Research Administration Coordinator - Grants Hub

Iowa State University•Remote - Iowa, IA

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Research Administration Coordinator supports Iowa State University's Grants Hub, the university’s central research development unit within the Office of the Vice President for Research. The Grants Hub provides strategic pre-award support and consultation to help researchers compete for funding and build interdisciplinary research teams. The position is classified as a Research Administrator I and administers software platforms and processes that support research development services, while identifying and recommending improvements. The coordinator manages limited submission and internal funding processes, helps researchers find funding opportunities, coordinates incoming requests, and often serves as researchers’ first point of contact with the Grants Hub. The role also supports logistics for NSF I-RAISE (Iowa Research Administration Internship Student Experience). The successful candidate must reside in Iowa on or before the start date. Work may be performed on-site in Ames or through a hybrid arrangement. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree.
Exceptional organizational and time management skills.
High comfort level with technology.
Strong oral and written communication skills.
Proactive and collaborative approach to customer service and innovation.
High attention to detail.
Ability to adjust to shifting deadlines and priorities.
Must reside in the state of Iowa on or before the start date.
Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Experience with research administration or research development, preferably in an academic environment.
Experience reading and interpreting requests for proposals (RFPs) in various disciplines.
Demonstrated experience with a project management platform such as Smartsheet or Airtable.
Demonstrated experience with major funding search databases and research intelligence tools such as Pivot-RP, grants.gov, or Academic Analytics.
Experience developing, validating, and deploying tools such as automated workflows and AI agents to improve complex administrative processes.

Responsibilities

Administer software platforms and processes for ticketing, file management, limited submission and internal funding competitions, external funding searches, and pre-award project management.
Develop and deploy tools, or oversee their development by student interns, using automation and AI to streamline research administration tasks effectively and ethically.
Teach researchers and research support staff how to use software tools to find funding opportunities and collaborators.
Search for and evaluate limited submission and other external funding opportunities, as well as data supporting OVPR strategic priorities.
Post and publicize internal calls for proposals and coordinate internal review and selection processes for limited submission and internal funding competitions.
Coordinate NSF I-RAISE logistics, including publicizing the program, coordinating application review, matching student interns with mentors, supporting visiting students’ on-campus experience, and providing basic post-award administrative support.
Coordinate incoming requests and serve as a point of contact for researchers seeking Grants Hub support.