Open Science Policy and Operations Manager
- Compensation
- $150K–$200K / yr
- Location
- Emeryville, United States
- Work setup
- Onsite
- Seniority
- Not specified
- Employment
- Not specified
- Experience
- 3+ years
- Category
- Operations
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- 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.
Nice to have
- Experience interfacing with researchers, tool builders, or funders in open science or research infrastructure contexts.
- Prior experience operationalizing institutional policies through training, documents, or other materials.
- 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.
Full description
About Astera:
Astera is a private foundation on a mission to steer science and technology toward a better future. We believe the coming years will bring an era of unprecedented scientific and technological advancement as exponential progress in AI converges with central advances in other fields to accelerate innovation. This inflection point provides an unparalleled opportunity to fundamentally rethink the institutions, systems, and tools that drive progress. We have committed a $3.5B endowment to that work and fit the form of our support to the function it serves: grants, investments, and in-house research programs. We accept meaningful risk in the research we back and expect some of it to fail because transformative ideas are rarely the ones already proven. Our projects, and the foundation itself, operate like high-velocity startups, with a high performance bar and competitive compensation to match. We are searching for leaders who are compelled by the challenge of driving high-impact change in the way science is funded, conducted, and communicated. You can read more about our mission, vision, and programming at .
Position Summary:
We are seeking a highly organized, proactive, and mission-aligned Open Science Policy Operations Manager to support and extend Astera’s open science strategy across internal programs and external partnerships. In this in-person role, you will work closely with the Head of Open Science to operationalize open science initiatives, serve as a first point of contact for community members and tool builders, and ensure that ideas, opportunities, and relationships are evaluated, tracked, and advanced effectively.
This role is primarily internal with the possibility for some external opportunities and is ideal for a strong operator with experience in project management and the open science ecosystems. You should be comfortable adopting and operationalizing the current open science policy and vision throughout Astera. You should also be someone who thrives in ambiguity, can represent leadership thoughtfully, and enjoys translating vision into execution. You will act as connective tissue across teams, initiatives, and stakeholders—helping ensure Astera’s open science work is rigorous, responsive, and impactful.
Key Responsibilities:
Program Operations & Execution
- 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.