Research Development Specialist

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences•Little Rock, AR

About The Position

The Research Development Specialist in the Science Communication Group (SciCom) supports the growth and sustainability of the institutional research enterprise. This role involves partnering with faculty, staff, and administrators to develop high-quality grant proposals, secure extramural research funding, and foster interdisciplinary collaborations. The specialist provides strategic advice throughout the entire proposal development lifecycle, with a focus on large-scale, complex, and multidisciplinary applications. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has a unique combination of education, research, and clinical programs that encourages and supports teamwork and diversity. We champion being a collaborative health care organization, focused on improving patient care and the lives of Arkansans. At the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), we are looking for health care and non-health care professionals who believe in excellence as a way of life. If you think you have the skills and commitment to succeed at the highest level, consider a career at UAMS, the state’s only academic health sciences center. Combining diverse talents and expertise, our employees work together to provide advanced patient care. UAMS is Arkansas’ only comprehensive academic health sciences center. We educate and train the vast majority of the state’s physicians and prepare doctors, scientists, nurses, pharmacists and health professionals through innovation, compassion, teamwork and patient- and family-centered care so they can impact the world. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for students, faculty, staff, visitors, and prospective employees. The below report is provided in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA). The report will provide you with information on campus safety and security including information on various policies and procedures for reporting crime, safety and security prevention and protection programs, victim assistance services, fire safety, and other materials to assist you in maintaining your safety and security.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree, preferably in a science field, with 2 years of experience in research development, technical writing, or proposal development and willingness to seek certification as an Editor in the Life Sciences by the Board of Editors in the Life Sciences.
OR PhD in a science field in lieu of experience.
Applicant should have willingness to obtain a UAMS Grants Management Certification.
Must have the ability to work with personnel across multiple levels of the UAMS system, including administrators, financial personnel, junior and senior faculty, and deans or department or center directors.
Knowledge of: English grammar, syntax, and usage public speaking and presentation best-practices medical biology and chemistry, biostatistics, experimental design, clinical trial data analysis, and research laboratory protocol requirements style, content, format requirements, and references used in grants and medical journals journal publication process, peer-review process, sources of grant funding, and guidelines for grant procurement organizational, visual, and textual factors that promote readability, as well as the ways in which numerical data are appropriately presented grant writing for federal and foundation sources
Demonstrable skills in: effective communication in written and spoken English grammatical and rhetorical accuracy, clarity, and economy in editing and rewriting scientific texts and visuals mastery of word processing and a working knowledge of desktop publishing developing and delivering seminars/workshops
Ability to: work closely with investigators in preparing grant applications to effectively communicate scientific research ideas and data prepare and deliver clear written or spoken presentations and educational materials work both independently and as part of a team think critically respond to changing priorities

Responsibilities

Proposal development and management: Coordinate and support investigators in preparing single-project, as well as complex, center-level grant proposals. Write high-quality drafts of non-technical proposal components. Review, edit, and format technical and non-technical proposal documents to ensure they meet high-quality standards and sponsor requirements; specifically, work with investigators to critique, revise, copy-edit (e.g., correct errors in grammar, syntax, spelling), and format grant applications, progress reports, etc. Manage the lifecycle of proposal development; specifically, participate in the intellectual development of research grant proposals by attending and/or facilitating and planning organizational meetings and providing feedback on the feasibility of a project. Develop and/or maintain professional knowledge and skills by participating in continuing education activities and professional organizations.
Strategic planning and funding outreach: Identify and distribute relevant funding opportunities through personalized searches and data mining. Analyze sponsor funding priorities and provide actionable recommendations to position investigators for future success. Manage limited submission funding opportunities and internal competitions as needed.
Capacity building and training: Train and support junior faculty preparing their first major research grant proposals. Develop and teach grant-writing workshops and seminars. Create proposal development resources, such as guides, checklists, best practices, and template text. Develop and/or maintain professional knowledge and skills by participating in continuing education activities and professional organizations.
Relationship management and collaboration: Foster interdisciplinary research and facilitate partnerships with internal and external stakeholders. Plan and execute networking events or sponsor information sessions. Collaborate with university central offices and administrative teams to ensure proposal accuracy and internal consistency.
Other duties as assigned