Research Development & Commercialization Coordinator

Kentucky Science & Technology Corporation•Lexington, KY

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

Kentucky Commercialization Ventures (KCV) is seeking a Research Development & Commercialization Coordinator to support partner universities across Kentucky in strengthening research capacity, improving grant competitiveness, and advancing innovation and commercialization outcomes. This is a unique, multi-institution support role working at the intersection of research development, proposal support, and technology commercialization. The ideal candidate is a strong communicator and problem-solver who can translate complex funding opportunities into clear, actionable guidance while building relationships across varied academic environments. Our team is looking for someone who can think visually, review and produce accessible content, in an environment that fosters positive relationships.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field
Strong communication and organizational skills
Ability to translate complex information into clear, actionable guidance
Experience managing multiple priorities and stakeholders
US Citizenship or Permanent Residency

Nice To Haves

Experience in research development, grant writing, or proposal support
Familiarity with federal funding agencies (NSF, NIH, etc.)
Experience in higher education, research administration, or commercialization
Experience developing templates, guides, or training materials
Comfort working with data tracking tools and systems

Responsibilities

Support Proposal Development: Identify and interpret funding opportunities (e.g., NSF, NIH, EPSCoR, INBRE, State, Foundation, etc.), translate solicitations into clear guidance for faculty and researchers, assist with early-stage proposal development, including concept alignment, timelines, and non-technical components, develop templates, checklists, and reusable resources to support proposal success, and help reduce barriers by simplifying complex application requirements.
Engage Faculty & Build Research Capacity: Conduct outreach to faculty, researchers, and students across partner institutions, identify researchers with strong funding and/or commercialization potential, support early-career faculty and emerging research programs, and build relationships that increase participation in research and innovation activities.
Connect Research to Commercialization: Identify research with commercialization potential and connect to KCV programs, and support development of a pipeline of faculty, technologies, and innovation opportunities.
Assist with preparation for stakeholder engagement.
Use Data to Drive Strategy: Track engagement, funding activity, and pipeline development across institutions, identify trends, gaps, and opportunities for targeted support, and contribute to reporting, dashboards, and program insights.
Construct and run regular reports on the variety of work that is accomplished.