Assistant Director, Research Development

The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), Chicago’s largest public research university and a nationally recognized R1 research institution, invites applications for an Assistant Director of Research Development in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research (OVCR).

This position offers a unique opportunity to work at the center of UIC’s expanding research enterprise. Reporting directly to the Vice Chancellor for Research, the Assistant Director will play a key role in advancing strategic research initiatives, supporting interdisciplinary team science and helping faculty compete successfully for major external funding opportunities.

UIC’s research portfolio continues to grow across the health sciences, engineering, social sciences and the humanities. The Office of Research Development partners with faculty and campus leadership to position UIC for large-scale, high-impact funding opportunities from federal agencies, foundations and industry.

The Assistant Director will work closely with faculty leaders, researchers and university administration to identify emerging opportunities, coordinate strategic proposal efforts and develop programs that strengthen the university’s research competitiveness. This role is ideal for a scientist or research professional who enjoys working at the intersection of research strategy, collaboration and institutional growth.

This position is intended to be eligible for benefits. This includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, a Retirement Plan, Paid time Off, and Tuition waivers for employees and dependents.

Salary Range: The budgeted salary range for the position is $100,000 to $115,000.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Research Development

• Identify and disseminate funding opportunities across federal agencies, foundations, corporate sponsors and internal funding programs.
• Build strong working knowledge of faculty research strengths and emerging interdisciplinary themes across campus.
• Connect investigators with strategic opportunities aligned with institutional priorities.

Large-Scale Proposal Coordination

• Coordinate targeted proposal development efforts for strategic funding opportunities identified by OVCR leadership.
• Establish internal timelines, track proposal development progress and facilitate collaboration among investigators across departments and institutions.
• Support faculty teams developing complex, multi-investigator proposals and interdisciplinary initiatives.

Internal Competitions & Limited Submissions

• Manage campus limited submission programs, including opportunity identification, communications and internal review coordination.
• Administer internal seed funding programs, including application processes, review logistics and award documentation.

Research Intelligence & Strategic Reporting

• Monitor sponsor priorities and emerging funding trends to inform institutional strategy.
• Produce analytical reports on campus research activity, funding patterns and strategic opportunities.

Faculty Engagement & Training

• Contribute to workshops, webinars and programming that support faculty grant competitiveness and proposal development.
• Translate complex research concepts for broader audiences as part of strategic proposal development and nomination processes.

Research Development Infrastructure

• Provide training and support for research development systems such as Pivot-RP and InfoReady.
• Maintain the Office of Research Development website and related resources.

Minimum Qualifications

• PhD degree and a minimum of three years of relevant professional experience. Degree preferably in biomedical, life sciences or related scientific field.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the sponsored research lifecycle and external funding landscape.
• Experience working in an academic research environment.
• Strong project management skills and the ability to coordinate complex initiatives involving multiple investigators and stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Scientific background and experience supporting research development activities.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent written, oral, and presentation communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with faculty, research administrators and institutional leadership.
• Experience working with diverse faculty populations and interdisciplinary research teams.

APPLICATION: To ensure fullest consideration, application materials must be received by April 10, 2025. Start date is as soon as possible after the close of the search. Salary is commensurate with experience and education. All candidates must create a candidate profile through http://jobs.uic.edu and upload a cover letter, resume and contact information for three references by the close date.

Interested candidates should apply at the following link:

https://uic.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/19002?c=uic

As an EOE/AA employer, the University of Illinois encourages applications from individuals regardless of an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, and Veteran or disability status.

Offers of employment by the University of Illinois may be subject to approval by the University’s Board of Trustees and are made contingent upon the candidate’s successful completion of any criminal background checks and other pre-employment assessments that may be required for the position being offered. Additional information regarding such pre-employment checks and assessments may be provided as applicable during the hiring process.

The University of Illinois System requires candidates selected for hire to disclose any documented finding of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment and to authorize inquiries to current and former employers regarding findings of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment. For more information, visit: https://www.hr.uillinois.edu/cms/One.aspx?portalId=4292&pageId=1411899

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position; however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.