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Open Science Policy and Operations Manager

Astera Institute· Foundation
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Emeryville HQ$150k - $200kFull-timePosted 1mo ago

About the role

In-person, on-site role to operationalize Astera’s open science initiatives, act as a primary contact for the open science community, and ensure initiatives are evaluated, tracked, and advanced effectively.

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 implement an internal process to train Astera employees on and ensure adherence to the established open science policy.
  • 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 the first point of contact for internal inquiries about the open science policy and its implementation, and understand when questions need to be elevated to Astera leadership for consideration.
  • 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, 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.
  • Train and 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.
  • Maintain clear, up-to-date documentation about open science programs, priorities, and processes to support internal alignment and external clarity.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field.
  • 3-6 years of experience in roles involving project management, program coordination, or operations.
  • Experience in research support, community management, or similar work within open science, academia, nonprofits, or technology-adjacent environments.
  • Demonstrated familiarity with open science concepts and ecosystems (e.g., open access, open data, open tools, preprints, research infrastructure).
  • Strong operational skills, including stakeholder management and the ability to manage complex workflows.
  • Excellent communication skills, capable of engaging both technical and non-technical audiences.
  • High judgment and discretion when representing the organization or leadership externally.
  • Self-directed, high-agency approach to work, with comfort operating in evolving or ambiguous environments.

Skills

Required:Project managementOperations / program coordinationCommunication

Benefits

  • Competitive compensation.
  • In-house research programs and mission-driven environment.
Last updated Sep 23, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

About Astera Institute

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