Grants Specialist

Job no: 535078
Work type: Staff
Senior management: College of Veterinary Medicine
Department: Vet Med Research & Graduate Studies
Location: Blacksburg, Virginia
Categories: Business / Accounting / Finance, Administrative / Clerical, Grants / Contracts

This is a wonderful opportunity to support the biomedical and veterinary research mission at Virginia Tech. The Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine (VMCVM) is seeking an experienced Grants Specialist. In this role, the successful candidate will coordinate Pre-Award sponsored research services for the College, supporting research programs in infectious diseases, oncology, regenerative medicine, inflammatory diseases, neuroscience, and many other specialties.
Reporting to the Grants Administrator in the Office of the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, the Grants Specialist will provide support and guidance to faculty in response to funding opportunities; coordinate proposal development, including preparation of proposal budgets and other standard documentation; and assemble high-quality, complete, and compliant proposals for submission. This position will also assist in establishing guidelines for proposal submissions while ensuring compliance with sponsor and Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) timelines and requirements.
To be successful in this role, the selected candidate will learn and apply knowledge of grant policies, processes, and systems. They will demonstrate strong analytical, project management, and problem-solving skills, excellent attention to detail, and the ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects. The ideal candidate will work well under pressure and remain flexible, proactive, and results-oriented. The successful candidate will also maintain discretion with confidential information.

• Bachelor’s degree in science, business, or relevant field(s) or significant training and/or experience.
• Experience with proposal preparation and submission.
• Experience in grants or contract management, research administration, budgeting, accounting, or another field related to the position.
• Knowledge of policies and procedures of federal funding agencies (e.g., NSF, NIH, DoD).
• Knowledge of IRB process and its impact on awards.
• Experience working in electronic research administrative systems.
• Advanced MS Office skills with an emphasis on Excel.

• Experience in higher education research systems.
• Knowledge of Virginia Tech University research and fiscal policies and procedures.
• Experience with federal funding agency Web submission sites such as Cayuse and grants.gov.
• Experience with management tools such as Banner Finance, and Micro Strategy.
• Training and/or experience in technical writing and understanding of scientific research.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.

Exempt:
Not eligible for overtime

Regular

Salary;
Commensurate with experience

January 1, 2026

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College.

The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including Blacksburg, the greater Washington, D.C. area, the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, sites in Newport News and Richmond, and numerous Extension offices and research institutes. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in…