Senior Pre-Award Specialist

Agency

Department

The Division of Research and Innovation at Texas A&M University-San Antonio (A&M-SA) invites applications for a Senior Pre-Award Specialist beginning Fall 2026.

Senior Pre-Award Specialist under the direction of the Vice President for Research provides comprehensive pre-award and proposal development support to PIs and staff pursuing external funding. The position serves as a primary point of contact for Principal

Investigators (PIs) throughout the proposal lifecycle from identification and evaluation of funding opportunities through proposal development institutional review and sponsor submission.

Working collaboratively with PIs and Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) staff the Specialist provides hands on guidance in interpreting sponsor requirements developing proposal timelines and budgets coordinating required components and approvals and reviewing proposal materials for completeness consistency responsiveness to sponsor requirements and review criteria and compliance with applicable regulations and University policies. The position serves as a knowledgeable resource to PIs helping reduce administrative burden while supporting the development and submission of high-quality competitive and compliant proposals.

The Specialist is expected to independently manage multiple proposal activities and deadlines provide timely and responsive PIs support and contribute to the continuous improvement of pre-award processes resources and services.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary pre-award contact for assigned PIs departments colleges or research units.

• Guide investigators through the full proposal process from identification of a funding opportunity through institutional approval and sponsor submission.

• Review funding opportunity announcements requests for proposals sponsor policies and submission instructions and communicate requirements clearly to investigators.

• Assist faculty in identifying and evaluating external funding opportunities aligned with research scholarly or programmatic interests and conduct targeted funding searches as appropriate.

• Develop and manage proposal timelines checklists and submission plans to coordinate required components internal approvals and sponsor deadlines.

• Work collaboratively with investigators to ensure proposals are responsive to the funding opportunity and sponsor review criteria.

• Assist investigators in interpreting sponsor terminology evaluation criteria and proposal expectations.

• Provide one-on-one consultation and guidance to faculty and staff regarding proposal development budgeting sponsor requirements and University pre-award procedures.

• Perform substantive review of proposal narratives and technical documents for organization completeness consistency clarity formatting and alignment with sponsor requirements while preserving the investigators responsibility for the technical and scholarly content.

• Identify gaps inconsistencies or areas requiring clarification across proposal components and provide feedback and guidance to investigators.

• Develop and review sponsored project budgets and budget justifications in collaboration with investigators including personnel fringe benefits travel equipment participant support materials and supplies consultants subawards indirect costs and other project expenses.

• Ensure consistency among the proposed budget project narrative scope of work project period personnel effort and sponsor requirements.

• Review proposals for compliance with sponsor guidelines University and System policies and procedures and applicable federal state and other regulatory requirements.

• Maintain working knowledge of 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Guidance) sponsor requirements and other regulations and policies applicable to sponsored projects.

• Identify proposal activities requiring coordination with Research Compliance including human subjects research animal research biosafety export controls conflicts of interest research security and other applicable areas.

• Coordinate with Post-Award Research Compliance Finance Human Resources Procurement and other University offices as needed during proposal development.

• Prepare review and facilitate proposal submissions through applicable institutional and sponsor systems including ASSIST eRA Commons JustGrants and other sponsor portals.

• Coordinate required internal routing certifications approvals and supporting documentation for proposal submission.

• Maintain complete and accurate proposal records and data in University research administration systems Maestro for institutional tracking and reporting.

• Assist with workshops presentations outreach and training related to proposal development and pre-award administration.

• Support the development implementation and continuous improvement of pre-award procedures workflows resources and customer service practices.

• Revisions and changes prior to award.

• Performance of other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelors degree or higher in related field.

• Four (4) years of related experience in a university or business environment developing budgets and/or project management and/or proposal administration including proposal preparation and/or identifying potential sponsor/funding opportunities.

Preferred Education and Experience:

• Bachelors degree in business administration public administration research administration higher education or a related field.

• Experience working with externally sponsored proposals grants or similar funding applications.

• Experience interpreting policies guidelines regulations funding opportunities or other complex requirements.

• Experience working with budgets financial information or sponsored project documentation.

• Experience working directly with PIs Experience reviewing grant proposals proposal narratives or technical documents.

• Experience developing sponsored project budgets and budget justifications.

• Certified Pre-Award Research Administrator (CPRA) Certified Research Administrator (CRA) or interest in pursuing professional research administration certification.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities:

• Familiarity with federal sponsors and funding mechanisms.

• Familiarity with eRA Commons ASSIST JustGrants or similar sponsor submission systems.

• Familiarity with institutional systems such as Maestro FAMIS Workday Cayuse or similar systems.

• Strong written and verbal communication organizational analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to manage multiple proposals priorities and deadlines simultaneously.

• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with faculty staff and administrative offices.

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

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.