What are the responsibilities and job description for the Core Facility Rsrch Specialist position at Jobs@UIOWA?
The Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine Research Support Office is seeking a Core Facility Research Specialist (Grant Writer) to work within the CCOM Scientific Editing and Research Communication Core (SERCC) and provide expertise, experience, and support in developing training grant applications as well as large-scale (multi-component)/complex research grant applications, at the levels of both writing and editing. The primary responsibilities are to write components of these grants, as appropriate (to be determined in collaboration with the lead PIs of the application); to edit the work of other authors on these grants for clarity, consistency (single voice), concision, and compliance with funding agency guidelines; and to prepare resources for authors of such grants. The Grant Writer may also perform other central duties within the SERCC as needed, for example teaching scientific writing, coaching trainees in scientific editing, and representing the SERCC at meetings of other university offices/units. The Grant Writer will be expected to work in a highly collaborative research environment, with clients across a broad range of career levels (faculty, fellows, post-docs, staff, and students), subject areas, and cultural backgrounds, and to multitask efficiently.
Percent Time: 100%
Duties to include:
- Collaborate with CCOM leadership to select projects to focus on based on their potential impact on CCOM research priorities, and work with designated faculty/investigators.
- Participate in an initial meeting with lead PI(s) of a proposal and the Research Support Manager in the Research Administration Support Office (RASO), as early as possible relative to the application due date, to learn about the vision for the training grant or center, identify tasks that need to be performed, determine who will draft each component of the application, and help identify key requirements for the application based on the funding agency guidelines.
- Actively participate in ongoing planning meetings with all writers involved in such applications, to keep up to date on any changes in vision as the application evolves.
- Work closely with the RASO Research Support Manager (and/or grant managers within the programs submitting the application) to ensure that content prepared by others is drafted, reviewed, and revised in timely fashion (may help potentially help set up internal and external review committees).
- Write key components of these grants, potentially including Overall and Administrative components, Training Program Plans, and Facilities and Equipment documents.
- Edit content provided by other authors for adherence to funding agency guidelines, flow, and single voice, guiding them in making technical and specialized scientific content accessible to broad audiences (including lay readers where appropriate).
- Identify gaps in the logic of the science or program plans, and potential red flags, based on experience and review committee feedback.
- In collaboration with RASO Research Support Manager, may establish timetables for review and re-review of grants sections, to ensure that all content is submitted in timely fashion.
- May develop templates for a specific proposal based on the funding agency instructions, to ensure that content, structure, and format align with funder instructions and objectives.
- May establish style guides to ensure that format and wording are consistent throughout the proposal.
- Establish and maintain a library of example proposals and boilerplate text for various grant types.
- Work closely with the SERCC director to establish appropriate timelines and ensure that editing backup will be available if needed.
- Remain up to date with funding agency requirements over the writing period to ensure that any late changes are accommodated.
- Actively contribute to SERCC discussions, group projects, and improvements to SERCC processes.
- Participate in professional research development organizations and communities.
- May serve as member on internal and/or external committees related to training grants and large-scale/complex research grants.
- May provide administrative supervision of other SERCC staff and help to hire and train staff and interns.
- May assist in generating, collecting, and analyzing data on effectiveness of services provided.
- May represent the core at meetings with other university offices/units that are involved in research development across the UI campus.
- Assist with maintaining the SERCC project reservation and tracking system.
- Provide technical support at the interface of research and the effective communication thereof.
- May work on proposals that are submitted to the SERCC solely for editing.
- May contribute to the teaching of scientific writing and the development of writing resources.
- May contribute to other central duties of the SERCC, including performing triage of submissions to the central e-mail account account.
Education Required
A Master’s degree is required. A major in science and an advanced degree in a biomedical field are preferred. Applicants with an advanced degree in the sciences or writing are encouraged to apply.
Required Qualifications:
3 or more years of experience in technical writing or editing of research proposals and manuscripts, preferably in an area within the biomedical sciences or a related field.
Working knowledge of requirements of funding agencies (in particular, of the National Institutes of Health).
Preferably experience writing and/or editing manuscripts for journals covering the biomedical sciences.
Desired Qualifications:
Excellent interpersonal skills, flexibility in working style to match the needs of teams submitting proposals, a high degree of professionalism and diplomacy, and the ability to develop working relationships with campus faculty and staff and to collaborate with research development professionals in other units.
Highly organized, detail-oriented, self-motivated, and able to work on short deadlines.
Excellent command of Microsoft Word (including editing functions), Excel, and Powerpoint.
Working knowledge of Microsoft Teams.
Demonstrated ability to provide high quality customer service in a deadline-driven environment.
Demonstrated ability to work in a team setting.
Position and Application details:
In order to be considered for an interview, applicants must upload the following documents and mark them as a “Relevant File” to the submission:
· Resume
· Cover Letter
Job openings are posted for a minimum of 14 calendar days and may be removed from posting and filled any time after the original posting period has ended.
Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check and credential/education verification. Up to 5 professional references will be requested at a later step in the recruitment process.
For additional questions, please contact stacy-pruter@uiowa.edu
Hybrid within Iowa: This position is eligible for hybrid work within Iowa and will require a work arrangement form to be completed upon the start of your employment. 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.
