About Activate
Activate is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to turning scientific discoveries into real-world impact. Through partnerships with government, philanthropy, universities, and industry, Activate builds the cross-sector ecosystem that drives hard tech innovation—equipping scientists and engineers with world-class resources, training, and community to bring their work from discovery to deployment.
Since 2015, Activate's flagship fellowship has supported nearly 350 fellows across the United States, who have launched more than 275 companies and secured over $5.5 billion in follow-on funding. Now expanding beyond its flagship program, Activate is reaching scientists and engineers at more stages of their entrepreneurial journey across the world—multiplying the pathways from innovation to commercialization. Learn more at Activate.org.
Position Summary
The Program Associate is a generalist role that contributes across the fellowship department, including education, operations, events, alumni engagement, and other team priorities. A core focus of the role is supporting our education programs: including Elements of Entrepreneurship, our core curriculum helping fellows build and scale their companies; and Founder Learning in Pods (FLiPs), focused learning experiences on topics like fundraising, building teams, customer discovery, sales, and founder leadership. They will turn plans into action, coordinate logistics, manage systems and data, and jump in wherever additional capacity is needed to deliver an exceptional experience for Activate fellows and alumni.
Activate is seeking an ambitious, highly organized Program Associate to join our Fellowship team. This role offers an early-career professional the chance to learn the ins and outs of the strategy and operations behind a best-in-class fellowship that supports scientist-entrepreneurs building breakthrough technologies.
This role reports to the Chief of Staff, Fellowship and is a member of the Program Operations team within the broader Fellowship team.
Primary Responsibilities
- Coordinate Fellowship education programming for fellows across all five U.S. communities, including logistics, materials, communications, attendance, and learning platforms.
- Support the planning and execution of Activate’s annual Fellowship Retreat, coordinating logistics, materials, communications, and other needs for this cornerstone Fellowship experience.
- Build and maintain Fellowship resources, including guides, templates, and learning materials that help fellows and alumni access the information they need.
- Manage the Chief Fellowship Officer’s calendar, scheduling, meeting coordination, and other administrative needs.
- Maintain and analyze program data, creating simple analyses and visualizations that help the team understand engagement, feedback, and program performance.
- Support the execution of Fellowship programs, events, and operational priorities in partnership with teams across the Fellowship.
- Tackle special projects and emerging priorities, quickly learning new areas and jumping in where additional capacity is needed.
The Ideal Candidate…
- Is an ambitious, early-career professional who is excited to jump in, learn quickly, take initiative, and grow their responsibilities over time.
- Has 0–2 years of experience in program coordination, operations, project management, administrative support, or a related field.
- Is comfortable working with data, including basic analysis, visualization, and presenting findings clearly to others.
- Is tech-savvy and excited to use new tools, including AI tools, to work efficiently, solve problems, and get things done.
- Is exceptionally organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams and follow through.
- Is adaptable, resourceful, and comfortable figuring things out when there isn’t an established playbook.
- Communicates clearly and professionally and enjoys collaborating with a wide range of people and teams.
- Is excited by Activate’s mission and eager to learn about science entrepreneurship and breakthrough technologies.
About the Role
This is a full-time position with a competitive annual salary of $65,000 and a generous benefits package that includes professional development, $2,000 in annual wellness funds, flexible paid time off, healthcare coverage for employees and dependents, with 90–100% of premiums covered, and the opportunity to join a retirement plan with a 3% match beginning after 3 months at Activate.
This role is open to candidates based near one of our U.S. hubs: SF Bay Area, Boston, New York, or Houston, or willing to relocate.
Encouraging Applications from All Backgrounds
We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating a welcoming workplace for all employees. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status. We will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. Activate Global, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Skills Required
- 0-2 years of experience in program coordination, operations, project management, administrative support, or a related field
- Basic data analysis, visualization, and ability to present findings clearly
- Comfort using technology and learning new tools, including AI tools
- Exceptional organization and attention to detail while managing multiple workstreams
- Adaptability, resourcefulness, initiative, and ability to work without an established playbook
- Clear and professional communication skills
- Ability to collaborate with a wide range of people and teams
- Interest in Activate’s mission, science entrepreneurship, and breakthrough technologies
What We Do
We empower scientists to reinvent the world by bringing their research to market. Founded in 2015, Activate is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that empowers scientists to reinvent the world by bringing their research to market to address climate change and other global challenges. Activate works between government and the private sector, transforming scientists into high-impact entrepreneurs through a fellowship that guides them along every step of the journey. The Activate Fellowship provides two years of funding and connects fellows with the resources, knowledge, and networks they need to succeed. The fellowship does not take equity in fellows' startups. Activate's entrepreneurial fellowship model originated at Cyclotron Road, a division of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and founding Activate partner. Today, Activate supports 20-30 new Activate Fellows each year in with plans to expand to 100 new fellows, across the United States, each year. For more information, go to Activate.org.
