Senior Research Development Specialist

Overview

Job Description

At UL Research Institutes, we know why we come to work.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Research Development Specialist at UL Research Institutes. This is a remote role, while extensive travel is not expected we are seeking candidates based near a major airport.

The Senior Research Development Specialist will be responsible for identifying and pursuing new funding opportunities to support the efforts in building a grant seeking research portfolio. This role plays a critical part in securing financial support for furthering the organization’s research programs and initiatives through close collaboration with various research institutes and offices in developing compelling proposals and managing ongoing relationships with funders.

UL Research Institutes:

At UL Research Institutes (ULRI), we expand the boundaries of safety science to create a more secure and sustainable world. For more than a century, we have studied the unintended consequences of innovation, designed solutions to mitigate risk and shared our findings with academia, scientists, manufacturers, and policymakers across industries. We identify critical safety and sustainability issues, asking the tough questions because we believe a safer world begins with knowledge.

Build a safer, more secure, and sustainable future with us. Join us and work with our Office of Partnership team who facilitates the research required to produce that knowledge and put into practice.

Through all of our programs, we aim to unlock the diverse perspectives that are essential for solving the world’s most pressing safety and sustainability issues.

What you’ll learn and achieve:

As the Senior Research Development Specialist, you will play a key role in the rapid growth of UL as you:

• Researches and identifies potential grant opportunities from federal, state, and local government sources, foundations, corporations, and other philanthropic entities.

• Evaluates grant prospects and aligns them with the organization’s strategic goals and funding priorities.

• Collaborates with internal teams to align on existing, and develops future, research projects with the potential to be funded externally.

• Cultivates and maintains relationships with current and potential funders through regular communication, site visits, and stewardship activities.

• Stays informed about best practices in grant stewardship and shares knowledge across the organization.

• Utilizes grant management software to track funding opportunities, submissions, awards, and reporting deadlines.

• Develops, launches, and manages the professional development for research staff on grant-seeking activities, including identifying funding opportunities, developing competitive proposals, and managing funded research projects.

• Generates reports and analysis of grant activities for internal stakeholders and leadership.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

What you’ll experience working at UL Research Institutes:

For the organizations across the UL enterprise, corporate and social responsibility isn’t new. We have pursued our mission of working for a safer, more secure, and sustainable world for nearly 130 years, embedding conscientious stewardship into everything we do.

People: Our people make us special. You’ll work with a diverse team of experts respected for their independence and transparency and build a network, because our approach is collaborative. We collaborate across disciplines, organizations, and geographies to build the global scientific response that today’s global challenges require.

Interesting work: Every day is different for us here. We see what’s on the horizon and use our expertise to build the foundations of a safer future. You’ll have the opportunity to push the boundaries of human understanding as part of a team working to advance the public good.

Grow and achieve: We learn, work, and grow together through targeted development, reward, and recognition programs.

Values. Four core values guide our work: collaboration, respect, integrity, and beneficence. By living our values, we inspire the trust essential to fulfilling our mission and foster the partnerships that enable us to pursue a beneficent future in which we all can thrive.

Total Rewards: All employees at UL Research Institutes are eligible for bonus compensation. We offer comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans and a generous 401k matching structure of up to 5% of eligible pay. Moreover, we invest an additional 4% into your retirement saving fund after your first year of continuous employment. Depending on your role, you may be able to discuss flexible working arrangements with your manager. We also provide employees with paid time off, including vacation, holiday, sick, and volunteer days.

What makes you a great fit:

While no one candidate will embody every quality, the successful candidate will bring many of the following professional competencies and personal attributes:

• Strong research abilities to identify and assess grant opportunities.

• Familiarity with the grant-making landscape, including major foundations, government grant opportunities, and corporate philanthropy.

• Excellent writing skills, with the ability to create clear, compelling, and persuasive grant proposals.

• Strong organizational skills to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.

• Ability to build and maintain relationships with funders, partners, and internal stakeholders.

• Understanding of budgeting and financial management principles related to grant funding.

• Commitment to ethical practices in grant management, including transparency, accountability, and compliance with all regulations.

• Proficiency in grant management software, Microsoft Office Suite, and financial management tools.

Professional education and experience requirements for the role include:

• Bachelor’s degree in a science-related field, nonprofit management, public administration, or business. An advanced degree in one of these fields is a preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Minimum 6 years of experience in grant writing, grant management, or related roles, preferably within a nonprofit, academic, or research institution.

• Experience with full-life cycle grants development including using grant seeking platforms like Pivot-RP, Thompson Grantscape, or Grants.gov, is a plus.

• Grant writing or grant management certification is a plus.

About UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement

UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement are nonprofit organizations dedicated to advancing safety science research through the discovery and application of scientific knowledge. We conduct rigorous independent research and analyze safety data, convene experts worldwide to address risks, share knowledge through safety education and public outreach initiatives, and develop standards to guide safe commercialization of evolving technologies. We foster communities of safety, from grassroots initiatives for neighborhoods to summits of world leaders. Our organization employs collaborative and scientific approaches with partners and stakeholders to drive innovation and progress toward improving safety, security, and sustainability, ultimately enhancing societal well-being.

Our wholly owned subsidiary, UL Solutions, advances our shared public safety mission. We fund our work through grants, the licensing of standards documents and the business activities of UL Solutions, which conducts testing, verification and certification, and provides training and advisory services, along with data-driven reporting and decision-making tools for customers around the world.

To learn more, visit our websites UL.org and ULSE.org.