Astera Institute · 1 month ago
Chief Operations Officer (COO) - Astera Neuro
California, United States
Full-time
Onsite
Director/Executive
$300K/yr - $600K/yr
6+ years expAstera Institute is a nonprofit research organization pioneering unconventional scientific frontiers. They are seeking a Chief Operations Officer (COO) to architect and operationalize Astera Neuro, focusing on building lab space, infrastructure, and systems to advance their mission in neuroscience and AI.
Business DevelopmentFinanceFinancial Services
Responsibilities
Architect, operationalize, and scale Astera Neuro — building the lab space, infrastructure, talent, and systems required to advance Astera’s mission to explore the boundaries of human consciousness through neuroscience and AI
Establish corporate-grade research operations, manage complex cross-disciplinary programs, and ensure the research is goal oriented and directed
Serve as both strategic integrator and organizational builder, transforming an early research vision into a world-class scientific enterprise
Operational Readiness: Astera Neuro labs, vivarium, and facilities operational and compliant within 6–12 months
Team Scale-Up: 50–100 top-tier hires successfully recruited and integrated over the next 2-3 years
Cross-Functional Synergy: Coordinated progress between engineering and neuroscience groups; shared milestones achieved
Stand up the foundational operational systems for Astera Neuro, including lab infrastructure, regulatory compliance, and cross-functional workflows
Establish and oversee a vivarium program (nonhuman primate research), navigating local regulations, permitting, and community engagement
Define and execute a clear roadmap for facility buildout in Emeryville, CA
Lead recruitment effort and onboard 50–100 world-class neuroscientists, engineers, and supporting personnel across research and operations
Build an ambitious mission-driven culture that blends startup agility with scientific rigor to go after a challenging moonshot
Develop scalable processes for hiring, onboarding, and performance management tailored to Obelisk’s interdisciplinary model
Oversee Project Management function to create the connective tissue between neuroscience and engineering teams, ensuring rapid iteration and effective collaboration
Translate technical and scientific priorities into actionable operational plans and execute
Serve as the key communication hub across scientific, technical, and foundation leadership
Ensure seamless integration with Astera’s central foundation teams (HR, Legal, Finance, Comms)
Qualification
Required
Helped build a start up as a founder or as part of the leadership team
6+ years of leadership in complex research or technology organizations (AI, neuroscience, biotech, or advanced R&D)
Proven success rapidly scaling an organization from concept through multi-lab operations
Skilled in program and project management, budget oversight, and operational design for hybrid scientific teams
Visionary operational thinker who thrives in ambiguity and builds structure where none exists
Skilled technical communicator able to translate between scientific, engineering, and organizational contexts
Hands-on builder—comfortable oscillating between strategic and tactical execution
Strong bias toward action
Deep belief in the existential importance of the mission; committed to ethical advancement of AI and neuroscience research
Thrives in unconventional, experimental environments blending tech and biology
Fast and nimble
Preferred
Deep understanding of R&D infrastructure, lab buildouts, and vivarium setup and compliance is a plus
Company
Astera Institute
Astera Institute is a non-profit that supports science and technology projects.
11-50 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Astera Institute has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
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Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (9)
2024 (1)
2023 (1)
2022 (1)
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageLeadership Team
Jed McCaleb
Founder
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