Research Scientist & Manager of Grant Development

Job Description:

Kansas Health Science University is seeking a doctoral-trained Research Scientist & Manager of Grant Development to support the University’s faculty and student research as a scientific advisor while leading the University’s grant development and research funding efforts. This is an in-person, institutionally funded position within the Division of Research. The role is a composite scientific and grants leadership role, with research and scholarship at its foundation. 50% of the role is faculty and student research support and 50% is leading grant development and funding.

Importantly, this is not a traditional academic research position centered on establishing an independent laboratory or developing a primarily self-directed research portfolio but rather a leadership and advisory role to support and grow the institutions research capabilities.

The individual will work as a scientific advisor directly with faculty and students to assist with research design, methodology, scientific writing, manuscripts, publications, and scholarly dissemination of existing and emerging research projects.

The position will also serve as KHSU’s in-house grant expert, scientific grant writer, and proposal reviewer, leading the development of competitive funding applications and helping grow the University’s external funding portfolio. The individual will identify funding opportunities, shape fundable research concepts, develop and review proposals, manage the grant-development pipeline, and oversee grant administration within the Division of Research.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP

• Serve as a scientific advisor, collaborator and methodological resource for faculty and student research.
• Support research design, methodology, analysis planning, interpretation, and dissemination.
• Provide scientific and methodological consultation across research projects.
• Contribute directly to abstracts, posters, presentations, manuscripts, and peer-reviewed publications.
• Participate as a research collaborator, investigator, or co-investigator to assist with faculty and student research projects when appropriate.
• Mentor faculty and students in research methods, scientific writing, and scholarly productivity.
• Help move research projects from initial concept through publication and dissemination.

GRANT DEVELOPMENT AND EXTERNAL FUNDING

• Lead KHSU’s research grant-development pipeline and external funding strategy.
• Serve as the University’s in-house expert for scientific grant writing, proposal development, and grant review.

• Identify federal, state, foundation, community, and other funding opportunities aligned with institutional and investigator priorities.
• Develop and help investigators refine fundable research concepts.
• Write, edit, and review competitive proposals, including specific aims, significance, innovation, approach, feasibility, evaluation, and impact.
• Critically review proposals for scientific rigor, clarity, competitiveness, and responsiveness to sponsor priorities.
• Coordinate proposal-development timelines, contributors, and submission requirements.
• Lead resubmissions and responses to reviewer or sponsor feedback.
• Develop longer-term funding strategies for investigators and research programs.
• Contribute directly to increasing the number, quality, competitiveness, and success of external funding applications.
• Help grow KHSU’s externally funded research portfolio and institutional funding capacity.

GRANT ADMINISTRATION

• Oversee grant administration within the Division of Research, including appropriate pre-award and post-award activities.

• Coordinate proposal routing, institutional approvals, sponsor requirements, and submission processes.
• Support and coordinate grant budgets and budget justifications in partnership with Finance and institutional leadership.
• Oversee grant calendars, submission records, award tracking, reporting timelines, and grant-management systems such as Cayuse.
• Coordinate progress reporting, renewals, sponsor deliverables, and other post-award requirements.
• Develop and maintain grant-related processes, templates, resources, and guidance for investigators.
• Serve as the Division of Research point person for grant-related matters while collaborating with Finance, Compliance, and other institutional offices.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• PhD, DrPH, EdD, or other research-focused doctoral degree.
• Demonstrated experience conducting scientific research.
• Strong knowledge of research design and methodology.
• Strong scientific writing, editing, and critical-review skills.
• Peer-reviewed publication record.
• Experience in academic medicine, biomedical science, public health, health professions education, clinical research, or a related field.

• Experience contributing to successful grant applications or funded projects.
• Experience with federal, state, foundation, or community-based funding opportunities.
• Experience developing or substantively writing competitive grant proposals.
• Experience mentoring faculty or students in research or grantsmanship.
• Strong organizational, project-management, and communication skills.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience serving as an investigator or co-investigator on funded research.
• Demonstrated record of successful grant development or externally funded projects.
• Experience with federal funding agencies such as NIH, HRSA, AHRQ, CDC, NSF, or similar sponsors.

• Experience developing grant budgets and budget justifications.
• Familiarity with Cayuse or similar grant-management systems.

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Scientific research and methodology
• Scientific writing and peer-reviewed publication
• Faculty and student research mentorship
• Scientific grant writing and proposal development
• Critical grant review
• Funding strategy and opportunity identification
• Grant-development leadership
• External funding growth
• Grant administration
• Research collaboration and scholarly productivity

OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPACT

This role combines the work of a research scientist with leadership in grant development and external funding. The individual will directly strengthen faculty and student research while serving as KHSU’s in-house grants expert and helping translate promising research ideas into competitive, externally funded projects. The position will play a central role in growing both the scientific capacity and external funding portfolio of KHSU’s research enterprise.

The position is best suited for a doctoral-trained scientist who enjoys helping other investigators succeed, can move comfortably between different research topics and methodologies, and wants to play an active role in developing grants and institutional research capacity.

The essential physical and mental requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the job's essential functions.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

DISCLAIMER:

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.

It is the policy of KHSU- KansasCOM not to discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religion, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, age, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, childbirth and any medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law, ordinance or regulation. KHSU-KansasCOM is committed to complying with all applicable laws regarding equal employment opportunities. KHSU-KansasCOM strives to create and maintain a work environment in which people are treated with dignity, decency, and respect. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.

Kansas Health Science University offers a generous compensation and benefits package, as well as the opportunity to work for a leader in the field of education. Some of our key benefits include: generous paid time-off, medical and dental coverage, company-paid life and disability insurance, retirement plan with employer contribution, multiple flexible spending accounts (FSA), tuition reimbursement, professional development, and regular employee appreciation events.

Kansas Health Science University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.