Research Development Specialist

University of Colorado Boulder; Boulder (CO); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangement

Limited relocation funds

Job summary

University of Colorado Boulder’s Research & Innovation Office is seeking a Research Development Specialist to help researchers identify and pursue external funding. The role blends proposal strategy, funding intelligence, faculty consulting, and navigation of campus resources in a hybrid, two-year appointment.

You will engage with a portfolio spanning sciences, engineering, and social sciences, guiding project teams, connecting researchers with internal partners, and shaping funding strategies

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• 3+ years in research development, grant writing, or related field.
• Demonstrated writing, editing, and project management skills.
• Experience with federal funding mechanisms is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Advise faculty on proposal strategy from concept to submission.
• Review and strengthen proposal narratives for sponsor alignment and impact.
• Provide feedback to improve persuasiveness and funder fit.
• Collaborate with colleagues on large/interdisciplinary proposals and editorials.

Skills

Proposal strategy

Grant writing

Research development

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

Job description

Job Summary

The Research & Innovation Office (RIO) at the University ofColorado Boulder encourages applications for a Research DevelopmentSpecialist position within the Research Strategy & Developmentteam. The Research Development Specialist helps researchers, scholars andcreatives identify and pursue competitive external funding. Therole combines proposal strategy and development, fundingintelligence, faculty consultation, and navigation of campusresources. We are seeking an adaptable, proactive professional whobrings curiosity and initiative to a dynamic research environment, is comfortable navigating ambiguity, and can adjust priorities asfaculty needs, funding opportunities, and sponsor prioritiesevolve. The Specialist monitors relevant funders and sponsor prioritieswithin their assigned portfolio, translates trends into actionableguidance, and builds trusted relationships with faculty, academicleaders, and campus partners. The position reflects RIO’s proactiveresearch development model: combining responsive proposal supportwith earlier engagement, funding strategy, and coordinated campusengagement. This position supports a portfolio of academic fields and researchcommunities. The specific disciplinary portfolio will be shaped byteam needs and the successful candidate’s expertise and may span arange of fields across the sciences, engineering, and socialsciences, among others. The Specialist reports to the SeniorDirector for Research Development, does not have supervisoryresponsibilities, and collaborates closely with colleagues acrossRIO and campus. CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with allapplicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds toapply, including protected veterans and individuals withdisabilities.

Who We Are

At the University of Colorado Boulder, the Research &Innovation Office (RIO) is dedicated to creating global impact by cultivating collaboration, transformation, and leadership across the research enterprise. At the heart of this focus are the various contributions of a wide range of world-class experts, workingtogether in new and innovative ways to accelerate ideas through theentire innovation lifecycle, from idea to impact. The Research Development team plays a critical role in this mission by helping faculty identify emerging opportunities, buildcollaborative research programs, and compete successfully for majorexternal funding. We work at the intersection of strategy,partnership, and innovation, supporting researchers as they pursueambitious ideas that expand knowledge, address pressing challenges, and strengthen CU Boulder's position as a leading public researchuniversity.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Proposal Strategy and Development

• Advise faculty and research teams on proposal strategy fromearly concept development through submission.
• Review and strengthen proposal narratives and concept papersfor responsiveness to sponsor priorities and review criteria, withemphasis on clarity, significance, innovation, approach, outcomes,and impact.
• Develop or strengthen non-technical proposal sections and helpteams plan proposal timelines and next steps, as appropriate.
• Provide direct, constructive feedback that improvespersuasiveness, organization, and funder fit.
• Partner with RIO colleagues on large-scale, interdisciplinary,limited-submission, and other high-priority pursuits, includingeditorial support for complex proposals.
• Use and evaluate AI and other emerging tools thoughtfully, withattention to sponsor requirements, institutional expectations,confidentiality, accuracy, attribution, and the continuedimportance of human expertise and judgment.

Faculty Funding Strategy and Portfolio Support

• Serve as a primary research development resource for anassigned disciplinary portfolio.
• Conduct funding consultations to understand researcher goals,career stage, disciplinary context, funding needs, andcollaboration interests.
• Help faculty identify practical next steps, including fundingopportunities, proposal resources, campus partners, collaborators,program officer engagement, and internal opportunities.
• Build relationships through department meetings, facultyevents, and research community engagement, while increasingawareness of RIO services and understanding emerging facultyneeds.
• Engage academic leaders, as appropriate, to understand researchstrengths, emerging areas, and faculty needs and connect thoseinsights to appropriate RIO resources and support.

Portfolio Funding Intelligence and Research Community Engagement

• Develop and deliver targeted portfolio-specific workshops,information sessions, office hours, and other activities thatadvance funding awareness, proposal readiness, and researcherengagement within the assigned disciplinary portfolio.
• Translate funding opportunities, sponsor priorities, and otherrelevant intelligence into timely, targeted outreach andcontributions to RIO communications and resources.
• Test and refine innovative approaches to research developmentand faculty engagement based on feedback and results.

Team Collaboration and Continuous Improvement

• Share funder intelligence, proposal trends, faculty needs, andeffective practices across the Research Development team.
• Contribute to coordinated service delivery, shared knowledge,and a collaborative team culture.
• Develop and refine tools, resources, and workflows thatstrengthen CU Boulder’s research development infrastructure.
• Contribute to team discussions about service models, facultyengagement, emerging tools, and opportunities to improveimpact.
• Track engagement, proposal support activities, and outcomes toinform reporting, planning, and continuous improvement.

What You Should Know

• This is a two-year, term-limited appointment which may beextended to a regular appointment depending on the organizationalneeds of the research development function.
• We are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position, nowor in the future.
• This is a hybrid position with 1-3 days per week on campus,with on-campus presence expected for faculty meetings, events,workshops, and team collaboration.
• This is a collaborative individual-contributor role thatrequires leadership through expertise, judgment,relationship-building, and influence. The successful candidate willtake ownership of their work, communicate and follow throughreliably, and operate with appropriate independence while stayingclosely connected to the team.
• The successful candidate will manage contending priorities,exercise judgment about where to focus effort, and move comfortablybetween intensive proposal timelines, faculty-facing work,independent analysis, and collaborative projects.
• This position is well suited to someone who brings initiativeand momentum to their work; enjoys working with researchers andlearning about new ideas; can operate effectively when prioritiesare not always predictable; and sees change, experimentation, andnew challenges as part of the work rather than exceptions toit.

What We Can Offer

• The annual hiring range for this position is$75,000-$90,000.
• Limited relocation funds are available for eligiblecandidates.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder , we arecommitted to supporting the holistic health and well-being of ouremployees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical,dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuitionassistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for localtransit. As one of Boulder County’s largest employers, CU Boulderoffers an inspiring academic community and access to world-classoutdoor recreation. In fact, CU Boulder has been named one ofForbes' America's BestLarge Employers , ranking #4 among large employers in Coloradoand #28 among universities nationwide. Explore additional perks andprograms through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be excited. Be game-changing. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and 1+ years of experience in research development, grant writing, facultyresearch support, or a closely related field.
• A combination of education and/or experience maysubstitute.
• Demonstrated strength in writing, editing, analysis, projectmanagement, and working collaboratively with a variety ofpartners.

What You Will Need

• Exceptional writing, editing, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to review proposal narratives for clarity, structure,persuasiveness, funder alignment, and responsiveness toguidelines.
• Ability to understand and synthesize complex research ideasacross different fields of study.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust withresearch development colleagues, faculty, department chairs, andcampus partners.
• Ability to interpret funding opportunity announcements, sponsorpriorities, and review criteria.
• Diplomacy, discretion, professionalism, and the ability to makethoughtful decisions in complex situations.
• Awareness of the evolving role of AI tools in proposaldevelopment, including their opportunities, limitations, andrisks.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, timelines, andrelationships simultaneously.
• Solid organizational skills and attention to detail.

What We Would Like You to Have

• Master’s degree, PhD, or other advanced degree.
• 3+ years of progressively responsible professional experiencein research development, grant writing, research administration,higher education, or a closely related field.
• Experience supporting proposals to federal agencies such asNSF, NIH, DOE, DOD, NASA, NOAA, or other external sponsors.
• Demonstrated AI competency, including the ability toresponsibly apply AI-enabled tools to proposal development,analysis, communications, resource development, opportunitymatching, and workflow improvement.
• Experience with foundation or industry fundingopportunities.
• Familiarity with research development practices, proposalreview processes, program officer engagement, and faculty fundingstrategy.
• Experience supporting large-scale, interdisciplinary,center-level, training, early-career, or collaborativeproposals.
• Experience designing or delivering faculty workshops, fundingconsultations, office hours, or cohort-based proposal developmentprograms.
• Experience working in a large public research universityenvironment.