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NIH Research Specialist Award (R50)

NIH Research Software Engineer (RSE) Award

Funds the salary of a research software engineer building and sharing biomedical, behavioural or health software, tools and algorithms.

OpenNational Institutes of HealthUnited States

Research software is written by people who are usually paid out of somebody else's project grant, and who leave when it ends. This award pays their salary directly.

What it covers is salary support for exceptional research software engineers. Not a project, not equipment — a person's time.

The work in scope is the development and dissemination of biomedical, behavioural or health-related softwar…

Salary support for research software engineers contributing to the development and dissemination of biomedical, behavioural or health-related software, tools and algorithms, and to the training of prospective users of those tools. Clinical trials are not allowed.

CycleiHow often this grant runs — e.g. annually, on a rolling basis, or a one-off call.Multiple per year
Next deadlineiThe next date applications are due. Rolling means you can apply any time.4 Dec 2026
Decision timeiTypical time from the deadline to the funder's decision.26 weeks
Project durationiHow long the funded work is expected to run.—
Award typeiThe form of funding — grant, equity, loan, tax credit, etc.Grant
Match fundingiThe share of project costs you must cover yourself. 0% = fully funded.—
Funding pooliThe total budget available across all awards in this round.—

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Last verified: 25 Aug 2026Funder reference: RFA-OD-24-011Source: www.grants.gov