Program Specialist II

Texas A&M University System • College Station, TX

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Program Specialist II – PreAward Research Support Services performs entry-level specialist duties in support of the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) Office of Research and Graduate Studies. The position supports pre-award research support services by assisting faculty and staff with proposal planning and coordination, collecting and organizing required proposal documents, maintaining program files and tracking tools, supporting communication about funding opportunities, and providing administrative support for grant- and program-related activities. The Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) is establishing a new PreAward Research Support Services unit to strengthen proposal development and enhance the overall research enterprise across the college. As part of this new service, VMBS is recruiting two key positions that will work collaboratively to provide comprehensive, faculty‑centered support for intramural and extramural grant submissions. Together, these roles will coordinate proposal planning, manage timelines and sponsor requirements, maintain essential documentation and tracking systems, and contribute to initiatives that advance research competitiveness and operational excellence within VMBS.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Two years of administrative, coordination, or related experience.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with research administration and/or sponsored research services.
• Demonstrated experience proofreading, editing for content, or assisting with grant writing.
• Familiarity with Grants.gov and key requirements for proposals to foundations and other external funding opportunities.
• Demonstrated ability to work on multidisciplinary teams in developing or supporting research proposals.

Responsibilities

• Coordinates logistics in planning, developing, implementing, and monitoring pre-award research support services and related programs.
• Assists faculty and office staff with proposal development tasks such as assembling required documents, organizing drafts, and preparing forms and templates.
• Coordinates assigned programs, including research-related conferences, seminars, workshops, and meetings to facilitate program goals.
• Coordinates specialized program communications and materials (e.g., agendas, handouts, follow-up emails) related to faculty trainings and workshops.
• Assists leadership in the development and documentation of unit procedures, checklists, and guidance for pre-award processes.
• Supports preparation of basic program and proposal-related reports by gathering and organizing data from internal tracking tools and systems.
• Assists in the preparation and maintenance of budgets, special reports, and other documents by gathering information and entering data into standard templates and systems.
• Assists faculty with preparing and reviewing budget documentation and ensures required budget information is provided to SRS in the appropriate format.
• Designs, creates, and maintains program files, databases, correspondence, and program materials related to proposals and research support services.
• Coordinates administrative duties required by grants, including coordinating travel arrangements, processing travel reimbursements, and helping manage stipends according to established guidelines.
• Liaises with program participants and internal stakeholders to ensure required administrative and pre-award processes are completed correctly and on time, coordinating communication and workflow across departments and stakeholders.
• Support the VMBS Office of Research and Graduate Studies (e.g., meeting scheduling, supply ordering, procard support, and other routine office tasks), providing assistance across various teams.
• Coordinates the creation and distribution of communication materials, including newsletters, website updates, and other content.
• Develop and distribute weekly funding opportunity emails to faculty and staff and in preparing periodic grant-related surveys.
• Coordinates outreach and engagement strategies in collaboration with internal teams.
• Ensures compliance with communication policies and guidelines while executing outreach tasks.
• Attends meetings and conferences to support and document the progress of assigned programs and pre-award activities.
• Serves as a first point of contact for routine program and funding-opportunity information and coordinates responses to requests via email and other channels.
• Supports program staff in gathering and summarizing information needed to evaluate the success and impact of specialized programs and pre-award services.
• Develops and enhances a personal professional development plan to increase job knowledge and skills; staying abreast of general engagement and research development best practices as they relate to faculty support and pre-award services.
• Researching sponsor programs, funding opportunities, and engagement trends relevant to VMBS faculty and strategic research areas.
• Maintains basic reference information on funding programs, including key requirements, eligibility, and deadlines, under guidance from senior staff.
• Assists in developing and offering relevant professional development trainings and workshops related to research for faculty
• Assists in coordinating logistics for project meetings and special events (e.g., faculty trainings and workshops) related to grant proposal development.
• Assists senior staff with tracking information on large, multidisciplinary grant proposals, including basic status tracking and document versioning.
• Assists with grant-related tasks such as gathering materials for proposal narratives, budgets, white papers, and letters of support at the direction of more senior staff.
• Performs other duties as assigned in support of pre-award research support services and VMBS Office of Research and Graduate Studies needs.

Benefits

• Medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life and AD&D, flexible spending accounts, and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M contributing to employee health and basic life premiums
• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays
• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month
• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas
• Free exercise programs and release time
• All employees have access to free LinkedIn Learning training, webinars, and limited financial support to attend conferences, workshops, and more
• Educational release time and tuition assistance for completing a degree while a Texas A&M employee
• Living Well, a program at Texas A&M that has been built by employees, for employees

What This Job Offers

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