Research Development Specialist II

The Opportunity :

Are you passionate about advancing research that makes a real impact? Join the University of Central Florida (UCF) Office of Research as a Research Development Specialist II, where you'll play a pivotal role in helping faculty and research teams turn bold ideas into competitive, fundable projects. In this program coordination-focused role, you will provide support to advance research in the areas of funding opportunities, institutional programs, and competitive grant proposals. This is an exciting opportunity to combine your organizational skills and research development expertise to directly support groundbreaking discoveries and advance innovation at one of the nation's largest and most dynamic universities.

Primary responsibility is to provide help advance research in the areas of funding opportunities, institutional programs, and competitive grant proposals. This role supports the Research Strategies and Proposal Development pillars in the Research Development team and involves working with the EARLIER program to enhance research success. Responsibilities include but are not limited to guidance and support with proposal planning and preparation, reviewing supplemental documents, and facilitating ideation and project management throughout the proposal process.

Responsibilities :

Support internal programs through planning, coordination, and strategic implementation. Provide clear reporting and logistics to guide next steps and maximize impact.

Interpret and apply university / college policies, recommend and help develop improvements in research administration procedures, and ensure confidentiality of sensitive information.

Advance research success by identifying and sharing funding opportunities while facilitating strategic matchmaking.

Support proposal development by drafting and refining nontechnical components such as institutional boilerplates, visual models, and infographic elements.

Ensure key documents like GANTT charts, logic models, and org charts are clear and compelling. Contribute relevant UCF data / information to strengthen submissions.

Review and refine draft proposals for alignment with sponsor guidelines and strong grant writing practices. Provide clear, actionable feedback to improve narrative quality, supporting documents, and overall strategy.

Support faculty in strengthening proposals and identifying areas for improvement. Analyze declined submissions and Proposal Library materials to inform future planning.

Collaborate with PIs and teams to support kickoff, planning, and progress tracking to meet proposal deadlines. Facilitate ideation and help shape a unified vision. Apply project management to guide timelines, roles, and deliverables.

Provide strategic support for competitive grant proposals through curated information, resources, and writing tools. Lead workshops to build proposal development skills.

Support high-impact research initiatives by collaborating with EARLIER team members on complex, multi-institutional proposal submissions. Monitor outcomes for future reporting, highlighting success stories, resubmissions, and strategic retooling for upcoming opportunities.

Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications :

Bachelor's or Master's degree and 2+ years of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience pursuant to Fla. Stat. 112.219(6) .

Preferred Qualifications :

Program coordination experience with a proven ability to oversee research initiatives, manage multiple concurrent projects, and consistently meet deadlines.

Strong understanding of funding landscapes (federal, state, foundation, and industry) and familiarity with sponsor guidelines and review processes.

Demonstrated expertise in supporting scientific / academic writing and editing, with a track record of strengthening grant proposals by improving clarity, organization, and persuasiveness.

Experience developing research capacity-building programs, workshops, or training related to grant writing and research development.

Advanced Degree (Master's or PhD) in a research-related field, communications, or public administration.

Experience facilitating interdisciplinary collaborations, including coordination of large multi-PI or multi-institutional projects.

Proficiency with research administration tools and platforms, such as (InfoReady, Pivot) or similar grant management systems.

Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interface effectively with faculty, administrators, and external stakeholders.

Special Instructions to the Applicants :

The anticipated salary range for this position is $48,722 to 59,684. The final salary will be determined based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, and internal equity considerations.

If you are selected as the final candidate for an employment opportunity here at UCF, both your position and salary will be significantly based upon the information that you have provided in your application for employment. We urge you to please take the time to complete the application in its entirety.

This is a Contract and Grant (C&G) funded position. Employment is subject to availability of funding and may cease at the time funding for this employment is depleted.

Classification Title : Contracts and Grants Specialist II

Are you ready to unleash YOUR potential?

As a next-generation public research university and Forbes-ranked top employer in Florida, we are a community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to create broader prosperity and help shape a better future. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you'll play an integral role at one of the most impactful universities in the country. You'll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with talented faculty, staff, and students across 13 colleges and multiple campuses, engaging in impactful work that makes a positive difference. Your time at UCF will provide you with many meaningful opportunities to grow, you'll work alongside talented colleagues on complex projects that will challenge you and help you gain new skills, and you'll have countless rewarding experiences that go well beyond a paycheck.

W orking at UCF has its perks!UCF offers :

Benefit packages, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending, and Employee Assistance Program

Paid time off, including annual and sick time off and paid holidays

Retirement savings options

Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando attractions

Education assistance

And more...For more benefits information, view the UCF Employee Benefits Guide .

Dive into our Total Rewards Calculator to discover the diverse selection available to you, giving you a glimpse into the benefits that together shape your comprehensive rewards package at UCF.

Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF's expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.

Department

Office of Research - Operations

Work Schedule

Monday - Friday 8 : 00 am - 5 : 00 pm. Schedule may vary as required.

Type of Appointment

Regular

Expected Salary

$48,722.00 to Negotiable

Job Posting End Date

11-13-2025-12-00-AM

As a Florida public university, the University of Central Florida makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request.

UCF is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer.

If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 407-823-1336 or email onac@ucf.edu .

For general application or posting questions, please email talent@ucf.edu .