Proposal Preparation Specialist II

Position Summary:

The Wiess School of Natural Sciences is seeking a Proposal Preparation Specialist to provide advanced and varied support to departments in facilitating the grant proposal development process and tracking related activities. The Proposal Preparation Specialist will lead and advise faculty and research personnel on planning, preparing, and writing grant proposals to support highly competitive extramural research funding opportunities (e.g., federal agencies, state agencies, industry sponsors, and foundations). Reporting directly to the Associate Director of Pre-Award Research Administration in the Wiess School of Natural Sciences, this role plays a vital role in facilitating effective communication and collaboration.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

All applicants must attach a cover letter and resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application in PDF format. Please note that the applicant tracking system does not successfully convert attachments submitted in Word format.

Work Authorization:
This position is open only to individuals authorized to work in the U.S. without employer sponsorship, now or in the future. Candidates who require sponsorship are not eligible for consideration.

Ideal Candidate Statement:

The ideal candidate should demonstrate strong independent and analytical thinking skills to excel in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. Furthermore, the candidate must possess a thorough understanding of relevant federal and state statutes, regulations, policies, and procedures, as well as the ability to interpret those established by sponsoring organizations.

Workplace Requirements:

We offer the flexibility of hybrid or fully remote work. Please note that eligibility for fully remote work is limited to residents of approved states. Hybrid roles combine on-campus and remote work to foster both independence and collaboration. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Annual Hiring Range: $78,000 to $85,000, with the hiring salary commensurate with the candidate's experience and qualifications. *Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree

  • In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience above and beyond what is required may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis.

• 3+ years of experience in Pre-Award Research Administration (i.e., grant proposal preparation and submission to governmental agencies such as NSF, DOD, DOE, DARPA, NIH, etc.)

Skills:

• Initiative and the ability to work independently and as a member of a team

• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills

• Excellent administrative and organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize workload effectively

• Strong critical-thinking skills

• Excellent writing and editing skills

• Ability to work effectively under deadline pressure

Preferences:

• 5+ years of experience in Pre-Award Research Administration in a university setting

• Demonstrated experience with large-scale, complex federal funding proposals (e.g., DARPA, ARPA-H, or similar agencies)

• Certified Research Administrator (CRA)

Essential Functions:

• Efficiently evaluate Funding Opportunity Announcements; develop proposal preparation timelines, templates, checklists, and systems to track proposal development efforts

• Understand, explain, and clarify proposal requirements and review processes for various funding agencies

• Develop and analyze proposal budgets in accordance with sponsor guidelines and university research policies

• Organize and facilitate faculty teams in preparing large-scale, complex, multidisciplinary proposals, including collaborative opportunities across the university and among multiple research organizations

• Research and assist in writing the non-technical content of proposals

• Conduct careful reviews of scientific, technical, and/or scholarly narrative sections of proposals to ensure compliance with sponsor requirements and university research policies

• Serve as a liaison among faculty, administrators, and the Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) to ensure timely and successful proposal submissions

• Develop professional written communications for sponsor agencies, organizations, and key stakeholders

• Interact and collaborate with agencies, faculty, and departmental award management staff to support the successful lifecycle of funded projects

• Lead training and development sessions for faculty, staff, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and undergraduate students on topics related to external grant proposal development

• Assist with administrative projects focused on proposal process improvement, including the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and the ongoing maintenance of electronic proposal records

• Prepare and update proposal documents (e.g., revised budgets, Just-in-Time documentation, etc.) as needed prior to award execution

• Perform all other duties as assigned

Additional Functions:

• Informs the Principal Investigator (PI) of all proposal preparation requirements and ensures compliance with proposal formatting guidelines, required documentation, and submission requirements

• Monitors compliance with agency and university regulations regarding proposal submissions and verifies all financial information prior to submission

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Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please get in touch with Rice University’s Human Resources Office via email at facstaffada@rice.edu for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.