The College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State is seeking a dynamic and motivated professional to join our expanding research development team as a Research Development Associate for Strategic Funding to support cutting-edge research in agriculture, food systems, and environmental science.
Requirements
- Experience with project management and/or scientific research (in some capacity).
- Familiarity with university budget policies and procedures is preferred.
- Experience with university-licensed software and Penn State research tools and databases (e.g., Pure, SciVal, SIMS), Microsoft SharePoint, and Plone is preferred.
- Exemplary interpersonal skills and a genuine appreciation for working with diverse audiences.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills to engage internal and external stakeholders, resolve issues, and coordinate activities.
- Excellent organizational and time management skills to handle multiple tasks and simultaneous deadlines.
Responsibilities
- Provide strategic research development support for complex extramural grant submissions.
- Facilitate team formation, collaboration planning, and proposal development for faculty.
- Manage internal funding competitions (e.g., seed grants), including process design, budget tracking, and award administration.
- Scan for and target strategic funding opportunities aligned with college priorities, including curating and disseminating funding opportunities.
- Serve as a research concierge, connecting faculty with resources, previous awardees, and funding tools.
- Plan and coordinate grantsmanship and professional development activities for faculty and trainees.
- Conduct strategic and competitive intelligence to support research alignment and decision-making.
Other
- Master's Degree & 1+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted
- Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.
- Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.
- Work in-person is required; however, partial remote work may be considered.
- Penn State does not sponsor or take over sponsorship of a staff employment Visa.
