Research Support Services
Research administration support when you need It.
Research Support Services (RSS) provides experienced, on demand research administration expertise when your internal resources aren’t enough. Our consultants integrate quickly, work independently, and deliver immediate impact—helping institutions stay compliant, meet deadlines, and protect critical research funding.
We support the full research grant lifecycle, from proposal development through post award management, award acceptance, and clinical trial billing. RSS partners closely with investigators and departments to reduce administrative burden, manage complex portfolios, and keep research operations running smoothly in a constantly changing environment.
Whether you’re navigating a staffing shortage, clearing a backlog, or scaling support for growth, RSS offers flexible solutions without the delays of traditional hiring. Trusted by leading research institutions, our team is known for responsiveness, professionalism, and results from day one.
Work with Experts
Work with seasoned consultants experienced with NIH, foundations, and other sponsor policies and regulations.
Get Results
Make sure you don’t miss out on funding opportunities or deadlines. Mitigate compliance and budgetary risks by letting us keep your research funds accurate and complete.
Start Right Away
Skip the extensive interviewing, on- boarding, and training processes involved with hiring traditional employees. RSS Consultants are ready when you need them.
Pre-Award Management
The RSS Team provides assistance to Principal Investigators (PIs) and Department Administrators (DAs) as they prepare proposals for submission to external sponsors. RSS works with the PIs through the entire proposal process, from identifying funding opportunities to compiling final proposal packages for submission. The RSS Team has access to MGB’s Central Office senior resources to support these research projects throughout various stages in the lifecycle of a grant.
- Proposal Preparation
- Administrative, budgetary, and compliance coordination
- Entry into internal systems, NIH ASSIST, or other software
- Guidance on sponsor requirements
- Administrative support for IRB/IACUC
Post-Award Management
The RSS Team helps PI’s and Departments in all aspects of research management. RSS can perform complex portfolio analyses, provide funding projections, and advise on spending plans and personnel management. The RSS team has significant experience managing large portfolios and assisting PI’s with reporting, prior approvals, and maintaining compliance with sponsor and institutional policies.
- Financial reconciliation
- Effort and salary alignment
- RPPR/Progress report coordination
- Spending projections and expense allocation
- Subcontract management
- Clinical trial invoicing
- Guidance on award terms and conditions
- Prior Approval: NCE/Carry forward
Award Acceptance
- Agreement negotiations
- Just-in-Time Coordination
- Other Support
System and Software
- NIH ASSIST
- Proposal-Central
- Grants.gov
- Insight Grant Management Suite
- OnCore Clinical Trial Management
- Workday
- eRA Commons
- DoD
- EBRAP
- Research.Gov
Infrastructure Support & Analysis
- Staffing, Including Front-Line and leadership positions
- Assessments of structure, policies, and processes
Mass Eye and Ear
“RSS has been a wonderful resource to Mass Eye and Ear. Our RSS consultant went above and beyond working with the faculty, providing excellent customer service, and a real asset to the organization. RSS has exceeded all of our needs. They are extremely professional and independent with working directly with the faculty”. - Associate Director
MGH Ragon Institute
“The Ragon Institute Faculty tapped into the RSS consultants many times and have only have high praise for the level of understanding of the proposal submission process and were able to work well with the PIs, department GAs and the Administrative Director for Research. Overall, RSS provides a timely and reliable service, and the research community is lucky to have this group to support them in a time of need. Thank you!”. - Administrative Director, Research
Boston Medical Center
“During a critical period of transition, a significant backlog of agreements was identified. RSS hit the ground running adapting to our intuition’s processes and systems. Thanks to their knowledge in research administration, we were able to clear the agreements backlog in a reasonable time and collaborate on rolling off the engagement which included providing training and working guides for the team. Their ability to collaborate effectively and their commitment to customer service were key factors in our success. I am grateful for their support!”
Judge Bakers Children’s Center
“RSS consultants provides Judge Baker Children’s Center with comprehensive Pre-Award and Post-Award grant administration support. All the RSS consultants are very knowledgeable with federal government contracts and very responsive to our needs”.
Mass General Brigham, Center for Connected Health
“We have utilized the services of the RSS consultants a number of times. They have been lifesavers in times of need during Research Administration staff shortages. They have helped us in both Pre-Award and Post-Award management, and we have been very happy with services they have provided. Research institutions across New England are very lucky to have access to these consultants who can hit the ground running on day one”. - Sr. Administrator of Research Operations
Meet our team
David Waldron is a highly accomplished leader in research administration with more than 17 years of experience driving performance across the full grant lifecycle. He is recognized for elevating research operations, reducing administrative burden, and building high-impact, service-oriented teams that deliver measurable results for investigators and institutions.
As Director of Research Support Services (RSS) at Mass General Brigham (MGB), David leads an elite consulting team known for seamlessly integrating with client organizations and delivering immediate, scalable support. Under his leadership, RSS has become a trusted partner across New England, providing expert guidance in proposal development and submission, post-award management, process optimization, and workforce strategy—consistently delivering results under tight deadlines and complex constraints.
In parallel, David oversees MGB’s Pre-Award and Training teams. The Pre-Award team serves as the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) for all research divisions, managing the review and submission of more than 8,000 proposals annually in support of a $2 billion research enterprise. The Training team designs and delivers best-in-class programs that strengthen research administration capabilities across MGB and external partners.
Prior to joining MGB, David spent two decades in senior leadership roles within B2B software consulting, leading complex, large-scale system implementations across global markets—experience that continues to inform his strategic, results-driven approach to research administration.
Cait Lieneck manages a team of Research Administration specialists within the Research Support Services (RSS) group. She is a seasoned research administrator with over a decade of experience navigating the complex landscape of sponsored research funding, compliance, and operations.
Cait brings particular expertise in streamlining administrative workflows, leading systems implementations, and developing scalable training programs to support research teams. Her career spans both central and departmental research administration roles across Mass General Brigham and Boston University, giving her a comprehensive understanding of institutional and investigator needs.
She has a proven track record of leading and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, ensuring fiscal and regulatory compliance, and advancing strategic initiatives that improve efficiency and service delivery. Cait is especially passionate about building sustainable operational models that empower research teams and enhance the overall research enterprise.
Jeremy is a healthcare and research administration leader currently serving as a Manager for Research Support Services at Massachusetts General Brigham. In this role, he provides end to end support for complex and multi institutional research portfolios, working closely with investigators, department administrators, and institutional stakeholders on proposal development, budget strategy, subaward coordination, and research agreements. His work centers on advancing institutional research priorities while navigating evolving sponsor, regulatory, and system requirements.
Prior to his current role, Jeremy held senior administrative positions within Massachusetts General Hospital, including serving as Administrative Manager for the Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle and Podiatry service, where he supported ambulatory operations, clinical utilization, and research initiatives. Earlier in his career, he spent more than a decade as an Operations Manager overseeing inpatient medical units. Across roles, Jeremy has been recognized for leadership, operational excellence, and his ability to build strong partnerships in complex healthcare and academic environments.
Francis is a Senior Project Manager in Research Support Services at Mass General Brigham. Francis has more than a decade of experience supporting the pre-award, post-award, and financial activities for complex research portfolios.
As a founding member of the RSS team, Francis has had the opportunity to support dozens of research departments at MGB and other area hospitals including Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston Medical Center, Joslin Diabetes Center, Judge Backer Children’s Center, and Care New England.
As a Senior Project Manager, Francis manages all RSS assignments involving clients outside of the MGB umbrella. Francis is responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with these external clients and supporting the RSS Grant Specialists assigned to them.
Todd is a senior research administration and finance leader with more than 30 years of experience supporting complex academic medical and healthcare institutions. He currently serves as Team Lead for Research Support Services at Mass General Brigham, where he helps oversee grant management and research operations across the system.
Throughout his career, Todd has led large-scale sponsored programs offices, managed multimillion-dollar research portfolios, strengthened compliance frameworks, and built high-performing administrative teams. A Certified Research Administrator, he brings deep expertise in pre- and post-award grant management, financial strategy, and institutional
Radhika has been working as a Grant Administration Consultant with MGB Research Support Services since April 2023. She brings experience from both the Post Award central office and department level administration, allowing her to provide well rounded support across the grant lifecycle. Her work includes clinical trial invoicing, federal and non federal proposal submissions, and the use of systems such as ASSIST/eRA Commons, Workday, PeopleSoft, MicroStrategy, OnCore, and Microsoft Excel.
She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a minor in Business Administration from Umass Amherst in 2022. Prior to joining Mass General Brigham, Radhika gained valuable healthcare and research experience as a dental assistant, a COVID 19 testing clinic helper, and a program coordinator on a research grant at Boston Children’s Hospital. Outside of work, she enjoys staying active as an ambassador for her local spin studio, Rev’d, and exploring Boston’s restaurant scene.
Luke is a Grants Administration Specialist II with expertise in post-award management, complex financial reporting, and operational problem-solving across the full grant lifecycle.
He has extensive experience working with external clients beyond the Mass General Brigham system, with a strong understanding of diverse institutional requirements and compliance for both federal and non-federal sponsors.
Ethan is a Grants Administration Specialist I with experience across a broad range of research administration functions. He has been part of MGB Research Support Services since April 2023, contributing to several areas including Pre-Award, Contracts, Finance at DFCI, and most recently post-award. This diverse background has given him a well-rounded understanding of the full grant lifecycle.
Outside of work, Ethan enjoys snowboarding, playing both disc golf and traditional golf, and producing music.