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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 leadership position within the UWF Office of Research Administration and Engagement Office. The ideal candidate will effectively contribute to expanding 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 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 role is specifically designed to align 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 institutional resources are effectively deployed to increase external grant expenditures.

The Director will provide strategic guidance to UWF researchers in the development of collaborative research, preparation and revision of grant proposals, and serves as a knowledge resource on regulations regarding research administration. Collaborations with academic departments and colleges to build research projects of significance. Knowledge of the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200) and the process and eligibility of application to federal and state funding opportunities is essential for this position.

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.

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

Knowledge of grants, contracting, and subcontracting principles and guidelines.

Grant writing experience.

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.

Knowledge of the cost principles of federal grants.

Knowledge of legal terminology and standard clauses in contract law.

Ability to communicate well 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.

Experience in serving as a primary writer or lead editor on successful federal awards exceeding $1M is a plus.

Demonstrated experience with university (or similar) policies and procedures and federal and state rules, laws, and regulations governing sponsored research administration.

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 • Certifying the proposals submitted to funding agencies, - (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 proposal 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)
• 20% - Team Building & Faculty Engagement • Interdisciplinary Facilitation: Convene "Research Interest Groups" across different colleges (e.g., Engineering, Medicine, Arts & Sciences) to foster collaboration on "big ideas." • Partnership Liaison: Assist in building relationships with external partners, including other Florida SUS institutions, state agencies, and industry leaders (e.g., Florida High Tech Corridor). • Faculty Research Onboarding: Provide specialized research development onboarding for new faculty hires to accelerate their funding success. - (Essential)
• 15% - Professional Development & Training • Workshops: Design and lead workshops on grant writing, budget strategy, and navigating the federal peer-review process. • Mentorship: Assist AVP-Research 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 screen.

• 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:  03/22/2026