Grant and Research Development Specialist

Who We Are
We, the Division of Student Affairs, are a student-focused organization that aims to empower student success and support personal development. We act daily to create, enhance, and sustain a culture of respect and inclusion in the workplace, focusing on equity and justice in its many forms, including racial, social, and environmental justice. We intentionally and relentlessly pursue excellence through introspection, vulnerability, empathy, compassion, learning, and courage. We value our internal and external partnerships as vital drivers of the ambitious goals we pursue. We celebrate and take pride in the following\: 

• Named one of the “Most Promising Places to Work in Student Affairs” by Diverse Magazine.
• Serving a highly diverse student body (click here for more information).
• Leading the way as the #1 ranked institution in the AAU and #3 of all colleges and universities nationally in fostering our students' social mobility.
• Awarded multiple distinctions including philanthropic awards and research grants in experiential learning and career development, voter engagement, student engagement, health and wellness practices, and quality of residential life.

Click here for more about Student Affairs.

Required Qualifications (as evidenced by an attached resume):
Bachelor’s degree (foreign equivalent or higher). Three (3) years of full time grants or proposal development experience.

Preferred Qualifications:
Experience in a higher education environment or a public institution. Experience developing sponsored proposals or securing grants. Experience publishing peer-reviewed literature. Experience producing content in professional/trade periodicals, academic journals, newsletters, and online blogs, or e-journals.

Brief Description of Duties:
This is an excellent opportunity to join our Student Affairs team and support its outstanding work through the facilitation of grants, funding proposals, awards, recognition opportunities, and publishing. The ideal candidate would have a specific interest and enthusiasm for working closely with Student Affairs and other higher education professionals, assisting them in strategic planning, writing, editing, and submission of content, individual grants, fellowships, awards, and other recognition opportunities. Specifically, the Specialist would support the division in identifying funding opportunities and writing proposals to secure grant funding. 

Relationship Building & Policy Acumen

• Cultivate strong working relationships with colleagues, faculty, and staff, including research offices, the Research Foundation, and the Office of Research Compliance and Sponsored Programs.
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of university research administration policies and other relevant university policies.
• Acquire and maintain knowledge of the division’s research priorities.

Funding Landscape Monitoring & Strategic Guidance

• Actively monitor and catalog the federal and private funding landscape.
• Leverage background and research experience to identify funding opportunities for individual areas as well as potential collaborations across areas.
• Provide strategic guidance for targeting and pursuing relevant funding opportunities.

Grant Development & Submission

• Pre-Award:
  • Advise investigators on the content and organization of proposals.
  • Assist with updates across applications as research aims evolve.
  • Contribute to writing, formatting, and figure editing.
  • Create and utilize application checklists to manage timelines and the overall progression of grant submissions.
  • Ensure the completion of high-quality, compliant proposal applications responsive to specified Funding Opportunity Announcements.
  • Contribute to and develop complex grant proposal budgets.
  • Coordinate proposal submissions, interpret sponsor guidelines, develop timelines, secure partner documentation (e.g., subcontractor scopes, letters of intent), and ensure timely submission.
  • Assemble all materials in sponsor systems (e.g., Research.Gov, Grants.Gov) and university routing systems (MyResearch), ensuring compliance and error-free acceptance.
  • Identify funding opportunities and train staff/faculty on submission systems.
  • Evaluate processes and provide policy guidance for sponsor requirements.
• Post-Award:
  • Monitor grant expenditures, ensure compliance, track effort, assist with budget modifications/renewals, and assess funding changes.
  • Monitor RF reports to manage fund utilization, disencumber funds, ensure recoverable costs are charged, maximize unencumbered funds prior to close-out, and prevent overspending. Resolve administrative/financial obstacles by liaising with various administrative units (Grants Management, Sponsored Programs, Payroll, Procurement).

Knowledge Organization, Data, and Analytics

• Create and maintain descriptions for assets and resources, 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 Content

• Create and distribute a 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.

Professional Development and Committee Involvement:

• Participate in opportunities that promote learning, growth, and development (i.e., classes, training, webinars, conferences, committees, etc.).
• Contribute to the Division of Student Affairs by attending and/or supporting events, activities, and programs (i.e., campus-wide traditions, events, programs, etc.).
• Other duties or projects as assigned as appropriate to rank and departmental mission.
• Hours outside of the typical work schedule may be required at times.

Special Notes:
This is a full-time appointment. FLSA Exempt position, not eligible for the overtime provisions of the FLSA. Minimum salary threshold must be met to maintain FLSA exemption.

Salary\: $80,000 + $4,150 Location Pay = $84,150 Total Compensation
In addition to the employee's base salary, this position is eligible for $4,150 UUP annual location pay, paid biweekly.

Essential Position: This has been designated as an essential position based on the duties of the job and the functions performed. Positions that are designated as such may be required to report to work/remain at work even if classes are canceled, and the campus is working on limited operations in an emergency.

For this position, we are unable to sponsor candidates for work visas.

Resume/CV and cover letter should be included with the online application.

Stony Brook University is committed to excellence in the creation of an inclusive learning and working environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other protected classes under federal or state laws.

Stony Brook University is dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants, including individuals with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application, interview, or hiring process, please request one by contacting [email protected]. We will consider accommodation requests in compliance with applicable laws. This process is independent and does not require any voluntary self-identification of disability status. Please include the position title and position number (if known) in your message.

In accordance with the Title II Crime Awareness and Security Act a copy of our crime statistics can be viewed here.

Visit our WHY WORK HERE page to learn about the total rewards we offer.
#LI-ES1