Grant manager for international research projects

Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences announces an open position:

Grant manager for international research projects

The position is for you if:

… you have experience with research, ideally in the field of life sciences, and would like to stay in the research environment in a support role

 … you want to make a tangible impact by shaping the agenda of international projects

… you are diligent and thorough so that scientists can rely on you 

… you enjoy working with smart and creative people in a truly international environment (35% of our employees come from outside of the Czech Republic, 25% do not speak Czech)

… you appreciate a dynamic research setting with opportunities to learn every day

About the role

We are seeking an experienced professional or a rising star in the administration of research projects with focus on international projects. In this role, you will help scientists identify the right opportunities, support them in writing grants and ensure flawless administration. You will actively seek partnership for consortium projects including projects focused on recruiting top PhD students and postdoctoral researchers.

Key Responsibilities

• Identification of opportunities: research and identify potential international and national grant opportunities aligned with the Institute’s scientific goals and priorities as well as potential partners for consortium projects.
• Assistance with grant writing: work closely with researchers to prepare and submit high-quality proposals to international and national funding bodies; ensure all proposals meet the specific requirements of the funding organizations.
• Negotiation of consortium partnerships: lead and coordinate the negotiation of terms and conditions of consortium collaborations and later partnership agreements for collaborative projects involving multiple international organizations.
• Grant management and administration: oversee the administration of awarded grants, including budgeting, financial tracking, reporting, and compliance with funders' requirements; serve as the primary contact for international funding bodies and maintain strong relationships with them; ensure the timely submission of progress reports and financial statements to funders; collaborate with finance, legal and knowledge valorization specialists within the institute to ensure compliance and knowledge valorization.
• Training and support: ensure training and, if needed, support of external consultants to researchers in the preparation of grant applications and the administration of grants.
• Strategy shaping: shape the future institute’s strategy of its integration into the European Research Area (ERA) and effective use of funding instruments and tools the ERA offers

Desired skills and experience

• Project management: Ability to define goals, set deliverables and deadlines, follow progress, assign tasks, mitigate risks and find solutions when deadlines are not met.
• Experience with research: Demonstrated experience in conducting own research project, ideally in the field of life-sciences, completed PhD is a plus.
• Familiarity with international funding bodies: Working knowledge of Horizon Europe, the European Research Council (ERC), or other relevant organizations or willingness to quickly gain this knowledge.
• Experience with managing international grants: Proven experience in managing international grants in the research sector or dedication to learn at a fast pace.
• Diligence and thoroughness: High attention to detail and ability to manage multiple topics, projects and deadlines with the needed care.
• Independence and team work: Ability to work with minimal supervision and to team up with professionals from partner organization as well as researchers
• Creative problem solving: Ability to think critically and propose innovative, out-of-the-box solutions.
• Language proficiency: English and Czech at least at B2 level in speaking and C1 level in reading and writing.

Attitude and drive

• Service-oriented with managerial drive: Able to balance empathy and support with leadership and decision-making.
• Collaborative and inclusive: Skilled at engaging diverse stakeholders in solution-finding and open to constructive feedback.
• Resilient and adaptable: Embraces challenges, learns from setbacks, and is comfortable working with conflicting priorities.
• Proactive experimenter: Eager to try new ideas, iterate, and refine processes for continuous improvement.
• Team-first mindset: Puts organizational success before self-interest.
• High integrity: Communicates honestly and strives for fairness, even in difficult situations.
• Thrives in public research setting: Comfortable with high levels of independence, flexibility, and creativity; understands the challenges of working with public resources.

Start date

Preferred: September 2025 (negotiable)

Our Offering

• Diverse work supporting scientific progress
• Modern scientific environment with state-of-the-art facilities
• Competitive salary
• 5 weeks of vacation
• Opportunity to adjust working hours based on personal needs

About the Institute

The Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IBT, ibt.cas.cz) is a top-class multi-disciplinary public research institution in the Czech Republic whose mission is to research biomolecular mechanisms, the understanding of which contributes to the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and the emergence of innovative biotechnologies. IBT is located in the BIOCEV center (biocev.eu) operated by the Czech Academy of Sciences and Charles University. IBT has ~200 employees, ~150 of which work in research.

Location

IBT/BIOCEV is in Vestec, Prague-west, ~30 minutes from the city center by public transport.

How to apply

Send your application to hr@ibt.cas.cz including:

• your CV, where you highlight your skills and experience critical for the position,
• a motivation letter, where you tell us why you are interested in the position and why we should choose you.

Later in the process, we may request references for phone interviews and ask you to prepare and present a brief case study.

For more information, please, contact Magdalena Schneiderová (magdalena.schneiderova@ibt.cas.cz).

We look forward to hearing from you and exploring how we can shape IBT’s bright future together!

More details on the processing of personal data are available on the website:
https://www.ibt.cas.cz/cs/o-ustavu/oficialni-dokumenty/gdpr/.