Astera Institute · 1 day ago
Open Science Operations Associate
Emeryville HQ
Full-time
Onsite
Entry, Mid Level
$100K/yr - $160K/yr
1+ years expAstera is a private foundation dedicated to advancing science and technology for a better future. They are looking for an Open Science Operations Associate to support their open science strategy by managing operations, liaising with the community, and ensuring effective communication and documentation of initiatives.
Business DevelopmentFinanceFinancial Services
Responsibilities
Support the Head of Open Science in day-to-day operations, including tracking initiatives, managing priorities, preparing materials, and following through on action items across multiple workstreams
Develop and maintain lightweight systems (e.g., intake tracking, decision logs, meeting notes, CRM-style records) to ensure open science activities and relationships are well organized and transparent
Identify operational gaps or bottlenecks in open science programs and proactively propose improvements to workflows, documentation, or coordination
Serve as a primary point of contact for individuals and teams pitching open science tools, platforms, or initiatives to Astera
Conduct initial screening conversations to understand proposals, assess alignment with Astera’s goals, and synthesize key insights for leadership review
Track inbound opportunities over time, ensuring timely follow-up and clear communication with external partners
Act as a liaison between Astera and members of the open science community, including researchers, tool developers, funders, and collaborators
Build trusted relationships with external stakeholders through thoughtful communication, responsiveness, and follow-through
Represent Astera’s open science values and priorities clearly and consistently in external interactions
Attend meetings, workshops, and events on behalf of the Head of Open Science when appropriate, capturing context, decisions, and next steps
Communicate outcomes and recommendations back to leadership clearly and accurately, exercising good judgment about when to escalate questions or decisions
Support hiring for open science-related roles, including sourcing candidates, conducting initial interviews, coordinating interview logistics, and synthesizing feedback
Help onboard new team members, fellows, or collaborators into Astera’s open science practices, norms, and expectations
Draft summaries, briefing documents, and internal notes related to open science initiatives, partnerships, and decisions
Help maintain clear, up-to-date documentation about open science programs, priorities, and processes to support internal alignment and external clarity
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field
1–4 years of experience in roles involving program coordination, operations, research support, community management, or similar work in open science, academia, nonprofits, or technology-adjacent environments
Demonstrated familiarity with open science concepts, ecosystems, and stakeholders (e.g., open access, open data, open tools, preprints, research infrastructure)
Strong operational skills, including the ability to manage multiple threads of work, keep systems organized, and follow through reliably
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage thoughtfully with both technical and non-technical audiences
High judgment, discretion, and professionalism when representing leadership and the organization externally
Self-directed, high-agency approach to work, with comfort operating in evolving, loosely defined problem spaces
Preferred
Experience interfacing with researchers, tool builders, or funders in open science or research infrastructure contexts
Prior experience conducting interviews, evaluating proposals, or supporting hiring processes
Comfort synthesizing complex information into clear summaries and recommendations
Experience working closely with senior leadership or serving in a coordinating or 'right-hand' role
Strong interest in the future of scientific institutions, incentives, and knowledge production
Company
Astera Institute
Astera Institute is a non-profit that supports science and technology projects.
11-50 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageLeadership Team
Jed McCaleb
Founder
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