Research Development Specialist

Department

Office of Research Development

About the Department

The Office of Research Development (ORD) partners with faculty across the University of Chicago in their pursuit of funding for ambitious, interdisciplinary research. Part of the Research Strategy Office within the Office of Research and Partnerships, ORD helps faculty position their ideas for specific funding opportunities, build collaborative teams, and develop competitive proposals, from funding strategy and project management through narrative development, technical review, and final-stage preparation.

ORD also manages the campus-wide platform for internal competitions, including limited submission and seed funding opportunities, and prioritizes team science and capacity-building proposals that strengthen the impact of UChicago's research enterprise.

Job Summary

The Research Development Specialist is an operational and analytical partner within ORD, helping UChicago faculty find and compete for funding. The Specialist identifies and shares funding opportunities, administers the University's limited submission competitions and supporting systems, and develops research intelligence analyses and reports using AI-enabled tools. Reporting to the Executive Director of ORD, the Specialist works closely with ORD colleagues, faculty, research administrators, and university leaders.

We are looking for someone with sound judgment, strong organizational skills, and polished written communication who can manage multiple deadlines and systems independently and build credibility with faculty. The role offers the opportunity to deepen expertise in research development, research analysis, and emerging AI tools.

Responsibilities

• Identifies limited submission opportunities, clarifies sponsor requirements and eligibility, tracks deadlines and institutional limits, and shares opportunities with faculty and research support staff.
• Manages the internal competition process for limited federal opportunities, research-focused foundation opportunities, and seed funding programs.
• Serves as primary contact and global administrator for InfoReady Review (UChicago's limited submission platform) and the funding opportunity database, including user access, onboarding and training, system reporting, and vendor issue resolution.
• Curates ORD's weekly Funding Opportunities newsletter, conducts weekly quality assurance, and coordinates with other units that use the feed to share funding opportunities.
• Monitors the ORD email account, responding to or redirecting inquiries as appropriate.
• Supports proposal development workshops and seminars, and develops templates, toolkits, and best-practice guides for faculty and research teams.
• Contributes to research intelligence analyses and reports on funding trends, institutional strengths, and emerging opportunities, using AI-enabled tools to gather and synthesize information and reviewing outputs for accuracy and clarity.
• Evaluates and applies emerging proposal development and AI-enabled tools to improve the efficiency of ORD processes and the quality and competitiveness of proposals.
• Uses moderate/solid understanding and experience to administer the delivery of services to program participants and/or beneficiaries.
• Has moderate/high levels of interactions with faculty, researchers and staff for committee work or information.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
• Work Experience: Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
• Certifications: ---

Preferred Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's or advanced degree in a STEM field.
• Preferred Competencies
• Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy, with a demonstrated ability to track deadlines, sponsor eligibility rules, and institutional limits across multiple concurrent competitions and processes.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities independently, keeping many moving parts on track with minimal oversight.
• Technical aptitude to administer web-based software platforms and databases, including managing user access, running system reports, and resolving issues with vendors, and the ability to learn new systems quickly.
• Excellent professional written communication skills, including the ability to summarize complex information clearly for faculty, research administrators, and university leaders.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a service-oriented role, building credibility and productive relationships with faculty and staff across the university.
• Familiarity with AI-enabled tools and a critical approach to evaluating their output, with sound judgment about accuracy and the appropriate handling of confidential information.
• Interest in, and a working understanding of (or ability to quickly learn), research development, research administration, and/or the university research funding landscape.
• Working Conditions
• Hybrid work schedule.
• Use computers extensively throughout the workday, 4 hours or more.
• Stand for 2 to 4 hours.
• Sit for 4 hours or more.
• Use standard office equipment.
• Application Documents
• Resume (required)
• Cover letter (preferred)
• References (3 preferred, 2 required)
• The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.
• When applying, the document(s) MUST  be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.
• Job Family
• Administration & Management
• Role Impact
• Individual Contributor
• Scheduled Weekly Hours
• 37.5
• Drug Test Required
• No
• Health Screen Required
• No
• Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
• No
• Pay Rate Type