Senior Research Development Officer

Texas A&M University System · College Station

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Department

Our Commitment

Texas A&M University is committed to enriching the learning and working environment by promoting a culture that respects all perspectives, talents & lived experiences. Embracing varying opinions and perspectives strengthens our core values which are: Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity, and Selfless Service.

Who We Are

Research Development Services (RDS) is a unit within Texas A&M University's Division of Research dedicated to advancing research capacity and competitiveness across the university. We partner with faculty, researchers, and stakeholders to support strategic research initiatives, secure external funding, and develop high-impact proposals. Through collaborative expertise, professional development, proposal support, and innovative research services, we help transform ideas into successful research programs that advance scholarship, innovation, and discovery.

What We Want

We are seeking a Senior Research Development Officer to identify and pursue federal contract opportunities that align with the university's research strengths and strategic priorities. This role serves as a key liaison between faculty, university leadership, industry, and federal agencies, leading the development of compliant, competitive contract proposals from opportunity identification through submission. The successful candidate will monitor federal contracting pipelines, recruit and coordinate faculty teams, develop winning proposal strategies, and work alongside investigators to secure high-value federal research awards.

What You Need to Know

Salary: Commensurate with experience.

A cover letter and resume are strongly recommended.

Qualifications

Required Education and Experience: 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Four years of experience developing or writing proposals to or for federal, state or private agencies.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience executing both front-end business development/capture strategies (win strategy, teaming, shaping) and back-end proposal management (compliance tracking, schedule enforcement, narrative editing).
• Deep operational knowledge of FAR/DFARS procurement processes, Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs), Other Transaction Authority (OTAs), and SAM.gov solicitation structures (in contrast to traditional Grants.gov assistance mechanisms).
• Ability to quickly comprehend complex scientific research across engineering, AI/cybersecurity, microelectronics, and applied sciences, translating it into federal contract deliverables (e.g., SOW, BOE, WBS).
• Exceptional interpersonal skills with a proven track record of managing cross-functional teams of academic faculty, corporate partners, and executive university leadership under tight deadlines.
• Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) certification (Foundation/Practitioner) or Shipley Capture/Proposal Management training.
• Minimum of 5–7 years of direct experience in research development, business development, capture management, or proposal management within defense, or civil federal contracting.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Ability to multitask and work cooperatively with others.
• Knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications.
• Oral and written communication skills.
• Organizational skills.
• Ability to independently make decisions.

Essential Duties/Tasks

Proposal Development and Management

• Serves as the end-to-end proposal manager for complex, high-value contract bids.
• Establishes proposal schedules, compliance matrices, Work Breakdown Structures, and storyboarding sessions.
• Translates complex technical/scientific capabilities into compliant, compelling proposal sections.
• Organizes and facilitates formal Red/Pink Team mock reviews.
• Coordinates with internal stakeholders (Export Control, Research Security, IT) to ensure compliance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR/DFARS) clauses, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) rules, CMMC cybersecurity standards, and NSPM-33 mandates.
• Leads responses to agency requests for information (RFIs), Best and Final Offers (BAFOs), and oral presentations.
• Facilitates seamless handoffs to post-award administrative teams upon award.

Program Oversight and Communication

• Proactively monitors SAM.gov, agency roadmaps, and BAA releases (e.g., NSF TIP, DARPA, ARPA-H, DOE) to evaluate prospective contract opportunities against university capabilities and strategic growth goals.
• Defines and executes a comprehensive capture plan for selected opportunities.
• Develops win themes, competitive analysis, risk mitigation strategies, and university discriminators.
• Assists Principal Investigators (PIs) in cultivating relationships with agency Program Managers.
• Coaches PIs on constructing and delivering Quad Charts, White Papers, and Heilmeier Catechism pitches.
• Identifies, selects, and facilitates non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and teaming arrangements with industry prime contractors, subcontractors, federal labs, and peer academic institutions.
• Leads internal "Bid/No-Bid" gate reviews with university leadership to evaluate opportunity alignment, cost-share requirements, and resource allocation.

Research Resources and Tools

• Develops tools, templates, and guidance documents related to proposal development.
• Creates, manages, and updates standard information needed to support successful funding applications.
• Monitors various media sources for relevant new funding and program initiatives and circulates announcements accordingly.

Training and Professional Development

• Creates and delivers informational sessions on contract-based funding opportunities and proposal development.
• Assists with training activities to improve investigators' knowledge in federal contracts.
• Systematically publicizes internal and external professional development opportunities for researchers.

Why Texas A&M University?  

We are a prestigious university with strong traditions, Core Values, and a community of caring and collaboration.  Amenities associated with a major university, such as sporting and cultural events, state-of-the-art recreation facilities, the Bush Library and Museum, and much more await you.  Experience all that a big city has to offer but with a reasonable cost-of-living and no long commutes.  

• Medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life and AD&D, flexible spending accounts, and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M contributing to employee health and basic life premiums 

• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays  

• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month 

• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas

• Health and Wellness: Free exercise programs and release time 

• Professional Development: All employees have access to free LinkedIn Learning training, webinars, and limited financial support to attend conferences, workshops, and more  

• Educational release time and tuition assistance for completing a degree while a Texas A&M employee 

• Living Well, a program at Texas A&M that has been built by employees, for employees

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.

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