Research Development Officer

Under general supervision of the Manager, Office of Research Development, the Research Development Officer (RDO) provides exceptional support to faculty and staff in the development of external grants and contracts that support research, scholarship, and creative activity, and institutional projects that support the educational and service mission of California State University, Fullerton (CSUF).

Administratively reporting to the Office of Research Development and taking daily direction from college leadership, Research Development Officers work as part of a central research support team and in close coordination with all units in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP), college deans and associate deans, department chairs, university advancement, and campus administrators to stimulate proposal-writing. In addition to supporting faculty and staff proposals, RDO’s also support and contribute to campus-wide Research Development trainings, programs, operations, and strategic planning aimed at increasing research and scholarship on campus.

* Please be aware that funding for this position is awarded through a Grant/Contract over a specified period. Employment for this position beyond current Grant/Contract funding is contingent upon continued funding or new Grant/Contract.

• Assist faculty with identifying appropriate funding opportunities for their research and programmatic activities and analyzing opportunities for eligibility, fit and competitiveness.
• Provide expert knowledge of the proposal development process within the designated college(s) and research areas.
• Review, critique, and provide constructive feedback on proposal abstracts, narratives, contract statements of work (SOW) and ancillary support documents required during the pre-award process, such as letters of support, biosketches, and other related supplementary materials, utilizing strong writing skills.
• Support budget development process.
• Prepare and manage research grants and contracts activities using prior knowledge of policies and practices employed by federal, state and private and non-profit foundation funders (e.g., NIH, NSF, DOD, NASA, DOE, ED).
• Participate in ORSP and College staff meetings. Work in a collegial and supportive manner with the Office of Grants and Contracts, the Office of Sponsored Programs, the University Advancement Office, as well as with the Directors of Development for their designated college(s). Coordinate pre-proposal efforts through ORSP to ensure operational effectiveness and continuity.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Experience working in higher education, a research laboratory, school district, or a government agency preferred.
• Working knowledge of and the ability to apply standard theories, principles, practices, and techniques applicable to the program and/or administrative specialty to develop conclusions and make recommendations.
• Skilled in the research, development, and evaluation of policies and programs.
• Proficiency using common software, including the Microsoft Office suite, file sharing software (Dropbox, SharePoint, One Drive), and collaboration platforms (Zoom, Teams).
• Ability to provide high levels of proactive customer service throughout the proposal development process.
• Ability to accept, utilize, and suggest collaborative feedback in a creative environment.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with academic units.
• Ability to interpret and translate complex information into easily digestible and comprehensible content targeted at the appropriate audience.
• Ability to guide others in the development of proposals that align with sponsoring agency guidelines and strategic goals.
• Ability to work independently, collaboratively, and collegially in a culturally…