Research Development Specialist; RDS) or Senior RDS, STEM​/Sustainability

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Organization: Stanford University

Date Posted: 9/12/2026

Date Needed: 9/12/2026

City: Stanford

Location: California

Country: United States

Primary Category: Coordinator/Officer/Specialist/Administrator

Type of Position: Full-Time Hybrid or In-Person

Education Requirement: Bachelor's

Experience Requirement: 3-5 years

Job Title:

Research Development Specialist (RDS) or Senior RDS – STEM fields with sustainability focus (proposal development, strategy, grant writing, editing, and training)

Job Code: 4112;
Grade: J;
Exempt

Budgeted Salary: RDS: $120,000-$135,000;
Senior RDS: $130,000-$155,000

Location:

Stanford campus, California; hybrid-eligible with at least 2 days per week on-site

SCHOOL/UNIT

DESCRIPTION:

Stanford University is one of the world’s premier academic and research institutions, devoting tremendous intellectual and physical resources toward the betterment of humanity. As a major Silicon Valley employer, Stanford seeks people committed to excellence and to improving our world. In turn, the university is committed to supporting its employees as they develop their careers and enrich their lives.

The Stanford Research Development Office (RDO) was founded in 2021 and is a central research development office, housed within the Office of the Vice Provost and Dean of Research (VPDoR) and led by the Sr. Director of Research Development. VPDoR provides guidance and support to facilitate, nurture, and safeguard a thriving research ecosystem. Within this framework, RDO partners with Stanford faculty to strengthen the competitiveness of research proposals by cultivating project‑opportunity alignment, supporting early preparation, and providing proposal development support.

With a focus on the concept/narrative side of the proposal, RDO complements other pre‑award services, such as budget development by local research administration support and compliance review and submission by the Office of Sponsored Research. RDO supports research teams from across the University, with an emphasis on proposals that are new to the principal investigator (e.g, early career, or first time applying to a given sponsor) as well as collaborative, multi‑disciplinary, complex, or strategic proposals.

The RDO team is a group of 6 dynamic professionals with varied professional backgrounds. We aim to sustain a culture of integrity and operational excellence. We operate on the basis of accountability, collaboration, empowerment, equity and inclusion, growth and adaptability, and open communication. If this sounds like a good fit for you, please read on!

This position will serve faculty across the university, with an emphasis on those from the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, launched in 2022 as the university’s first new school in 75 years. The school brings together research and education across the natural, engineering, and social sciences to advance knowledge, solutions, and impact and to create a thriving, enduring future for humanity and the planet.

POSITION SUMMARY:

We are hiring one (1), full time (100% FTE) Research Development Specialist or Senior Specialist, depending on experience. This position will support faculty from across the University, with a focus on large, collaborative research proposals, as well as proposals that are new to the Principal Investigators (PIs) (e.g., early career, new sponsor) in the STEM fields (including social…