CNRE Innovation and Grant Coordinator

University of the District of Columbia • Washington, DC

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The University of the District of Columbia is seeking a Grant Coordinator to support the federally funded Center for Nanotechnology Research and Education (CNRE), a multidisciplinary research center conducting research, education, innovation, technology development, and outreach. The successful candidate will work primarily from CNRE research facilities and coordinate day-to-day research and innovation activities, with an emphasis on innovation development, prototyping, intellectual property advancement, technology translation, commercialization, industry engagement, and follow-on funding opportunities.

The coordinator will work closely with the CNRE Director/PI, faculty investigators, research staff, students, University administrative offices, industry representatives, and external collaborators to move technologies from research concepts toward functional prototypes, validation, dissemination, intellectual property protection, and potential commercialization. The role also supports implementation of grant activities, research coordination, expenditure tracking, workshops, outreach, reporting, and proposal development. The position is expected to coordinate with the coordinator supporting the complementary DoD quantum research program in the CNRE laboratory environment to reduce duplication, use University resources efficiently, and support productive interaction between personnel funded by the two grants. Appointment and continuation are subject to grant funding availability and satisfactory performance.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physical science, materials science, nanotechnology, applied science, or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience participating in scientific or engineering research.
• Experience with technology development, prototype development, innovation, intellectual property, technology translation, entrepreneurship, or commercialization.
• Ability to understand technical research well enough to communicate effectively with researchers, students, potential collaborators, and external organizations.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary research projects or technical activities.
• Strong organizational, project-management, documentation, written communication, and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and related project/document-management tools.
• Ability to maintain accurate records concerning grant activities, expenditures, deliverables, innovations, and project milestones.
• Strong interpersonal and emotional-intelligence competencies, including self-awareness, professional communication, constructive problem solving, respect for differing viewpoints, conflict management, and promoting teamwork and collegiality.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment while maintaining appropriate communication with the PI and research leadership.
• Ability to work effectively with faculty, students, staff, administrators, external collaborators, and industry representatives.

Nice To Haves

• Graduate degree in engineering, science, technology, or a related discipline, particularly where advanced understanding of research and prototype development is required.
• Experience supporting research proposals, sponsored projects, innovation programs, or external funding applications.
• Familiarity with university research administration, federal grants, or UDC administrative processes.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate CNRE research activities with the Center Director/PI, faculty investigators, staff, and students.
• Facilitate translation of research discoveries into proof-of-concept demonstrations and functional prototypes.
• Coordinate innovation development, prototype planning and fabrication, testing, documentation, and technology maturation.
• Support assessment of technologies for potential patenting, licensing, commercialization, entrepreneurship, and industry collaboration.
• Maintain records of innovations, prototypes, technical milestones, supporting data, potential applications, and commercialization progress.
• Coordinate with UDC offices on invention disclosures, intellectual property, technology transfer, commercialization, and entrepreneurship.
• Assist research teams in identifying and developing proposals for innovation, translational research, prototype development, commercialization, SBIR/STTR-related collaboration, and other external funding opportunities.
• Prepare technical and nontechnical materials for industry partners, funding agencies, collaborators, and technology-development programs.
• Develop and maintain contacts with industries, laboratories, universities, entrepreneurs, and other organizations relevant to CNRE technologies.
• Assist with market and technology assessments to identify applications, competing technologies, industry needs, and commercialization opportunities.
• Coordinate research documentation for grant progress and annual reports, presentations, publications, innovation records, and performance evaluation.
• Maintain accurate records of grant expenditures and commitments in assigned areas and coordinate spending requirements with the PI and University offices.
• Facilitate timely grant expenditures, equipment procurement, research supplies, services, travel, and other approved project expenses.
• Coordinate workshops, research meetings, innovation activities, demonstrations, outreach events, industry interactions, and other CNRE activities.
• Assist faculty and students with technical presentations, posters, prototype demonstrations, research showcases, and innovation-related materials.
• Promote an organized, collaborative, respectful, and performance-oriented research environment within CNRE.
• Coordinate with the DoD Quantum Research Program Coordinator on shared laboratory activities, meetings, outreach, procurement, visitors, events, and overlapping responsibilities.

Benefits

• Depending upon length of appointment, selectees may or may not be eligible for health and life insurance, annual (vacation) and sick leave, and the University retirement plan (TIAA).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level