Proposal Preparation Specialist II

Rice University•Houston, TX

9d•$78,000 - $85,000

About The Position

The Wiess School of Natural Sciences seeks a Proposal Preparation Specialist to provide advanced support to departments throughout the grant proposal development process and track related activities. The specialist leads and advises faculty and research personnel in planning, preparing, and writing grant proposals for competitive extramural research funding opportunities, including those offered by federal and state agencies, industry sponsors, and foundations. The role reports directly to the Associate Director of Pre-Award Research Administration in the Wiess School of Natural Sciences and supports effective communication and collaboration. This position may be hybrid or fully remote. Fully remote work is limited to residents of approved states, and work arrangements may change under Rice policy. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship, now or in the future. Applicants must submit a cover letter and resume in PDF format.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree, or additional related experience above and beyond the required experience may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis.
At least 3 years of experience in Pre-Award Research Administration, including grant proposal preparation and submission to governmental agencies such as NSF, DOD, DOE, DARPA, or NIH.
Initiative and ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
Excellent administrative and organizational skills, including the ability to prioritize workload effectively.
Strong critical-thinking skills.
Excellent writing and editing skills.
Ability to work effectively under deadline pressure.
Authorization to work in the United States without employer sponsorship, now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

At least 5 years of Pre-Award Research Administration experience in a university setting.
Demonstrated experience with large-scale, complex federal funding proposals, such as DARPA, ARPA-H, or similar agencies.
Certified Research Administrator (CRA).

Responsibilities

Evaluate Funding Opportunity Announcements and develop proposal preparation timelines, templates, checklists, and tracking systems.
Explain and clarify proposal requirements and review processes for funding agencies.
Develop and analyze proposal budgets in accordance with sponsor guidelines and university research policies.
Organize and facilitate faculty teams preparing large-scale, complex, multidisciplinary proposals, including collaborations across the university and multiple research organizations.
Research and assist in writing non-technical proposal content.
Review scientific, technical, and scholarly proposal narratives for compliance with sponsor requirements and university research policies.
Liaise among faculty, administrators, and the Office of Sponsored Projects to facilitate timely, successful proposal submissions.
Prepare professional written communications for sponsor agencies, organizations, and stakeholders.
Collaborate with agencies, faculty, and departmental award management staff to support funded projects throughout their lifecycle.
Lead training and development sessions on external grant proposal development for faculty, staff, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and undergraduate students.
Assist with proposal process improvement projects, including developing standard operating procedures and maintaining electronic proposal records.
Prepare and update proposal documents, including revised budgets and Just-in-Time documentation, as needed before award execution.
Inform Principal Investigators of proposal preparation requirements and ensure compliance with formatting, documentation, and submission requirements.
Monitor compliance with agency and university proposal regulations and verify financial information before submission.
Perform other duties as assigned.