Job Description

POSITION DETAILS

Employment based visa sponsorship will NOT be considered for this position.

Position Number: 129380

Classification Title: Director

Working Title: Director, Research Development

Department: Research Administration & Engagement

FLSA Status: Exempt

Salary Range: $90,000 - $120,000

Pay Basis: Annually

POSITION OVERVIEW

JOB SUMMARY:

The Director of Research Development is a strategic position within the UWF Office of Research Administration and Engagement. The ideal candidate will help expand the university’s research enterprise by identifying high-priority funding opportunities, building interdisciplinary research teams, and providing expert editorial support for large-scale, complex proposals. Reporting to the Associate Vice President of Research Administration and Engagement (AVP-RAE), this in-person, on-campus position focuses on building research projects and facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration for the UWF research community, and contributes to the overall growth of externally funded revenues.

The Director will also support the ongoing and future research and workforce initiatives, including the Watercraft and Vessel Engineering (WAVE) program and development of upcoming sponsored engineering programs in research and workforce development.

The role aligns with the Florida Board of Governors’ (BOG) strategic metrics, focusing on Programs of Strategic Emphasis (STEM, Health Sciences, and Cybersecurity) and advancing the university toward national preeminence. The Director serves as a key liaison between faculty researchers and the AVP-RAE to ensure the institution effectively deploys resources to increase external grant expenditures.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Masters degree in an appropriate area of specialization and six years of appropriate experience; or a bachelors degree in an appropriate area of specialization and eight years of appropriate experience.

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS:

A master's degree in STEM or a health sciences discipline.

Experience in research administration, sponsored programs, grants management, research operations, project management, or a related field.

Experience supporting federal, state, foundation, industry, or economic-development proposals and awards.

Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to coordinate effectively among faculty, research administrators, finance and HR personnel, students, industry partners, and government organizations. Grant writing experience is a plus.

An understanding of the cost principles and the Uniform Guidance (OMB 2 CFR Part 200) for grant budgeting and expenditures.

Knowledge of online grant portal including, but not limited to, Grants.gov, NSF Research.gov, eRA Commons, Grant Solutions, Defense Security Service website for security classification; and various required agency-specific web portals.

Ability to communicate as a public speaker and trainer.

Ability to make decisions and apply sound judgment in issue resolution.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

A doctoral degree in STEM or a health sciences discipline is a plus.

Strong project-management and organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple proposals and projects simultaneously.

Familiarity with agencies such as NSF, DoD/ONR, DOE, EDA, or similar research sponsors is desirable.

Familiarity with proposal preparation, sponsor requirements, compliance, budgeting, financial reporting, and post-award administration.

Experience with Cayuse or comparable sponsored-program systems, and comfort with modern digital, collaboration, and AI-enabled productivity tools, is desirable.

A proactive, service-oriented approach and the ability to independently move administrative and operational processes forward

A track record as a PI or co-PI in sponsored research funded by federal and state agencies

Familiarity with the Florida State University System (SUS) strategic priorities and research metrics.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/JOB DUTIES:

• 40% - Strategic Proposal Development & Grant Writing • Serve as the liaison between the RAE Office and UWF researchers (including research staff in UWF centers of excellence) in proposal development to ensure timely, complete, and compliant submission of grant applications to federal and state agencies and private foundations. • Facilitate the conceptualization and drafting of major institutional and multi-investigator proposals (e.g., EDA grants, NIH P-series, NSF MRI and Centers, DOE Hubs, etc.). • Technical Writing/Editing: Act as the writer/editor for high-stakes grant narratives, ensuring clarity, logical flow, and strict adherence to sponsor requirements. • Work with Principal Investigators (PIs) to align project goals with federal priorities and the university’s strategic plan • Develop proposal budgets, budget justifications, cost-share documentation, subawards, and other financial materials in coordination with appropriate university offices. - (Essential)
• 25% - Research Planning & Opportunity Identification • Proposal Submission: Lead in identifying funding opportunities and organizing research teams to effectively develop projects to respond to identified opportunities. • Funding Intelligence: Monitor federal (NIH, NSF, DOD, NASA) and state (Florida Department of Education, FDOH) landscapes to identify emerging trends. • Targeted Dissemination: Develop a system for alerting faculty to funding opportunities using GrantForward or similar tools, and assist UWF researchers in submitting proposals using Cayuse SP research suite. • Metric Tracking: Analyze submission and award data to identify gaps in the university’s research portfolio and suggest strategies for growth. • Assist AVP-RAE in building a system of pre-award operations and ensuring continuous improvements. - (Essential)
• 25% - Supporting Strategic Initiatives and Sponsored Programs • Support administration and execution of existing and future sponsored projects, including major institutional and strategic initiatives. • Convene "Research Interest Groups" across different colleges (e.g., Engineering, Medicine, Arts & Sciences) to foster collaboration on "big ideas." • Track milestones, deliverables, deadlines, expenditures, reporting requirements, subawards, schedules, risks, and outstanding actions. • Assist in building relationships with external partners, including other Florida SUS institutions, state agencies, industry leaders and governmental agencies. • Support routine monitoring of sponsored-project, start-up, and other research-related accounts, including balances, expenditures, commitments, and available resources. • Provide specialized research development onboarding for new faculty hires to accelerate their funding success. - (Essential)
• 10% - Professional Development & Training • Workshops: Design and lead workshops on grant writing, budget strategy, and navigating the federal peer-review process. • Mentorship: Assist AVP-RAE to mentor early-career faculty (Assistant Professors) on career development awards (e.g., NSF CAREER, NIH K-series). • Implementing electronic tools that advance operational excellence. • Perform research development-related tasks as designated by the AVP-RAE. - (Essential)

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Physical Requirements: No unusual physical requirement. Requires no heavy lifting and nearly all work is performed in a comfortable indoor facility.
• Impact of Deadlines: Externally imposed deadlines set and revised beyond one’s control. Interruptions influence priorities. Difficult to anticipate nature or volume of work with certainty beyond a few days.
• Standing: Daily
• Walking: Daily
• Sitting: Daily
• Reaching with hands and arms: Daily
• Climbing or balancing: Occasionally
• Stooping: Occasionally
• Use of hands to handle objects: Daily
• Lifting up to 10lbs: Daily
• Lifting up to 25lbs: Occasionally
• Lifting over 25lbs: Never
• Talking as express or exchange of ideas verbally: Daily
• Hearing as perceive sound by ear: Daily
• Vision as distinguish colors & depth: Frequently

Special Requirements or Considerations of the Job:

• This position requires a criminal background screening.
• This position requires fingerprinting.

Special Instructions to Applicants: Candidates must apply online through the University of West Florida website: https://careers.uwf.edu. Applicants are required to attach a resume, cover letter and contact information for three references. An opportunity to upload these documents will be provided during the application process. For assistance, please contact Human Resources at 850.474.2694 or email jobs@uwf.edu.

ADDITIONAL POSTING DETAILS

Number of Vacancies: 1

Work Hours: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

FTE: 1.0

Preferred Response Date: 01/08/2027