• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Building: Jerome L. Greene Science Center
• Salary Range: $80,000 - $95,000

Position Summary

Columbia University's Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute brings together world-class scientists across academic disciplines conducting pioneering research to transform our understanding of how the brain works ??? and gives rise to mind and behavior. The Institute fosters a collaborative and inclusive environment across 50+ labs, advancing insights into human health by exploring how the brain develops, performs, endures, and recovers.

At the Zuckerman Institute, we are committed to becoming a more inclusive, equitable,e and diverse place of scientific discovery and support a culture of respect. Promoting diversity in science will help drive the transformative science that can change the world.

Situated in the Jerome L. Greene Science Center on Columbia???s Manhattanville campus, the state-of-the-art building offers an environment where the highest level of scholarly scientific research takes place on a daily basis, with the benefit of being located in the heart of New York, one of the world???s most vibrant and culturally rich cities.

The Zuckerman Institute (ZI) is seeking a uniquely qualified individual to join the Research Development and Pre-Award team. This is an excellent opportunity for a candidate to join our outstanding research development team, which has a stellar track record supporting investigators and trainees to advance their careers and research programs through grants and awards. The ideal candidate will have a deep interest in neuroscience research and enthusiasm for working closely with investigators, research teams, and trainees. This position may be especially attractive to Ph.D. recipients and postdoctoral scientists interested in transitioning to a career in research development.

Reporting to the Associate Director of Strategic Research Development, the Grant and Research Development Strategist will assist principal investigators and trainees in strategic planning, writing, editing, and submission of individual grants, fellowships, career development awards, multi-investigator and multi-institutional team grant proposals, and training grants. 

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following: 

Proposal Development and Grant Submissions

• Partner with the Associate and Executive Directors to acquire and maintain knowledge of the research priorities of individual ZI faculty members as well as their ongoing collaborations at the Institute and beyond.
• Build strong working relationships with Zuckerman Institute faculty, trainees, staff, and colleagues, as well as Columbia???s central research offices, while gaining a thorough understanding of university research administration policies.
• Monitor the federal and private funding landscape, utilize scientific background and research experience to identify funding opportunities for individual labs and trainees, as well as potential collaborations within and beyond the Institute; Provide strategic guidance for targeting and pursuing relevant funding opportunities.
• Guide and advise junior faculty, postdoctoral scientists, and students with their research grants, career development awards, and fellowship application submissions by ensuring that their proposals are clear, concise, and compelling through writing and editing assistance.
• Along with the Associate and Executive Directors, work with ZI leadership and faculty to develop, prepare, and submit large team-science grant applications for Institute investigative teams; advise investigators on proposal content and organization; assist with updates across the application as the science and research aims change; contribute to writing, formatting, and figure editing.
• Create and utilize application checklists to manage timelines and the overall progression of grant submissions to ensure the completion of high-quality, compliant proposal applications responsive to specified Funding Opportunity Announcements; escalate issues requiring attention to the Director.
• Perform other related duties as assigned, including support on special projects, in line with the team???s mission.

Knowledge Organization, Data, and Analytics

• Create and maintain descriptions for facilities and resources descriptions, as well as grant component templates according to sponsor policies to provide standards for and foster the submission of complete and thorough applications.
• Develop and maintain a robust tracking system for grant statistics, success rates, and other measures.

Communications and Digital Marketing

• Create and distribute monthly internal funding opportunities and updates newsletter.
• Develop and maintain funding opportunity resources.
• Develop content for and manage the team website along with the Associate Director.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor???s degree and/or equivalent related experience required. 3???5 years of related experience.
• A cover letter and one (1) scientific writing sample are required to be considered.

Preferred Qualifications

• Recent Ph.D. recipients and postdoctoral researchers in neuroscience (and related fields) who are interested in transitioning to a career in Research Development and Administration are welcome to apply for this position.
• Requires flexibility and time-management skills, including the ability to multi-task and prioritize among a large number of diverse responsibilities.
• Experience in proposal writing/grant submission at a higher education institution and/or in a biomedical science research setting, and commitment to developing this knowledge further.
• Requires a highly organized, enthusiastic, and personable individual with strong writing and presentation skills.
• Ability to organize, analyze, and interpret complex scientific and technical data is required.
• Ability to confidently liaise with faculty and staff and various University offices.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks under deadline pressures in a high-volume office; excellent project management skills.
• Excellent communication (both verbal and written) and interpersonal skills are required.
• Expert knowledge of MS Office and Google applications.
• The successful candidate must be flexible in nature and have sound judgment with a collaborative style that fosters teamwork and cooperation beyond the immediate team to the broader organization. Must have a passion for excellent customer service and commitment to exceptional quality.
• Subject to business needs, the Research Development and Pre-Award Team supports a hybrid work arrangement for this position. Options will be discussed during the interview process.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.

About Columbia University

Columbia University is one of the world's most important centers of research and at the same time a distinctive and distinguished learning environment for undergraduates and graduate students in many scholarly and professional fields. The University recognizes the importance of its location in New York City and seeks to link its research and teaching to the vast resources of a great metropolis. It seeks to attract a diverse and international faculty and student body, to support research and teaching on global issues, and to create academic relationships with many countries and regions. It expects all areas of the university to advance knowledge and learning at the highest level and to convey the products of its efforts to the world.

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