Research Development Specialist

At the University of Colorado Boulder, the Research & Innovation Office (RIO) is dedicated to creating global impact by cultivating collaboration, transformation, and leadership across the research enterprise. At the heart of this focus are the various contributions of a wide range of world-class experts, working together in new and innovative ways to accelerate ideas through the entire innovation lifecycle, from idea to impact.

The Research Development team plays a critical role in this mission by helping faculty identify emerging opportunities, build collaborative research programs, and compete successfully for major external funding. We work at the intersection of strategy, partnership, and innovation, supporting researchers as they pursue ambitious ideas that expand knowledge, address pressing challenges, and strengthen CU Boulder's position as a leading public research university.

Proposal Strategy and Development:

• Advise faculty and research teams on proposal strategy from early concept development through submission.
• Review and strengthen proposal narratives and concept papers for responsiveness to sponsor priorities and review criteria, with emphasis on clarity, significance, innovation, approach, outcomes, and impact.
• Develop or strengthen non-technical proposal sections and help teams plan proposal timelines and next steps, as appropriate.
• Provide direct, constructive feedback that improves persuasiveness, organization, and funder fit.
• Partner with RIO colleagues on large-scale, interdisciplinary, limited-submission, and other high-priority pursuits, including editorial support for complex proposals.
• Use and evaluate AI and other emerging tools thoughtfully, with attention to sponsor requirements, institutional expectations, confidentiality, accuracy, attribution, and the continued importance of human expertise and judgment.

Faculty Funding Strategy and Portfolio Support:

• Serve as a primary research development resource for an assigned disciplinary portfolio.
• Conduct funding consultations to understand researcher goals, career stage, disciplinary context, funding needs, and collaboration interests.
• Help faculty identify practical next steps, including funding opportunities, proposal resources, campus partners, collaborators, program officer engagement, and internal opportunities.
• Build relationships through department meetings, faculty events, and research community engagement, while increasing awareness of RIO services and understanding emerging faculty needs.
• Engage academic leaders, as appropriate, to understand research strengths, emerging areas, and faculty needs and connect those insights to appropriate RIO resources and support.

Portfolio Funding Intelligence and Research Community Engagement:

• Develop and deliver targeted portfolio-specific workshops, information sessions, office hours, and other activities that advance funding awareness, proposal readiness, and researcher engagement within the assigned disciplinary portfolio.
• Translate funding opportunities, sponsor priorities, and other relevant intelligence into timely, targeted outreach and contributions to RIO communications and resources.
• Test and refine innovative approaches to research development and faculty engagement based on feedback and results.

Team Collaboration and Continuous Improvement:

• Share funder intelligence, proposal trends, faculty needs, and effective practices across the Research Development team.
• Contribute to coordinated service delivery, shared knowledge, and a collaborative team culture.
• Develop and refine tools, resources, and workflows that strengthen CU Boulder's research development infrastructure.
• Contribute to team discussions about service models, faculty engagement, emerging tools, and opportunities to improve impact.
• Track engagement, proposal support activities, and outcomes to inform reporting, planning, and continuous improvement.

• This is a two-year, term-limited appointment which may be extended to a regular appointment depending on the organizational needs of the research development function.
• We are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position, now or in the future.
• This is a hybrid position with 1-3 days per week on campus, with on-campus presence expected for faculty meetings, events, workshops, and team collaboration.
• This is a collaborative individual-contributor role that requires leadership through expertise, judgment, relationship-building, and influence. The successful candidate will take ownership of their work, communicate and follow through reliably, and operate with appropriate independence while staying closely connected to the team.
• The successful candidate will manage contending priorities, exercise judgment about where to focus effort, and move comfortably between intensive proposal timelines, faculty-facing work, independent analysis, and collaborative projects.
• This position is well suited to someone who brings initiative and momentum to their work; enjoys working with researchers and learning about new ideas; can operate effectively when priorities are not always predictable; and sees change, experimentation, and new challenges as part of the work rather than exceptions to it.

• The annual hiring range for this position is $75,000-$90,000.
• Limited relocation funds are available for eligible candidates.

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and 1+ years of experience in research development, grant writing, faculty research support, or a closely related field.
• A combination of education and/or experience may substitute.
• Demonstrated strength in writing, editing, analysis, project management, and working collaboratively with a variety of partners.

• Exceptional writing, editing, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to review proposal narratives for clarity, structure, persuasiveness, funder alignment, and responsiveness to guidelines.
• Ability to understand and synthesize complex research ideas across different fields of study.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust with research development colleagues, faculty, department chairs, and campus partners.
• Ability to interpret funding opportunity announcements, sponsor priorities, and review criteria.
• Diplomacy, discretion, professionalism, and the ability to make thoughtful decisions in complex situations.
• Awareness of the evolving role of AI tools in proposal development, including their opportunities, limitations, and risks.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, timelines, and relationships simultaneously.
• Solid organizational skills and attention to detail.

• Master's degree, PhD, or other advanced degree.
• 3+ years of progressively responsible professional experience in research development, grant writing, research administration, higher education, or a closely related field.
• Experience supporting proposals to federal agencies such as NSF, NIH, DOE, DOD, NASA, NOAA, or other external sponsors.
• Demonstrated AI competency, including the ability to responsibly apply AI-enabled tools to proposal development, analysis, communications, resource development, opportunity matching, and workflow improvement.
• Experience with foundation or industry funding opportunities.
• Familiarity with research development practices, proposal review processes, program officer engagement, and faculty funding strategy.
• Experience supporting large-scale, interdisciplinary, center-level, training, early-career, or collaborative proposals.
• Experience designing or delivering faculty workshops, funding consultations, office hours, or cohort-based proposal development programs.
• Experience working in a large public research university environment.