• Knowledge of program administration guidelines for federal and non-federal funding.
• Ability to understand and apply university policies and grant regulations.
• Ability to plan ahead and manage multiple submissions under deadlines.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Intermediate Excel and Word; willingness to learn new technology.

Responsibilities

• Manages development and internal approval of research proposals and contracts for submission to funding sources.
• Develops budgets and budget narratives to support activities and ensures compliance with sponsor policies.
• Provides guidance on proposal development, routing, and approvals to faculty and PIs.
• Interprets guidelines and ensures regulatory approvals (IRB, IACUC, COI) are obtained.
• Acts as liaison between PI and OPAS for pre-award matters and coordinates with sponsors.

Skills

Grant management

Budget development

Proposal coordination

Regulatory compliance

Communication

Analytical thinking

Record keeping

Independence

Teamwork

Time management

Education

Bachelor’s degree + 4 years experience

Associate’s degree + 6 years experience

CRA/CPRA/CFRA certification

Tools

Grants.gov

NIH eRA Commons

NSF FastLane

Proposal Central

Kuali

Job description

University of Massachusetts Amherst seeks a Pre Award Research Administrator to support the Office of Research Development Services within the College of Engineering. The role focuses on pre-award submission, budget development, compliance, and coordinating proposals for a high-volume program.

The position requires strong communication, analytical skills, and experience with federal and non-federal funding mechanisms.