Duke University:

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America’s leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

Occupational Summary

Support the Nicholas School of the Environment (NSOE) research community (i.e., faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and doctoral students) in the development of proposals for external funding; develop, plan and implement research development activities to support NSOE research and projects funded by grants and contracts; create and maintain a resource library and ensure communication of information on funding opportunities to the NSOE research community.

Research Development (70%)

• Support the development of single-projects and complex funding proposals. Research development support will be from idea conception to proposal submission through effective interactions with the NSOE investigators and teams leading these proposals.
• Provide writing support for proposals and edit proposals. This will include providing comprehensive editorial review and advising investigators on proposal content and organization.
• Identify and secure resources necessary for successful extramural funding including, but not limited to, the solicitation of on-campus and off-campus services to aid in the determination of research design, data analysis, data maintenance and data sharing protocols, and program assessment.
• Coordinate the research proposal process, working with individuals at various levels in the organization (dean, vice provosts, multiple faculty PIs, financial and research administrative staff) to ensure successful and timely integration of all parts and full compliance with all sponsor funding solicitation and University requirements.
• For proposals not funded, support post-processing or reviews and revision for resubmission, as appropriate.
• Assist with updates and maintenance of institutional proposal resource template materials.
• Facilitate strategic planning meetings on new initiatives within the NSOE research community.
• Work with PIs to ensure successful, competitive site-visits for new initiatives, when being reviewed by funding organizations.
• Identify and support partnerships with academic and community organizations internal and external to Duke University for funding opportunities, including facilitating best practices for effective and equitable partnerships and relationship-building with minority serving institutions (MSIs), including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
• Work with PIs to ensure that proposals incorporate evolving fieldwork safety and DEI best practices.

Research Training (10%)

• Provide one-on-one training to the NSOE research community on research proposal writing that is responsive to specific funding opportunity announcements (FOAs).
• Design and deliver, as needed, a writing course to prepare advanced undergraduates and doctoral students to develop proposals across a variety of scientific workforce domains, including donor, foundation, and federal proposals.

Research Administration (20%)

• Support research on-boarding of new faculty.
• Establish and maintain a process to monitor and track proposals at the School and division level.
• Serve as NSOE’s representative to appropriate University-level research committees.
• Monitor and facilitate University and sponsor research compliance training requirements.

Perform other related duties incidental to the work described herein.

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this classification. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required of personnel so classified.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Self-starter, independent worker
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Familiarity with diverse research methodologies in the environmental sciences
• Proven ability to work under pressure with multiple concurrent demands
• Previous experience working on and facilitating teams of high performing researchers (preferably faculty at research universities) and stakeholders
• Previous experience writing and editing project reports
• Project management skills

Bachelor's degree in English, communications, science, business or a related field. Advanced degree is highly desirable with demonstration of an understanding and familiarity with a broad range of science or technical subject matter.

Seven years of experience working with extramural grants and contracts. OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.