Research and Grants Development Specialist

Louisiana State University; United States; On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement

Medical insurance options

Supplemental insurances (dental, life,

long-term disability, accident, vision

Tax Saver Flexible Benefits Plan

University holidays

Vacation and sick leave

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge seeks a Research and Grants Development Specialist to identify external funding and manage grant lifecycles, from opportunity to submission. You will support FOODii tenants with experimental design and technical writing, while contributing expertise in food processing technologies and evaluation of new equipment.

The role balances 60% research support and 40% grant development, offering opportunities to coordinate with the LSU AgCenter and partner

Qualifications

• Master's in Food Science, Food Engineering, Sensory Science, or closely related discipline; minimum of three years of applied research.
• Strong technical writing skills; translate scientific work into proposal narratives for non-specialist reviewers.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and work independently with growing autonomy.

Responsibilities

• Serve as technical lead on research initiatives, coordinating experimental design and execution with pilot plant staff and external collaborators.
• Provide technical and research support to FOODii tenants, including experimental design consultation and troubleshooting for product development.
• Design sensory analysis experiments and prepare sensory evaluation reports for FOODii initiatives and tenant projects.
• Develop working knowledge of emerging food processing and ingredient technologies relevant to FOODii's pipeline (e.g., extrusion, precision fermentation).
• Evaluate new equipment, ingredients, and methods; provide technical recommendations to the Director.

Skills

Technical writing

Project management

Independent work

Education

Master's in Food Science, Food Engineering, Sensory Science, or related discipline

Job description

Job Title

Research and Grants Development Specialist

Position Details

Position Type: Professional / Unclassified

Department: LSUAG PL3 - SNFS - Food Incubator (Amogh Ambardekar (00330165))

Work Location: Clyde Ingram Hall - Poultry Science

Pay Grade: Other Academic

Job Description

The Research and Grants Development Specialist supports the Director of the Food Innovation Institute (FOODii) by identifying and pursuing external funding and by providing technical subject matter expertise on emerging food processing and ingredient technologies. This position owns the grant lifecycle from opportunity identification through proposal drafting and submission, spanning workforce development, applied research, equipment and infrastructure, and private foundation funding categories. The position also provides technical and research support to FOODii tenants, including sensory analysis experimental design and report writing, and contributes technical expertise to FOODii research initiatives and to the evaluation of new equipment, ingredients, and processing technologies brought into the institute. Approximately 60 percent of this position's time is allocated to research support and technical subject matter expertise, and approximately 40 percent to grant and funding development.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Research Support and Technical Subject Matter Expertise (70%)

• Serve as technical lead on research initiatives assigned by the Director, coordinating experimental design and execution with pilot plant staff and external collaborators.
• Provide technical and research support to FOODii tenants, including experimental design consultation and troubleshooting support for their product development work.
• Design sensory analysis experiments and prepare sensory evaluation reports for FOODii research initiatives and tenant projects.
• Develop and maintain working knowledge of emerging food processing and ingredient technologies relevant to FOODii's pipeline, such as extrusion processing and precision fermentation.
• Evaluate new equipment, ingredients, and processing methods, and provide technical recommendations to the Director.

Grant and Funding Development (30%)

• Identify and pursue funding opportunities aligned with FOODii's strategic initiatives, spanning workforce development, applied research, equipment and infrastructure, and private foundation funding categories.
• Draft grant proposals in coordination with the Director, including project narratives, budgets, budget justifications, biosketches, facilities and resources statements, and letters of support.
• Author white papers and other funding-adjacent materials that support FOODii's positioning with prospective funders.
• Organize or support webinars and outreach activities connected to funding opportunities and FOODii's grant initiatives.
• Maintain a rolling pipeline of prospective funding opportunities and report status to the Director on a monthly basis.
• Coordinate with the LSU AgCenter Office of Sponsored Programs and with co-investigators across departments and partner institutions on multi-party proposals.
• Maintain a library of reusable proposal content, including institutional descriptions, facilities statements, and standard biosketches, to reduce proposal turnaround time.
• Support post-award progress reporting and compliance documentation in coordination with the Office of Sponsored Programs.

Qualification Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's in Food Science, Food Engineering, Sensory Science, or a closely related discipline, with a minimum of three years of applied research experience.
• Strong technical writing skills, with the ability to translate scientific work into proposal narratives for non-specialist reviewers.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent deadlines and work independently with growing autonomy over time.

Preferred Qualifications

• Exposure to grant proposal development through graduate research or prior employment, such as contributing to sections of a funded proposal; independent lead-authorship is preferred but not required at hire.
• Prior experience as Principal Investigator, Co-Investigator, or primary drafter on a funded federal or foundation grant.
• Technical background in alternative proteins, precision fermentation, or food processing technology.
• Experience with sponsored programs processes at a land-grant university or comparable research institution.
• PhD in Food Science, Food Engineering, Sensory Science, or a closely related discipline.

LSU and the AgCenter are dedicated to fostering an environment where our employees feel appreciated for their skills and individual qualifications. If a candidate does not meet the minimum qualifications listed but has other qualifications or substantial experience related to the key responsibilities, we encourage them to apply (per La. RS 42:36).

Date Available: Upon completion of the selection process.

Application Deadline: October 16, 2026 or until a suitable candidate is identified.

Benefits

• Retirement
• Multiple medical insurance options
• Supplemental insurances (dental, life, long-term disability, accident, vision, long-term care, etc.)
• Tax Saver Flexible Benefits Plan (saves tax dollars on some childcare and medical expenses)
• University holidays (14 per year)
• Generous annual (vacation) and sick leave benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Possible educational leave and tuition exemption for coursework at campuses of the LSU System

Specific benefits depend on job category, percent effort and length of employment.

Positions approved to work outside the State of Louisiana shall be employed through Louisiana State University’s partner, nextSource Workforce Solutions, for Employer of Record Services including but not limited to employment, benefits, payroll, and tax compliance. Positions employed through Employer of Record Services will be offered benefits and retirement as applicable through their provider and will not be eligible for State of Louisiana benefits and retirement.

Background Check - An offer of employment is contingent on a satisfactory pre-employment background check.

About the LSU Agricultural Center

The LSU AgCenter, is one of eight campuses within the broader LSU enterprise (LSU System). The LSU AgCenter includes the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, which conducts agricultural-based research, and the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service, which extends the knowledge derived from research to the people of the state. The AgCenter is headquartered in Baton Rouge and has 12 “on campus” academic departments and five regions which are made up of 15 branch research stations and an extension office in each parish. For more information, visit the AgCenter’s website at www.lsuagcenter.com. The LSU Agricultural Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

HCM Contact Information: Questions or concerns can be directed to the LSU AgCenter Human Resources Management Office at 225-578-2258 or emailed [e-mail].

LSU includes institutions, facilities and programs in each of Louisiana’s 64 parishes, and its campuses stretch the length of the state from New Orleans to Shreveport. Each institution plays a vital role in preparing students to incorporate new knowledge and technologies into their daily lives. LSU researchers across Louisiana are working on developing a wide-range of innovations to improve quality of life by studying issues such as disease management, advance medical treatments, obesity, coastal protection, hurricane preparedness, energy, natural resource management and agriculture, among others. Louisiana’s Flagship University is a land-, sea- and space-grant institution with academic programs in all areas of science, engineering, humanities, arts and social sciences. The University comprises of nine institutions: Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College (“LSU”), the premier flagship university for the state, which include the Paul M. Hebert Law Center and the School of Veterinary Medicine Louisiana State University at Alexandria Louisiana State University at Eunice Louisiana State University at Shreveport LSU Health Sciences Center – New Orleans LSU Health Science Center – Shreveport The Health Care Services Division Louisiana State University Agricultural Center Pennington Biomedical Research Center Any other college, university, school, institution, or program now or hereafter under the supervision and management of the Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College.

In implementing its mission, LSU is committed to: Offering a broad array of undergraduate degree programs and extensive graduate research opportunities designed to attract and educate highly qualified undergraduate and graduate students; Employing faculty who are excellent teacher-scholars, nationally competitive in research and creative activities, and who contribute to a world-class knowledge base that is transferable to educational, professional, cultural, and economic enterprises; and Using its extensive resources to solve economic, environmental, and social challenges.