The Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR) is responsible for pre- and post-award administration of grants and contracts; protection, management, and licensing of the University s intellectual property; oversight of the use of human subjects and laboratory animals in research and teaching and the use of infectious agents and recombinant DNA; implementation of the University s policies on conflict of interest in research and misconduct in research and scholarship, and for working with other administrative offices to create an environment at the University that encourages and facilitates research. The OVPR assures that the services and resources provided by the units under its direction meet the needs of the research community and, in cooperation with the Vice President for Finance, satisfies the requirements of laws and regulations that govern research, and protecting the University s interests. This includes policy development, strategic planning, and oversight. The OVPR staff also work closely with the research leadership of the schools and Tufts Medical Center to promote cooperation, collaboration, and sharing of resources to maintain a positive working relationship between the schools and with the hospital. The OVPR maintains close working relationships with faculty and department chairs in order to keep abreast of the needs and direction of research and to foster an environment of open communication and responsiveness.
The Office of Research Development (Research Development) within the OVPR supports the research and training endeavors of the Tufts research community as they develop groundbreaking proposals for funding, showcasing ideas at the forefront of their fields. Research Development collaborates with Tufts faculty and staff on the development of grant proposals, including individual investigator grants and multi-investigator proposals such as institutional training grants, center grants, and infrastructure- and capacity-building grants. Research Development provides formal and informal training for the research community; grant support for faculty at all proposal submission experience levels; research development activities, such as targeted funding searches and alignment of funding strategies with school, university, and federal priorities; facilitated collaborations; and online resources for faculty, postdocs, and graduate students to develop their grant writing skills and help them identify sources of funding for research and scholarly activities.
The Research Development Specialist is responsible for collaborating with faculty and administrators in the creation of highly competitive extramural grant proposals, particularly in the areas of science (including social science), engineering, technology, education, and University infrastructure. This person uses excellent writing skills coupled with 1) an ability to understand a broad range of science, technology and engineering areas, 2) a thorough understanding of different application structures, and 3) the ability to work to a deadline with high attention to detail. This person creates text for proposals and edits proposals as requested, with an emphasis on grantsmanship, responsiveness to the funding agency s requirements and priorities, and appropriate grammar and style. Additionally, the Research Development Specialist is responsible for developing and implementing educational programming relevant to grant writing and preparation, focusing particularly on one-on-one or small group presentations designed to provide new and/or inexperienced faculty with the skills needed to develop competitive proposals to develop their research and education objectives. This person will develop and present grantsmanship training programs to faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and other members of the Tufts research community, alone or in collaboration with other members of the Office or those in other University departments. In collaboration with the Director and others within and outside the Office, this position will be responsible for identifying and producing resources to advance the research mission at Tufts, including templates, project management documents, help documents, and curated web-based resources.
Qualifications:
Basic Requirements:
- 1-3 years of experience in writing/editing. 1-3 years of experience developing and implementing training/education curriculum of any kind.
- Master s degree OR 2-4 years of experience working in a scientific environment (with writing responsibilities) or in research development.
- Ability to use MS Office and related word processing and design software.
- Excellent communication skills, excellent writing ability, complete attention to detail, ability to work both independently and as a part of a collaborative team, ability to maintain positive and service-oriented office culture under high-stress conditions and deadlines.
- Master s degree or higher in a scientific (including social science) or technical field that requires the understanding and use of hypothesis testing, study design, and quantitative and/or qualitative methods.
- Minimum 1 year experience with federal government grant proposals (e.g., NSF, NIH, USDA, Department of Education, etc.).
- Experience working in an academic research environment (e.g., as part of a research laboratory, conducting independent research, etc.).
An employee in this position must complete all appropriate background checks at the time of hire, promotion, or transfer.
Equal Opportunity Employer minority/females/veterans/disability/sexual orientation/gender identity.
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