UMAMI BIOWORKS is looking for an experienced, self-driven Grant Writing Specialist to own our grant function end-to-end. You will identify the right opportunities, build compelling cases that combine our science and commercial story, write winning proposals, and manage everything that follows an award. This role sits at the intersection of science, strategy, and communication.
Key Responsibilities:
Grant Landscape & Opportunity Assessment: Proactively research and monitor grant opportunities across US, EU and Asian funding agencies. Evaluate fit against UMAMI's scientific roadmap and commercial priorities, and maintain a pipeline of opportunities to pursue.
Proposal Development & Writing: Lead the end-to-end development of grant proposals — from concept through submission. Translate UMAMI's cultivated technology into compelling narratives that articulate scientific innovation, commercial USPs, and real-world impact. Own the writing; produce clear, persuasive, submission-ready documents.
Science & Technology Fluency: Develop a working understanding of our technology platform. Use this knowledge to identify credible gaps and extensions that can anchor grant applications.
Grant Lifecycle Management: Manage grant lifecycle after award: liaise with funding agencies, track milestones and deliverables, maintain accurate records, and fulfil all reporting requirements on time.
Stakeholder & Partner Collaboration: esearch and maintain a list of potential partners and collaborators, both academic and industry, for future grant proposals. Build relationships with these stakeholders to understand areas of scientific interest as well as unique technologies and approaches that could be applied to future grant proposals.
Requirements
What We're Looking For
Experience & Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in a technical field (biology, chemistry, engineering, or related); Master's degree preferred
2+ years of grant writing experience, ideally in a deep tech, biotech, or food innovation context
Hands-on experience with US and/or EU grant agencies and processes strongly preferred
Skills
Grant writing expertise — Proven track record writing and managing grants through the full lifecycle, from identification to post-award reporting.
Scientific comprehension — Able to understand and accurately represent complex technical content; comfortable working directly with scientists and engineers.
Commercial awareness — Understands how to frame innovation in terms of market opportunity, customer need, and business value — not just scientific merit.
Communication & writing — Exceptional written communication. You write with clarity, precision, and persuasion, and can adapt your voice to different funders and formats.
Project & time management — Skilled at managing multiple proposals simultaneously across different agencies and timelines, with minimal oversight.
Collaborative working — A team player who can pull together inputs from across the business and keep stakeholders aligned and on schedule.
Research skills — Able to map a funding landscape, assess the competitive field, and synthesise background information to strengthen proposals.
