The Vanderbilt Center for Sustainability, Energy, and Climate (VSEC) seeks a Research Assistant Professor to provide strategic and operational leadership in research proposal development and external funding advancement. This position will contribute both strategically and intellectually to the development of multidisciplinary research initiatives, in addition to coordinating proposal development and submission. The role will actively support VSEC’s mission by expanding the center’s capacity to…
identify, develop, and submit competitive proposals for externally sponsored research.
The Research Assistant Professor will work closely with the VSEC Director, VSEC Deputy Director, Director of Operations, core faculty, and affiliated researchers to cultivate and coordinate multidisciplinary teams, align faculty expertise with emerging funding opportunities, and advance short- and long-term funding strategies for the center. The position will play a vital role in strengthening VSEC’s research development infrastructure and enhancing its competitiveness for federal, foundation, industry, and other external support.
Key responsibilities
- Identify, assess, and prioritize external funding opportunities that align with VSEC’s research strengths, institutional priorities, and emerging areas of opportunity.
- Develop, prepare, and submit competitive proposals to secure external funding for VSEC research projects and center-based initiatives.
- Work closely with the VSEC Director, VSEC Deputy Director, and Director of Operations to develop and implement short- and long-term funding strategies.
- Manage proposal development processes from opportunity identification through final submission, including timelines, internal coordination, sponsor requirements, and submission readiness.
- Develop and coordinate VSEC-centered multidisciplinary proposal teams that draw on the expertise of VSEC core faculty, affiliated investigators, research staff, postdoctoral scholars, and external collaborators as appropriate.
- Translate faculty expertise and center capabilities into compelling proposal concepts, white papers, concept notes, and other strategic materials that strengthen the competitiveness of VSEC-led submissions.
- Coordinate with Vanderbilt’s Office of Sponsored Research, Vanderbilt’s Office of Vice Provost for Research and Innovation, grants management personnel, and other relevant campus partners to facilitate proposal development and ensure timely, compliant submissions.
- Support the strategic framing of proposals, including articulation of research significance, innovation, team strengths, and alignment with sponsor priorities.
- Help expand VSEC’s overall proposal development capacity and grant activity, particularly for large-scale, interdisciplinary, and multi-investigator opportunities.
- Maintain awareness of sponsor trends, program priorities, and evolving funding landscapes relevant to energy, sustainability, decarbonization, infrastructure, and related research areas.
- Track proposal pipelines, submissions, outcomes, and resubmission opportunities to support continuous improvement in VSEC’s research development efforts.
- Contribute, as appropriate, to white papers, publications, workshops, and research planning activities that help advance VSEC’s visibility and long-term research agenda.
- Engage in proposal improvement processes to enhance win rates/competitiveness through narrative shaping, positioning, and team composition.
- Lead and collaborate on research initiatives with VSEC faculty, researchers, and partners, contributing technical expertise to the design, execution, and advancement of research projects.
- Lead and contribute to the development, writing, and publication of scholarly papers, technical reports, and other research outputs.
Qualifications
Preferred Qualifications and Attributes
- PhD in a field relevant to VSEC’s mission and research portfolio.
- Demonstrated experience in research development, proposal preparation, or management of externally funded academic research initiatives.
- Strong understanding of the external funding landscape, including federal agencies, foundations, and industry-sponsored research.
- Experience coordinating multidisciplinary or multi-investigator proposal teams.
- Ability to translate technical expertise into clear, persuasive, and strategically positioned proposal narratives.
- Excellent organizational, project management, and communication skills.
- Ability to work effectively with faculty, research staff, administrators, and external collaborators across disciplines.
- Familiarity with university pre-award processes, proposal compliance requirements, and sponsor submission expectations.
- Capacity to contribute both operationally and intellectually to the advancement of center-based research initiatives.
Application Instructions
Applications should include a full CV, research statement, biography, and 3 reference contacts. Applications should be submitted on-line at: apply.interfolio.com/193644. For more information, please visit our web site: https://engineering.vanderbilt.edu/cee/. Review of applications will begin immediately, and applications will be accepted until the position is filled. For questions regarding the position, send an email to: g.chapman@vanderbilt.edu.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Vanderbilt University shall abide by the requirements of 41 CFR §§ 60-1.4(a), 60-300.5(a) and 60-741.5(a). These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Moreover, these regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors provide equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, protected veteran status or disability.