Research Development Specialist

About the role

The Office of Research Development (ORD), within the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development (VPRED), is seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic Research Development Specialist (RDS) to support and expand research, scholarship, and creative activities across Montana State University (MSU).

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive project management for proposal efforts, including establishing and adhering to timelines, convening project team meetings, assembling necessary resources, and coordinating with research administrators to submit highly competitive proposals in a timely manner.
• Contribute to proposal development, including but not limited to assisting with proposal budgets; initiating proposal records; managing proposal documents; and providing feedback and guidance on proposal strategy and competitiveness with training over time.
• Aid in identifying and disseminating funding opportunities that align with MSU’s strengths and eligibility and conduct targeted funding opportunity searches in line with researcher and institutional goals.
• Manage campus communications for ORD, including compiling award data for the monthly “Congrats to Our ‘Cats’” email.
• Develop a working knowledge of Montana State University’s research enterprise to identify and facilitate research opportunities and identify potential candidates for prestigious honorifics.
• Co-organize research development events of varying size and scope, including MSU’s Research Development Day.
• Cook up internal competitions for VPRED grants and limited submission funding opportunities.
• Aid with other activities and special projects as requested by the Director of Research Development, including maintaining boilerplate text and templates, coordinating external proposal reviews, obtaining competitive intelligence on sponsors and funding programs, and monitoring proposal metrics and outcomes.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and one year of research development or related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills and attention to detail.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and other platforms for collaborative work.

Preferred Qualifications

• Event planning experience.
• Communications experience in large organizations.
• Research or scholarly experience.
• Excellence in writing and editing.
• Broad familiarity with the range of sponsors that fund research and scholarship.
• Track record of developing successful proposals and securing funding from external sources.
• Survey development and analysis experience.
• Familiarity with Montana or experience working in other rural EPSCoR jurisdictions.

Qualifications

• Support individuals from various units and backgrounds.
• Work independently as well as part of a team.
• Synthesize and translate complex information into digestible formats.
• Work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Demonstrate enthusiasm for research, scholarship, and creative activities.
• Exercise initiative and good judgment and maintain a high degree of professionalism.
• Provide exemplary customer service to a variety of diverse constituents.
• Successfully manage projects, meet deadlines, and adapt to changing priorities.
• Accept progressive increases in responsibility with minimal supervision.

Special Requirements/Additional Information

This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.