Officer. Competitive Funding (Maternity leave) (Ref. AD/25/23)

Created in 2005 by the Generalitat de Catalunya (Government of Catalonia) and the University of Barcelona, IRB Barcelona is a Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence—a seal that was awarded in 2011.

The institute is devoted to conducting research of excellence in biomedicine and to transferring results to clinical practice, thus improving people’s quality of life, while simultaneously promoting the training of outstanding researchers, technology transfer, and public communication of science. Its 29 laboratories and seven core facilities address basic questions in biology and are orientated to diseases such as cancer, metastasis, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and rare conditions.

IRB Barcelona is an international centre that hosts 500 members and 45 nationalities. It is located in the Barcelona Science Park. IRB Barcelona forms part of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST) and the “Xarxa de Centres de Recerca de Catalunya” (CERCA).

Your role & our team

IRB Barcelona is seeking an Officer to join our Competitive Funding and International Promotion Department, primarily supporting the Pre-Award Section to cover a maternity leave.

Reporting to the Head of Competitive Grants and International Promotion you will be part of the Pre-Award Section, a team that provides proactive support to our researchers throughout the grant application process. You will help guide them from the identification of funding opportunities (local, national, and international), to developing the technical-administrative proposal finalizing grant agreements.

In this position, you will directly contribute to the success of cutting-edge research and help shape the future of scientific funding at a leading institution.

Key responsibilities

Integrate within the Pre-Award Grants team to support the entire grant application and negotiation process.
Help in the identification and dissemination of relevant funding opportunities and open calls, including targeted dissemination according to research group profiles.
Contribute to providing support throughout the entire grant application and negotiation process:
Support efforts to ensure alignment with eligibility criteria, budget guidelines, ethical considerations and other funder requirements.
Offer personalized assistance to IRB Barcelona researchers as they pursue competitive funding.
Support the negotiation and completion of grant agreements and signatures.
Guide researchers in other regulatory requirements related to grant applications and successful grant agreement signature, such as obtaining the ethical clearance, data management aspects or formalisation of consortium agreements in collaborative projects ).
Collaborate in the updating and maintenance of the department’s project-related databases (funding opportunities, projects awarded etc).

You have

Knowledge and experience:

Academic Background in Life Sciences or related
Experience collaborating with researchers on grant applications for local, national and international funding agencies.
Excellent command of written and spoken English and Spanish. Catalan will be a plus.

Skills:

Excellent communication skills to interact with researchers, administrators, and funding agencies.
Strong organizational and coordination abilities to manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
Familiarity with interpreting legal documents and agreements.
Working knowledge of ERP systems (ideally SBO) and proficiency in Google Workspace and MS Office.

You might also have

PhD in Life Sciences or related field will be valued.
Experience in pre-award teams and cross-functional coordination.
Experience in tracking and analyzing key indicators to assess funding trends.
Working knowledge of Catalan and other languages will be valued

What we offer:

To be a part a part of something meaningful: We are a biomedical research centre that tirelessly works to achieve a society free of diseases. Our mission is to carry out research of excellence to cure cancer and other diseases linked to ageing.

Good Working conditions: Temporal contract to cover a maternity leave. Employed in compliance with Spanish legislation and regulations under a full-time contract. Employees receive the benefits of the Spanish Social Security system covering sickness, maternity/paternity leave and injuries at work.

Competitive salary: commensurate with experience and qualifications.

International Environment: we are home to nearly 500 researchers, technical and support staff from 45 countries.

Multidisciplinary Research: Research of excellence at the unique interface between biology, chemistry, and structural and computational biology.

Continuous Training: Transversal and general training is offered to our community (examples include research seminars, conferences, training in time management, scientific integrity, gender equality, health and safety, languages courses and emotional wellbeing).

Relocation & Visa Assistance: Trained staff provides support on visa paperwork, administrative requirements, and practical information on living and working in Barcelona, etc.

Social Life: We like to have fun. We promote several activities, like a Football League, an annual skiing trip, a Mountaineering Club, a Running Club and "Cool-off sessions", where members meet informally for drinks, snacks and scientific discussions.

Fairness: Our recruitment is open, transparent and merit-based, and all applicants compete on the same terms. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, ethnic origin or disability.

HOW TO APPLY & SELECTION PROCESS:

Deadline for applications: 02/01/2026 (If no suitable candidate is found, the deadline will be extended)
Number of positions available: 1
Selection process:
Pre-selection: Will be based on CV, motivation letter & experience,
Interviews: Short-listed candidates will be interviewed.
Job offer: Will be sent to the successful candidate after the interview.

Note: The strengths and weaknesses of the applications will be provided upon request.