Proposal and Award Generalist, Liberal Arts Award Hub

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process . Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants .Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants .POSITION SPECIFICS The College of the Liberal Arts Research Office is seeking a Proposal and Award Generalist to provide pre-award administration services and expertise to all departments and colleges within the Liberal Arts Award Hub.

The Liberal Arts Award Hub is comprised of the College of the Liberal Arts, College of Education, Bellisario College of Communications, and Penn State Dickinson Law.

The Proposal and Award Generalist will deliver pre‑award research administration services, partnering with faculty and college personnel to identify funding opportunities, prepare and submit competitive proposals, ensure compliance, and support successful sponsored research activities.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Based on faculty expertise and faculty requests, search for, identify, analyze, and distribute funding opportunities from government agencies, foundations, and nonprofit organizations

Advise Principal Investigators (PIs) on compliance requirements, including human subjects, animal care, invention disclosures, patents, and copyrights

Identify and proactively communicate potential compliance or risk issues; escalate high‑risk proposals to management as needed

Prepare for and manage high‑volume proposal cycles; advise PIs on anticipated changes in submission volume and sponsor requirements

Assist with proposal development by reviewing sponsor and institutional guidelines, required forms, certifications, and timelines; update and/or create derivative checklists for PIsDevelop and finalize proposal budgets and budget justifications, including cost sharing, subawards, and financial documentation in coordination with PIs and sponsors

Coordinate and assemble complex and limited submissions in collaboration with college/unit offices and research administration partners

Provide guidance on allowable costs, indirect cost rates, advanced funding requests, and other financial considerations impacting proposals

Review documents and proposal contents against checklists and guidelines for compliance

Submit grant proposals on behalf of the institution and PIs when authorized

Maintain electronic records of grants and awards

Monitor submissions and awards using electronic research systems

Track funding and project end dates

Assist PIs with completing annual and final grant reports

As a member of the pre-award services team, Proposal and Award Generalist will perform the above work activities in a large volume, fast paced, and multifaceted environment.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications :

Effective written and verbal communication skills

Excellent interpersonal skills; inclusive and respectful when working with others

Ability to respond professionally to principal investigators (PIs), both regularly and in challenging situations

Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment as a team player

Effective organizational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.

Preferred Qualifications (one or more):

Penn State’s ACOR Certification and Education Series (ACES) program graduate

Working knowledge of Penn State’s Financial System and SIMS (Penn State’s budgeting system)

Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office (particularly Excel, Word, Outlook) and Adobe Acrobat for document preparation, data tracking, and professional communication

Working knowledge of common electronic…