Research Partner

Job Description

Under the leadership of a Senior Research Partner (SRP), working directly with researchers as intellectually engaged colleagues to support the College of Natural and Applied Sciences (CNAS), the Research Partner (RP) provides institution‑wide, portfolio‑focused research development support. The incumbent draws on a broad understanding of best practices in research proposal crafting, requirements related to external funding organizations, research application/proposal development, and all aspects of the research development and administration continuum, with the overall goal of increasing success of research proposals and in turn increasing the external research funding that comes to the U of

A. The work of the RP also supports the role of the SRP in identifying opportunities for streamlining, policy and procedure improvement, and in reaching strategic research goals.

This role is hybrid with a mix of remote and in‑person. Work primarily takes place at North Campus, Edmonton.

• Assists researchers in all aspects of research proposal development.
• Provides professional level advice to vice/associate deans research, faculty general/academic department managers, other senior administrators (i.e. Chairs, Centre and Institute directors, etc.), researchers and their staff, within assigned areas on a variety of research administration matters including research policy interpretation (both UofA and external bodies including funding organizations and research regulatory bodies), managing exceptions, and/or exceptional situations, and issue resolution.
• Helps faculties to develop, implement, and manage research policy‑related procedures (e.g. handling of indirect costs of research, managing eligibility exceptions, managing internal pots of research funding, etc.) at the unit level leveraging institutional best practices as applicable.
• Coordinates, promotes and/or delivers training on research development and administration related best‑practices, policies and procedures (both UofA and funding organization related).
• Leading and/or involved in development of the training material as required.

• Provides requested research administration‑related data and analytics used for key decision making by area leadership.
• Plays a role in resolving research administration and research development related issues (including research policy and one‑off exceptions, procedure, and funding organization related) and concerns brought to their attention within their assigned areas.
• Due to the breadth of research administration and the interconnections with other administrative areas, the partners will work collaboratively with partners from other networks, research administration specialists, senior research partners, external funding organizations, and central staff in VPRI and other COEs as required.
• Proactively identifies potential issues and offers creative, researcher‑focused solutions where possible and within the appropriate policy/best practices framework.

• Develops and maintains positive working relationships within assigned areas.
• Facilitates the development of research partnerships and connection between faculty/department/researchers and potential collaborators.
• Maintains productive relationships with colleagues in VPRI Centres of Expertise and other UofA units responsible for supporting researchers.
• Proactively establishes, develops and maintains productive relationships with key stakeholders including external funding organization and industry sponsors, in order to, among other things, assist in enhancing the profile and scope of research initiatives with assigned areas.

• Provides strategic advice, coaching and hands‑on assistance for the development of grant applications/proposals to researchers from idea through to submission, including strategizing on how to leverage funding and take advantage of other opportunities to bring in more research funding at the individual researcher level.
• Develops and maintains an in‑depth understanding of the research capacity and expertise that exists within assigned areas.
• Proactively develops and provides…