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Associate Director for Research Development
City: West Lafayette
Job Description:
Job Summary
The Associate Director for Research Development will work collaboratively to strengthen Purdue Engineering's research enterprise through developing and pursuing large-scale funding strategies for complex, cross-disciplinary projects, utilizing an entrepreneurial, problem-solving approach to explore, launch, and sustain strategic research initiatives with the promise for broad, societal impact. Reporting to the Assistant Dean/CRDO, the Associate Director for Research Development is tasked with supporting strategic planning efforts and developing large-scale ($10M+) funding proposal projects that align with Purdue Engineering's priorities spanning research, workforce and talent development, and research communications efforts. With a particular eye toward strategic planning and coordinating and crafting high-quality proposals that expand and enhance Purdue Engineering's center-scale research enterprise, the Associate Director will enable more - and more competitive - large-scale research proposals. Examples of current and recent efforts include NSF Engineering Research Centers, DOE Energy Frontier Research Centers, NSF MRSEC, NSF Regional Innovation Engines, DOE Genesis Mission, DOD center-scale competitions, and federal appropriations requests. This role is also expected to make effective use of AI-enabled tools in research development practice, including opportunity identification, landscape analysis, and proposal preparation.
This position offers a chance to make a meaningful impact at a prestigious institution known for innovation and research excellence. Join our community of lifelong learners and contribute your skills to this critical program. At Purdue, you'll find unrivaled pride and unlimited potential as we persistently pursue the next giant leap together. Take the next step in your career journey - apply now to help build a better world at Purdue University.
What You'll Be Doing:
Research Development Support:Under the supervision of the Asst. Dean/CRDO, with dotted line reporting to the Associate Dean for Research and Innovation, this role is a key member of the Purdue Engineering Office of Research and Innovation (ORI) team, led by the Purdue Engineering Associate Dean for Research and Innovation. In addition, the Assoc. Director works closely with CoE administrative leadership, faculty, and staff, as well as partners across the university to identify, develop, and lead large-scale, strategic funding proposals. The Assoc. Dir. will provide administrative support and leadership on strategic planning efforts, large-scale grant proposals, and other strategic initiatives to sustain a process-oriented, communicative, and efficient research development team. Research development efforts will include building a learning community that encourages ambitious, multidisciplinary research, facilitating brainstorming meetings, drafting complex grant proposal content, forging inter- and intra-institutional partnerships, and facilitating proposal reviews (i.e., red team reviews). This role will launch and sustain strategic planning and proposal support programs and services to incentivize CoE researchers to pursue large-scale funding opportunities and enhance greater University-wide engagement with CoE research infrastructure. Additionally, the Assoc. Director will identify and disseminate upcoming strategic funding opportunities targeted to COE faculty, drawing upon AI tools and resources where relevant.
Complex Proposal Support:Will assist faculty in all aspects of strategic proposal developing, writing, editing and preparation. With sound judgment to support and streamline large faculty teams, this role will take responsibility for drafting and editing non-technical proposal material, such as Management Plans, Communications & Outreach Plans, Broader Impacts Plans, Technology Transfer Plans, Education and Workforce Development Plans, and Project Management Plans. They will also edit technical and non-technical research proposal content, ensuring exhaustive and rigorous compliance with all RFP requirements. This role will embark on other strategic writing and editing projects as determined by the individual project's Lead PI and the Asst. Dean/ CRDO. The role will develop proposal templates and boilerplate language for CoE researchers to broadly leverage for future proposals. This will be in close collaboration with the proposal support team in Office of Research.
Funding Opportunity Communications:Working closely with the Asst Dean/CRDO, this role will identify and distill large, multidisciplinary funding opportunities from federal and non-federal sources, including operating and continuously improving an AI-assisted opportunity pipeline that captures sponsor, program, funding level, deadline and phase structure, that capitalize upon the Purdue CoE's strategic priorities and intellectual and programmatic expertise. They will ensure that appropriate faculty and research leadership are aware of the full suite of extramural funding opportunities available to them and will facilitate the flow of information to internal audiences, including faculty, committees, leadership, and staff, ensuring that communications content and protocols are responsive to client expectations. Will develop a culture well positioned for large-scale opportunities and will lead internal communications strategy, including newsletters, email, website, and other integral content development for faculty. Will closely collaborate with the Associate Director of Strategic Research Initiatives, Assoc. Dean for Research, relevant CoE staff, OOR, and other university offices to facilitate complex grantsmanship best practices, mentorship, and training.
Culture Development and Programming for Large-Scale Opportunities:
Work with the Associate Dean for Research and the Asst Dean/CRDO to develop strategies to better align funding opportunities with CoE faculty research interests and school and university-wide strategic priorities. Will launch and manage programs that engage and incentivize CoE faculty to pursue large-scale funding opportunities via tailored initiative-specific, funder-specific and program-specific research development training opportunities where necessary. Liaise with extramural sponsors and program officers, provide strategic planning, communications, and other operational support and guidance to match researchers seeking funding with strategic opportunities.
Special Projects:Embark upon strategic, unforeseen, and opportunistic special projects that advance the visibility, nimbleness, and funding potential of CoE's research community, potentially including partnership formation and stewardship, strategic planning committees, and new program design and launch. Troubleshoot, participate in crisis management, and manage expectations of leadership and external partners. They will serve as an informed, insightful, and confidential sounding board to the Asst Dean/CRDO, Assoc. Dean for Research, and ORI team to test ideas, debate issues, and provide critical feedback. Special projects may on occasion require travel.
About Us:
The College of Engineering at Purdue University is among the best and largest Engineering schools in the world. With nearly 16,000 engineering students and more than 500 tenure track faculty in the college, this position has ample opportunity to have an impact at one of the world's most influential universities.
For more information about our department, please visit:

• College of Engineering, Purdue University https://engineering.purdue.edu/Engr
• External Recognitions Program https://engineering.purdue.edu/Engr/People/Awards
• College of Engineering's Social Media https://engineering.purdue.edu/Engr/AboutUs/social

What We're Looking For:
Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree
• Four (4) years of research development, grant writing, or federal proposal development experience
• An equivalent combination of education and relevant experience will be considered

Skills needed:

• Motivated by a team-centric culture, with a focus on building and advancing processes and administrative structures that endure and sustain. Comfort in an entrepreneurial, risk-taking, and "start-up" environment.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with a number of stakeholders, including executive leadership, government employees and federal civil servants, vendors, and external partners.
• Demonstrated ability to develop written content for internal and external audiences, and alter narrative styles for promotional, instructional, and analytical purposes.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Working familiarity with the federal funding landscape and the ability to engage credibly with faculty on technical content. Proficiency in specific research methods is not required, but an eagerness to learn and engage is essential.
• Demonstrated interest in applying AI tools to research development work, including opportunity identification, summarization, and drafting support, and in helping the office build durable processes around them.
• Excellent communication (both verbal and written) and interpersonal skills required
• Outstanding organizational and project management skills.
• High level of discretion and good judgment, ability to take initiative, integrity, trustworthiness, diplomacy, respect, and team collaboration.
• Flexibility, collegiality, and an overall eagerness to move projects forward within a start-up and risk-taking team environment.
• Ability to multitask and respond professionally in challenging situations are essential

Nice to have:

• Advanced degree (Master's degree).
• Experience supporting center-scale or multi-institutional proposals ($5M+) to federal agency sponsors
• Familiarity with NSF, DOE, DOD, NIH, federal agency center-level programs

Who We Are:
Purdue is a community built on collaboration, with global perspectives, Boilermaker pride and endless opportunity to live, learn and grow. Join us and contribute to our culture.
Additional Information:

• Purdue's benefits summary https://www.purdue.edu/hr/Benefits/
• Purdue will not sponsor employment authorization for this position
• A background check will be required for employment in this position
• FLSA: Exempt (Not Eligible For Overtime)
• Retirement Eligibility: Defined Contribution Waiting Period

Career Stream
Compensation Information:
Professional 3
Pay Band S075
Job Code#20002099
Link to Purdue University's Compensation Guidelines: https://www.purdue.edu/hr/mngcareer/compguidelines/index.php
EOE
Purdue University is an equal opportunity/equal access university