About this role
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. The university is home to more than 38,000 students and 10,000 statewide employees—the Volunteers—who uphold the university’s tradition of lighting the way for others through leadership and service.
UT Knoxville offers over 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee’s flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy’s largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
The Knoxville campus serves and recruits for UT Knoxville, including the Institute of Agriculture and the Space Institute, as well as the UT Institute of Public Service.
UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset. With values that focus on work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally. Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities. The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices to attract and retain top-tier talent, fostering a strong staff community and supporting a culture of involvement and engagement for everyone.
The university holds a strong commitment to its land-grant mission of learning and engagement, with a tradition of service and leadership that carries that Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. It has been ranked nationally as “Best Employer for New Graduates,” “One of America’s Best Large Employers,” and “Best Workplace for Women,” and has been designated as “Best Place for Working Parents” by Forbes Magazine.
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The College of Nursing (CON) at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, the state’s flagship research institution, seeks a Research Development Specialist. The Research Development Specialist advances the strategic research agenda of the College of Nursing by identifying, evaluating, and positioning external funding opportunities aligned with the CON’s priority research areas, and by supporting faculty in developing competitive research strategy. This position focuses primarily on the front end of research development: funding landscape intelligence, strategic positioning, and faculty research capacity building, rather than proposal mechanics, budget preparation, or compliance. As a smaller portion of the role, this position also provides direct backup support to the Director of Research on proposal submission and post-award administration (e.g., Cayuse/sponsor portal data entry, budget monitoring, award closeout support) to ensure continuity of coverage for the Office of Research and Scholarship. This position reports to the Associate Dean of Research and works closely with the Director of the CENTER to support the strategic and scientific research mission of the CON.
Funding Landscape & Opportunity Development • Identifies and evaluates federal (NIH, AHRQ, HRSA, NSF), foundation, and industry funding sources for opportunities aligned with College of Nursing (CON) and Center for Research Excellence (CRE) strategic research priority areas. • Tracks sponsor priorities, program announcements, and solicitation cycles relevant to CON research portfolio • Maintains a funding opportunity pipeline matched to faculty research interests and CON/CRE strategic priorities. • Analyzes funding trends and the competitive landscape and prepares briefing materials to support CRE strategic planning and priority-setting led by the Center Director Faculty Research Development & Strategy Preparation • Prepares funder-fit analysis and competitive positioning materials to support Director-led faculty strategy conversations (does not independently advise faculty on grant strategy or positioning) • Identifies and researches potential program officers, collaborators, and external partners for the Director to engage • Supports early-stage framing of specific aims, significance, and innovation prior to formal proposal development, in coordination with the Director and faculty • Develops, coordinates and presents faculty development programming related to research strategy and grantsmanship (workshops, mock review panels, peer mentoring) Center for Research Excellence (CRE) Program Coordination • Coordinates logistics for the Center for Research Excellence's research development programming (seminars, visiting scholars, stakeholder advisory panels) • Prepares background research and briefing materials to support Director-led external partnership development (industry, health systems, community organizations) Proposal and Award Administration Backup Support • Assists faculty with proposal documents and submission as backup coverage for the Director of Research.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Bachelor's degree in nursing, public health, health sciences, biomedical sciences, research administration, or a related field • 2+ years of experience in research development • Experience with federal, foundation, and industry funding landscape relevant to nursing and health services research. Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
• Knowledge of research strategy and competitive positioning, as distinct from proposal preparation mechanics. • Working knowledge of sponsored-project proposal submission and post-award administration sufficient to provide backup coverage (e.g., Cayuse, EraCommons, budget monitoring, closeout). • Demonstrated experience in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel, for tracking funding pipelines and metrics. • Ability to synthesize complex funding and programmatic information into clear, concise briefing materials for leadership and faculty use. • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills. • Ability to build relationships and facilitate connections across disciplines, colleges, and institutions. • Ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives independently with minimal guidance. • Ability to manage time and work under deadlines, including shifting between research development work and backup proposal/award coverage as needed. • Ability to find solutions for complex problems, particularly in matching faculty research interests to funder priorities. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment-based visa status. Preferred Qualifications:
• Master's degree in nursing, public health, health sciences, biomedical sciences, research administration, or a related field
• 5+ years of experience in research development
• Experience working directly with researcher/faculty helping investigators become more competitive for external funding
Work Location: Knoxville, TN – onsite Compensation and Benefits:
• UT market range: MR11 • Anticipated hiring range: $70,000 - $80,000 • Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here • Find more information on UT Benefits here Application Instructions For best consideration, applicants should submit a cover letter and resume before October 9, 2026. Specific questions about the position may be sent to College of Nursing Human Resources, [email protected] About the College of Nursing With a longstanding tradition of excellence in nursing education, research, and clinical practice, we are proud to be a guiding force in healthcare education. We embrace innovation while honoring the values that have shaped our success. By offering cutting-edge academic programs, supporting impactful research, and forging strong community partnerships, we prepare healthcare professionals who deliver high-quality, culturally responsive care in a diverse and ever-changing world. Join the Vol Nurse Family! Get to know CON