Job Description

Job Summary
The Research Development Specialist serves as the Michigan Neuroscience Institute's strategic resource for research growth, proposal development, scientific writing, and multidisciplinary collaboration. Working closely with institute leadership, faculty investigators, and campus partners, this position leads the development of highly competitive research proposals, identifies strategic funding opportunities, facilitates collaborative research initiatives, and strengthens MNI's nationally recognized research portfolio.

As the institute's primary proposal development professional, this position partners with investigators throughout the grant lifecycle?from identifying funding opportunities and shaping scientific concepts to developing compelling proposals and coordinating successful submissions. The Research Development Specialist combines exceptional scientific writing, strategic thinking, project management, and collaborative leadership to increase external funding, foster interdisciplinary science, and advance the institute's mission of accelerating discoveries in neuroscience.

Responsibilities*
Proposal Development & Scientific Writing
Serve as the institute's lead resource for the development of competitive research proposals supporting faculty investigators, multidisciplinary research teams, and institute strategic initiatives. Partner with investigators from the earliest stages of proposal development to transform scientific concepts into compelling, reviewer-focused, and highly competitive grant applications. Lead development of proposal timelines, writing schedules, and submission strategies to ensure high-quality, on-time proposal submissions.

Provide substantive writing, editing, and scientific communication support for all major proposal components, including:

Specific Aims
Significance
Innovation
Research Strategy and Approach
Scientific figures, conceptual diagrams, and other proposal visuals
References, citations, and bibliographies
Facilities & Resources
Environment
Data Management & Sharing Plans
Resource Sharing Plans
Biosketches
Letters of Support
Institutional commitment letters
Executive summaries
Lay summaries
White papers
Foundation proposals
Industry concept papers