Grants and Contracts Specialist

Required Qualifications (as evidenced by an attached resume):

Bachelor's degree (foreign equivalent or higher). Three (3) years of full-time experience in pre-award sponsored research administration, including but not limited to; the preparation, coordination, and submission of federal and/or non-federal research proposals. Experience developing and reviewing proposal budgets, interpreting sponsor guidelines, and independently managing multiple proposals with competing deadlines. Working knowledge of federal grant and contract regulations (e.g. Uniform Guidance, NIH, NSF, ARPA-H, DoD, DOE) and non-federal funding requirements. Experience with electronic research administration and/or proposal submission systems.

Preferred Qualifications:

Certified Research Administrator (CRA) or comparable certification. Five (5) or more years of full-time experience in pre-award sponsored research administration. Experience independently managing a high-volume portfolio of sponsored research proposals. Experience working within higher education, particularly in a central or departmental research administration office at a research-intensive university or academic medical center. Experience with post-award research administration, including award modifications, no-cost extensions, progress reports, and other award management activities. Experience with electronic research administration systems (e.g. Grants.gov, NIH, eRA Commons and ASSIST, NSF Research.gov, Huron Click/myResearch).

Brief Description of Duties:

The Grants & Contracts Specialist (CGS) will be part of the Office of Scientific Affairs within the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University. This is a full-time, on-site position based at the Renaissance School of Medicine in Stony Brook, NY. The incumbent will work closely with faculty, departmental administrators, and central university offices, including the Office of Sponsored Programs, to coordinate and manage the development and submission of proposals for externally sponsored research. The position focuses primarily on pre-award research administration, with some responsibility for post-award activities. The incumbent will support a high-volume portfolio of sponsored research proposals, with activity fluctuating throughout the year based on sponsor deadlines and submission cycles. The successful candidate must demonstrate the ability to independently manage multiple concurrent proposals and competing deadlines while ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant submissions. This role requires adaptability and flexibility to accommodate changes in sponsor guidelines, institutional policies, and submission requirements. The incumbent must be able to work independently and collaboratively, exercise sound judgement, and effectively communicate with faculty, administrators, and other stakeholders. Strong organizational, analytical, problem-solving, and time-management skills are essential, along with attention to detail and a proactive, solutions-oriented approach. Duties and Responsibilities:

Duties:

Pre-Award Research Administration and Sponsored Programs Support:

• Independently coordinate and manage the administrative components of federal and non-federal sponsored research proposals, ensuring compliance with sponsor guidelines, institutional policies, and submission deadlines.

• Manage multiple concurrent proposals in a high-volume, deadline-driven environment, effectively prioritizing competing requests and coordinating submission deadlines.

• Work closely with principal investigators (PIs), faculty, and departmental administrators throughout the proposal development and submission process.

• Develop and review detailed proposal budgets and budget justifications, including personnel costs, fringe benefits, indirect costs, cost sharing, subawards, and other project expenses.

• Review funding opportunity announcements and interpret sponsor requirements, eligibility criteria, budget limitations, and submission instructions.

• Coordinate the internal proposal routing and approval process through myResearch, ensuring timely completion of required documentation and institutional approvals.

• Prepare, review, and populate required administrative components in sponsor submission systems, including Grants.gov, NIH, ASSIST, NSF, Research.gov, and other federal and non-federal sponsor portals.

• Review proposal materials for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with applicable sponsor and University requirements.

• Serve as a liaison between faculty, departmental administrators, and the Office of Sponsored Programs to facilitate proposal review, resolve administrative issues, and support timely submissions.

• Provide guidance to faculty and research teams regarding sponsor requirements, University policies, proposal budgets, and institutional submission procedures.

• Coordinate Just-in-Time (JIT) requests, including collecting, reviewing, and compiling required documentation.

• Assist new faculty hires with the transfer of existing sponsored research awards and coordinate with appropriate University offices to support a smooth transition.

• Provide administrative support for post-award activities, including award modifications, no-cost extensions, budget revisions, personnel changes, and progress reports.

• Support graduate students, MD/PhD students, and postdoctoral fellows with fellowship proposal preparation and submission, including sponsor account set-up, application coordination, and compliance with institutional and sponsor requirements.