Jobs at Donald Danforth Plant Science Center

Leads government and external affairs across local, state, and federal levels; builds relationships with officials, agencies, coalitions, and strategic partners; monitors policy, appropriations, and regulatory developments; supports public funding opportunities and advocacy; ensures lobbying compliance; and serves in the President’s office by coordinating strategic initiatives, briefings, commitments, and external engagements.

Conduct prospect research, wealth screening, relationship mapping, donor qualification, and portfolio analysis to support fundraising. Prepare prospect profiles, reports, biographies, and visual materials; maintain accurate constituent records in Raiser's Edge; perform data hygiene and updates; monitor news and alerts; and support gift processing and development operations. The role also uses AI tools responsibly while protecting confidential data.

Manages the financial administration of sponsored research awards from setup through closeout. Builds budgets, dashboards, forecasts, and variance analyses; reconciles awards to the general ledger; prepares sponsor reports and budget revisions; oversees effort reporting and subrecipient monitoring; advises principal investigators; and ensures compliance with federal regulations, sponsor terms, and organizational policies.

Leads entrepreneurship and commercialization activities by identifying research with commercial potential, training and coaching scientist-entrepreneurs, developing external industry partnerships, supporting startup budgeting and forecasting, marketing technologies and ventures, and tracking commercialization metrics. The role translates complex scientific research into compelling business opportunities and supports technology transfer, startup formation, funding milestones, and portfolio company success.