We’re looking for someone to be part of the Pre-Award team in Research and Impact Services (RIS).

About us

RIS is responsible for advancing the University’s international reputation for research and knowledge transfer by:

• increasing the volume of externally funded research
• improving grant application success rates
• enhancing strategic and operational support to academic departments

Our department is the primary conduit for government, business, charity and other funders to access the research expertise and knowledge of the University of Bath.

About the role

Working within a small but highly collaborative team, Pre-Award Development Officers play a crucial role in providing expert advice to academic researchers across the university applying for external research funding. If successful in your application to this post, you will ensure all research applications and awards are reviewed and developed to improve their quality and meet university and funder rules.

This role requires excellent organisational, interpersonal and communication skills along with a good understanding of the research funding landscape for the higher education sector, including familiarity with relevant sources of funding.

You will have:

• skills to scrutinise sophisticated documents and draw out relevant information, with excellent attention to detail
• good numeracy and IT skills
• self-confidence and the ability to stand your ground, remaining calm under pressure
• good self-motivation and time-management
• a good Honours degree or equivalent experience

Further information

This is a full-time role for a fixed-term period of 18 months.

The Pre-Award team works both remotely and on campus, as part of a hybrid model. Everyone is expected to work on campus for some of their week - this is not a fully remote role - and it is strongly preferred that you are available to work Wednesdays on campus in order to join the weekly team meeting and only very exceptional circumstances may be considered around this.

Please contact Emma Dowden, Pre-Award Manager ( ) Lizzie Hope-Dyer, Head of Research Funding ( ), however, please ensure that your application is submitted via the University website.

We consider ourselves to be a university where difference is celebrated, respected and encouraged. We have an excellent international reputation with staff from over 60 different nations and have made a positive commitment towards gender equality and intersectionality receiving a Silver Athena SWAN award. We truly believe that diversity of experience, perspectives, and backgrounds will lead to a better environment for our employees and students and encourage applications from all genders, backgrounds, and communities, particularly from under-represented groups, and value the positive impact that will have on the university. We are committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment for our students, staff, and community by reinforcing our Safer Recruitment commitment.

We’re very proud to be a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant. an accredited Disability Confident Leader; autism friendly university, committed to building disability confidence and supporting disabled staff.

What we can offer you

We’re continually expanding our benefits package to better support you and enhance your experience with us and the below is just an example of some of the many great benefits we offer:

• Free counselling services through Health Assured
• Cycle to work scheme
• Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme
• Staff discount at Team Bath gym
• Staff discounts on postgraduate tuition fees
• Staff discount on language courses
• Generous employer contributory pension schemes
• Generous annual leave allowance with an additional 5 discretionary days so that you can enjoy a positive work life balance
• A wide range of personal and professional development opportunities including Apprenticeships, LinkedIn Learning and more
• Free entry to the Holburne Museum in Bath
• Local discounts and more
• A family-friendly workplace
• An excellent reward package that recognises the talents of our diverse workforce
• Relocation allowance
• Visa reimbursement and Interest-Free Loan to help with the cost of some immigration expenses

Find out more about our benefits and watch the video to hear from our staff about what makes the University of Bath a great place to work as well as following us X and LinkedIn.

Closing Date: 20 Apr 2026

Department: Management, Specialist and Administration

Salary: £38,784 to £46,049