Research Support Manager; Pre-Award

Research Support Manager (Pre-Award), University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Department of Physics and Astronomy.

The Grant Support Office in the University of Iowa (UI) College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) seeks to hire a Pre-Award Research Support Manager to support a wide range of exciting research and scholarship in its renowned Department of Physics and Astronomy.

The UI Department of Physics and Astronomy is an established leader among universities in Space Physics. Our faculty and staff include researchers who have built instruments for spacecraft including TRACERS, Voyager, Galileo, Cassini, Polar, Cluster, Juno, Van Allen Probes, and Magnetospheric Multiscale and sounding rockets. Other programs in the department include Plasma Physics, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Nuclear and Particle Physics, Condensed Matter Physics and a growing effort in Quantum Information.

The successful candidate will support application preparation for NASA, DOD, DOE, NSF, and other sponsors.

This position may be eligible for hybrid work within Iowa and will be discussed during the hiring process. Hybrid work will require a work arrangement form to be completed. Per policy, work arrangements will be reviewed annually and must comply with the remote work program and related policies and employee travel policy when working at a remote location.

For a full job description or questions about this position, please send an email to kellie-kucera.

• Responsible for pre-award submissions to federal and non-federal funding sources with a high degree of complexity.
• Assist Principal Investigators (PIs) with preparation of research proposals for external funding by developing grant submission timelines, creating budgets, interpreting sponsor guidelines, developing supporting materials, advising on internal deadlines, etc.
• Assist faculty, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and research staff with navigating the university’s research infrastructure by liaising with the Division of Sponsored Programs (DSP), the Grant Accounting Office (GAO), and other offices.
• Create, edit/review, and submit grant proposals and progress reports via electronic systems, including Research.gov, Cayuse, and nSPIRES.
• Prepare routing forms, obtain institutional approvals for grant/sub‑award documents, and electronically submit grant proposals to the Division of Sponsored Programs for final review and submission.
• Provide feedback and direction to faculty and research staff based on grant regulations or budgets to ensure compliance and desirable outcomes.
• May provide necessary training and support based on new and/or changing guidelines.
• Advise DEOs and department administrators of implications of grant awards, such as cost sharing requests and use of facilities.

• A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Extensive experience (3-5 years) of research administration experience of federal grants and contracts
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, as demonstrated at an extensive proficiency level.
• Evidence of work experience requiring strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated experience handling multiple competing deadlines.
• Extensive proficiency in Microsoft computer programs, particularly Excel.

• An advanced degree such as an MS, MA, or MBA, or equivalent combination of education and experience
• 6-8 years relevant grants experience
• Experience managing and/or submitting applications to NASA.
• Experience working with federal agency and/or S2S electronic systems, such as NSPIRES, research.gov, and Cayuse (for grants.gov)
• Experience preparing applications for federal funding in an…