Research Development Specialist III

ucf; Orlando (FL); On-site; USD 56,000 - 69,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Life Insurance

Flexible Spending

Employee Assistance Program

Paid time off

Job summary

University of Central Florida seeks a Research Development Specialist III to serve as technical lead for the Proposal Development pillar of the RD team. The role plans and coordinates proposal development services, consults with faculty, supports complex opportunities, and improves proposal practices to boost institutional research competitiveness.

The position emphasizes strategic direction for proposal services, development of resources and trainings, and creation of communications that

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree and 4+ years of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience supporting grant proposals and interdisciplinary teams preferred.

Responsibilities

• Acts as lead proposal development consultant for faculty investigators and research teams.
• Facilitates proposal planning meetings and coordinates sponsor requirements across stakeholders.
• Leads support for large-scale, interdisciplinary proposal efforts and guides strategy and narratives.
• Oversees development of proposal templates, boilerplate language, and content libraries.
• Develops workflows, measures effectiveness, and coordinates continuous improvement efforts.

Skills

Proposal development

Grantsmanship

Stakeholder coordination

Grant writing

Training development

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Tools

Graphic design basics

Job description

The Opportunity: The Research Development Specialist III serves as the technical lead for the Proposal Development pillar of the RD team. The position's responsibilities include strategic planning and coordination of proposal development services, advanced faculty consultation, support for complex proposal opportunities, development of institutional resources and training programs, creation of communications and reporting materials, and continuous improvement of proposal development practices that strengthen institutional research competitiveness.

Classification Title: Contracts and Grants Specialist III

Reponsibilities:

• Serves as the lead proposal development consultant (copyediting, peer review facilitation, proposal review and annotation, grantsmanship) for faculty investigators and research teams.
• Facilitates proposal planning meetings, advises on proposal strategy and sponsor requirements, and coordinates support across stakeholders.
• Leads or coordinates support for large-scale, interdisciplinary, multi-investigator, and multi-institutional proposal efforts (EARLIER). Guides proposal strategy, team science and coordination, proposal integration, and development of unified proposal narratives.
• Oversees development and continuous improvement of proposal templates, boilerplate language, proposal libraries, sample materials, guides, checklists, and institutional proposal content.
• Provides strategic direction for Proposal Development services, establishes priorities, develops workflows and best practices, evaluates service effectiveness using appropriate metrics and coordinates continuous improvement efforts that support institutional research competitiveness.
• Oversees development of proposal graphics, visual communication products, timelines, logic models, organizational charts, and other materials that strengthen proposal effectiveness and reviewer accessibility.
• Leads development and delivery of grantwriting workshops, educational materials, training resources, and faculty development initiatives that strengthen institutional proposal capacity.
• Oversees development and maintenance of researcher-facing resources, website content, and online materials supporting proposal development services.
• Develops and coordinates success stories, award highlights, proposal activity reports, and communications demonstrating proposal development outcomes and impact.
• Other Duties as Assigned: Performs special projects and other duties assigned in support of Research Development operations and university research priorities.

Minimum Qualifications :

• Bachelor's or Master's degree and 4+ years of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience pursuant to Fla. Stat. 112.219(6) .

Preferred Qualifications :

• Basic expertise with graphic design principles/tools.
• Experience supporting federal grants and interdisciplinary teams.
• Experience supporting the preparation of grant proposals.
• Experience working in a deadline-driven environment and the ability to meet deadlines.

The anticipated salary range for this position is $56,030 to $68,636.50. The final salary will be determined based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, and internal equity considerations.

All applicants must be authorized to work for any U.S. employer. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position, and the university cannot accommodate H-1B transfers or employment-based visa processing for individuals currently sponsored by another employer.

Classification Title: Contracts and Grants Specialist III

• Benefit packages, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending, and Employee Assistance Program
• Paid time off, including annual