Victoria Steffes

Victoria Steffes received her PhD in Chemistry & Biochemistry at UC Santa Barbara studying the structure-function relationships of a nanoparticle drug delivery platform, which was supported by an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. Throughout her scientific training, she was actively involved in teaching and mentorship outreach activities, which led her to seek a career that bridges her passion for science communication with excitement about research advancements. Victoria is currently a Research Development Specialist at UC Berkeley where she helps faculty within the College of Engineering create strong individual and team grant proposals to fund their research, outreach, and education initiatives. 

Can you describe your academic and professional background? What path led you to pursue this field?

I am a Research Development Specialist at UC Berkeley working with Engineering faculty on large, complex, or otherwise strategic grant proposals. I earned my BA in Biochemistry from Barnard College while doing undergraduate research on organic synthesis of photovoltaic materials for solar cells. I continued similar research for a year at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab while I explored graduate school options, including science communication programs. I ultimately chose to pursue a PhD in Chemistry & Biochemistry at UC Santa Barbara where I worked for a soft-matter physicist in the Materials Department on a nanoparticle drug delivery platform. All of this is to say that I've had somewhat promiscuous research interests and a longstanding interest in science writing and communication. The field I wound up in combines most of what I love about working in science and excludes the parts I don't.

How did you find this particular position, and what was the hiring process like? Is there a typical structure for this in your field?

I learned about research development (RD) by a serendipitous pairing through a Mentorship program in grad school. My mentor told me about field-specific resources like the National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP). As my PhD was winding down, I regularly applied for jobs through NORDP's Jobs Board. The advertisement for my current position was actually forwarded to me by my mentor. Networking played a significant role both directly and indirectly in getting hired. My mentor both helped me to navigate this new field and was an invaluable advocate for me. The typical hiring process that I saw comprised 1-2 virtual/phone interviews, either an editing test or request for an example of edited work, and an in-person interview.

Can you tell us about your current responsibilities? What is a typical day or week like in your role?

It varies widely. I act as a "Capture Manager" overseeing the completion of many moving parts of a proposal (often this involves a lot of back-and-forth emails). I attend proposal team meetings, which often involve faculty from many universities. I write or revise proposal sections or supplemental documents. I create graphics. I help with strategic planning and development of broadening participation or education/outreach plans. I compose resources, like proposal outlines or competitive insights, for specific funding opportunities. Regardless of the project, I study the solicitation and serve as the expert to ensure that the proposal is responsive to the funding agency's interests and proposal requirements.

What do you enjoy about your current job and work environment?

I like that I work on a range of projects with varied responsibilities and with different faculty members. It keeps the job pretty dynamic and intellectually engaging. 

What are some of the challenging aspects of your job? Is there anything you wish you had known about your job or industry before joining?

I interface with many faculty at UC Berkeley and other universities. Inevitably, different people have different approaches to work, styles of communication, and expectations. Basically, I have to navigate different personalities and be an effective communicator (and a bit of a mind reader) to determine if everyone is on the same page while working collaboratively. I have to anticipate how best to communicate with team members during proposal development and in the proposal itself, anticipating what information reviewers need to know, how to write it, and how to organize it for maximum impact.

Do you have any professional plans for the future? What are some future career paths that could open up for someone in your position, 5-10 years down the road?

I have only been in my position for one year, so I am focused on learning and gaining more experience at the moment. The step up from my position would be the manager or leader of a group of RD professionals. My job encompasses a diverse set of translatable skills that could be advantageous for many roles depending on one's interests. I know of RD folks who have transitioned into Project Management positions for large research centers.

What’s changing in your industry? Are there any future trends we should be aware of?

RD is still a growing field. NORDP now has a lower-cost membership tier for trainees and a mentorship program. Because of high competition for research funding and a number of other factors, RD individuals deliver groups/departments/universities a competitive edge (it's easy to argue that the position will pay for itself). I know of RD specialists who have successfully advocated for the creation of their positions. It isn't a hard sell to faculty (who are already spread thin) to leverage their support for a university or departmental hire. One thing to consider during your search is that RD positions exist in many different contexts, you might be the sole RD specialist for a center or smaller unit, or you might work on a team of RD experts.

What activities, internships, or organizations would you recommend someone get involved with to help them break into this field?

My last year of grad school I pursued every opportunity possible to get relevant experience and boost my resume for RD positions. I did freelance ESL manuscript editing for a Japanese editing company. I approached the RD specialists at my graduate school for opportunities to intern with them. I was hired as a Graduate Peer Editor to support students applying to fellowship programs (NSF GRFP and others). I offered to help edit proposals for my research group and kept an ear open for post-docs and other folks who were writing proposals. I read books on science and proposal writing. My top recommendation is Josh Schimel's Writing Science: How to write papers that get cited and proposals that get funded. Any sort of leadership or management role is useful for a resume, whether that's being in charge of your research group's ordering/purchasing or the steering committee for a student group of some kind.

Is it common for people in your field to have a scientific/academic background (i.e. have PhDs)? Can you think of any advantages or disadvantages someone with a PhD might experience while pursuing or working in your field?

Some do, some don't, but I think it is an overall advantage. With a PhD, you have first-hand knowledge of being an undergrad and grad student (possibly post-doc), which can be a helpful experience to evaluate and guide development of education, outreach, and broadening participation activities. My PhD gave me a certain scientific and technical fluency that is essential for the job and an inside understanding of the academic research world.

Do you have any final words of advice for those navigating these career questions? Is there anything you would have done differently given what you know now?

My universal advice is to reflect on your interests and skills and identify jobs that entail more of what you like and less of what you don't like!