Research Development Administrator, Lead

About the role

The Senior Research Development Specialist advances interdisciplinary research development across Purdue by connecting faculty, funding opportunities, institutional capabilities, and strategic priorities. The position leads interdisciplinary convening, opportunity intelligence, faculty engagement, and relationship-building activities that help seed future teams, initiatives, and externally funded proposals. Using data analytics, technology, and artificial intelligence, the position identifies emerging funding trends, maps institutional strengths to sponsor opportunities, and develops scalable resources, communications, and programming that expand the reach of the Office of Research. The position also contributes direct proposal and grant writing expertise to selected opportunities, helping faculty strengthen proposal competitiveness and advance strategically aligned initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead interdisciplinary convening, opportunity intelligence, faculty engagement, and relationship‑building activities that seed future teams, initiatives, and externally funded proposals.
• Use data analytics, technology, and artificial intelligence to identify emerging funding trends, map institutional strengths to sponsor opportunities, and develop scalable resources, communications, and programming that expand the reach of the Office of Research.
• Contribute direct proposal and grant writing expertise to selected opportunities, helping faculty strengthen proposal competitiveness and advance strategically aligned initiatives.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Technical Writing, Communication, Science, Engineering, Public Administration, Higher Education, Data Analytics, or a related field.
• Seven or more years of professional experience in research development, faculty engagement, program development, proposal development, strategic communications, data‑informed planning, or a closely related function.
• Experience independently leading research development initiatives, interdisciplinary programs, faculty‑facing services, convening activities, or other complex projects in higher education, research, government, nonprofit, or similarly complex organizational environments.
• Experience using funding intelligence, institutional data, faculty expertise, or stakeholder information to identify opportunities, develop recommendations, or support collaborative initiatives.

Skills

• Strong research development and strategic planning skills, with the ability to connect funding opportunities, institutional capabilities, faculty expertise, and institutional priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to research and analyze sponsor priorities, funding trends