UK Visa Sponsorship Job for Grants Officer (Salary: £3229.13 per month)

Introduction to EMBL and EMBL-EBI

The European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) is a non-profit, intergovernmental organization dedicated to promoting molecular biology across Europe and fostering a center of excellence for young researchers. Funded by 28 member states, one associate member state, and two prospect member states, EMBL also secures substantial external funding. The EMBL-EBI, located on the Wellcome Genome Campus near Cambridge, UK, has a strong track record in obtaining external grants, currently exceeding €40 million per annum from approximately 180 active awards. Major funders include the European Commission, the US National Institutes of Health, UK Research and Innovation Councils, Wellcome, and various charitable organizations.

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The EMBL-EBI Grants Office is a supportive and communicative team operating within a dynamic and international environment. This fixed-term opportunity for a Grants Officer offers the chance to contribute to the team’s work, supporting the grants lifecycle and helping to implement a new ERP system. The role involves collaboration with teams across EMBL sites in Europe, both virtually and occasionally in person.

Your Role as Grants Officer

This 12-month fixed-term position is crucial for providing grants lifecycle support across various portfolios. The primary aim is to enable the existing Grants Office Team to focus on the implementation of a new ERP system at EMBL-EBI. As a Grants Officer, you will work closely with Principal Investigators (PIs) and various administrative teams, including the Research Management Office, Budget Office, and Legal Services, to deliver a professional service for both pre- and post-award administration. You will serve as the main point of contact for managing financial, legal, and grant compliance matters related to grant proposals and active grants. The role requires experience in the grants lifecycle and confidence in communicating effectively with external partners, funding bodies, and legal and intellectual property advisors. The ability to quickly learn portfolio management and collaborate with administrative teams at EMBL-EBI and EMBL-Heidelberg is essential.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Pre-Award

• Provide professional advice to EMBL-EBI PIs on the administrative and financial requirements of various funding bodies, both before and after award.
• Develop costings for external funding applications and assist applicants with online submission systems.
• Ensure the timely completion of all administrative stages, including due diligence and Director Approvals.
• Save all necessary application documentation in the EMBL CRIS system.

Post-Award

• Draft collaboration agreements using EMBL-specific templates.
• Coordinate the review of collaboration agreements and contribute to the review of operational clauses.
• Manage the signature process for Grant Agreements and collaboration agreements.
• Monitor and track awards, providing PIs with regular updates on budgets, expenditure, and forecasting (excluding financial reports to funders, which are managed by a separate team).
• Coordinate reporting to funders (e.g., NIH RPPR) according to your portfolio.
• Support PIs with invoice processing, including reviewing and approving sub-awardee invoices.
• Assist PIs with financial processes related to staff management, such as contract extensions and the opening of posts on awards.
• Meet regularly with PIs to discuss the status of their research portfolios and upcoming applications.
• Provide solutions to expenditure-related issues on research grants while maintaining auditable standards.
• Respond to general queries about applications and awards from other Administration colleagues.

Other Responsibilities

• Coordinate administrative processes for large collaborative projects, in conjunction with the relevant project manager, including submission, contract negotiation, and management.
• Disseminate information on funding opportunities to EMBL-EBI PIs as needed.
• Manage inbox, filing, and maintain hard copy records.
• Undertake training and development activities to ensure skills remain relevant and up to date.

You Must Have

• Robust experience in the administration of research grants and contracts, both pre and post award (training on specific EMBL-EBI processes will be provided).
• An excellent understanding of the research grant process, funders, and the research landscape.
• High-level competence with PC Windows packages, including Office (Word, Excel), and the ability to quickly learn new systems.
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills to work independently.
• The capability to manage a heavy workload and meet deadlines.
• A high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• A high degree of numeracy and confidence with figures.
• The ability to identify and solve potential problems.
• Excellent spoken and written English.
• The ability to work independently as well as part of a wider administration team.
• Ability to manage highly confidential matters with diplomacy and tact.

You Might Also Have

• Additional proven administrative skills in a grant-making or receiving organization.
• Understanding and empathy for an international research environment.
• Experience working in an academic/educational environment.
• Experience working with SAP.
• Experience in dealing with staff from various countries.

Contract, Salary, and How to Apply

• Contract length: 12 months (ideally commencing in June/July 2025).
• Salary: Grade 5, monthly salary from £3229.13 per month, plus financial allowances based on family circumstances (excluding personal pension and insurance contributions).
• How to apply: Submit a cover letter (no longer than 2 pages) detailing how you meet the role requirements and a CV through our online system. Please note that candidates who have previously applied, reached the interview stage, and were unsuccessful are respectfully asked not to apply again.

Why Join Us

EMBL is a curiosity-driven, community-oriented, and international organization. We are committed to being an inclusive and equal opportunity employer, believing that diversity fosters effective collaboration and innovation. We strive to create an inclusive and flexible culture where everyone can reach their full potential and contribute positively to our organization. We encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing team, recognizing that diverse backgrounds and experiences are crucial to our success and the populations our science serves. We actively encourage applications from all genders, cultures, ethnic groups, and demographics to avoid perpetuating biases and oversights at this transformative point in our people strategy.

Enjoy Lots of Benefits

• Financial incentives: Salary free of income tax, Monthly family, child and non-resident allowances, annual salary review, pension scheme, death benefit, long-term care, accident-at-work and unemployment insurances.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• Private medical insurance: For you and your immediate family (including all prescriptions and generous dental & optical cover).
• Generous time off: 30 days annual leave per year, in addition to public holidays.
• Relocation package: Including installation grant (if applicable).
• Campus life: Free shuttle bus (select sites), on-site library, subsidized on-site gym and cafeteria, casual dress code, extensive sports and social club activities (on campus and remotely).
• Family benefits: Kindergarten (Heidelberg), 10 days of child sick leave, generous paid maternity/parental leave, and monthly family & child allowances.
• Benefits for international newcomers: Visa exemption, education grant for private schooling, financial support to travel back to your home country every second year, and a monthly non-resident allowance.

For detailed information, please visit our employee benefits page.

What Else You Need to Know

• International applicants: We recruit internationally and offer visa exemptions to successful candidates. More information is available on our International Applicants page.
• EMBL is a signatory of DORA. Information on how we apply DORA principles to our recruitment and performance assessment processes can be found here.
• Diversity and inclusion: At EMBL, we strongly believe that inclusive and diverse teams benefit from higher levels of innovation and creative thought. We encourage applications from women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and individuals from all nationalities.