Operations Coordinator

astera; Emeryville (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Competitive compensation

Professional development

Job summary

Astera Neuro is seeking an Operations Coordinator to support the Chief Operating Officer in keeping our research operations organized, on schedule, and running smoothly.

You'll sit at the center of the organization, tracking projects, coordinating across science, engineering, and operations teams, and ensuring important work doesn't fall through the cracks.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with 1–3 years of experience in a project coordination, operations, executive support, or program management role
• Exceptional organizational skills and ability to juggle multiple projects and deadlines
• Strong written and verbal communication; comfortable interfacing with leadership and technical teams
• Proactive ownership-driven mindset—you notice what needs to get done and follow through
• Comfortable in a fast-paced, early-stage environment with shifting priorities
• Proficiency with Google Workspace, Slack, and project trackers like Asana/Notion
• Fluency with new software and an instinct to reach for AI tools and automation
• Discretion and sound judgment with confidential information

Responsibilities

• Partner directly with the COO to manage day-to-day operational priorities, timelines, and follow-ups across the organization.
• Track cross-functional projects from kickoff to completion, keeping timelines and owners organized.
• Use AI tools and automation to streamline workflows and draft first-pass materials.
• Prepare materials for leadership meetings, all-hands, and cross-team syncs.
• Coordinate vendor, facilities, and logistics to keep the lab and office running.
• Assist with onboarding logistics, internal events, and team offsites.
• Support recruiting coordination, including interview scheduling and offer logistics.
• Maintain operational documentation, trackers, and dashboards for visibility.
• Identify process gaps and help build lightweight systems as the org scales.
• Take on ad hoc projects as priorities shift.

Skills

Organizational skills

Communication

Ownership mindset

Adaptability

Tool proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Google Workspace

Slack

Asana

Notion

Zapier

Airtable

Job 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 astera.org/vision.

Company Overview

Astera Neuro seeks to understand and engineer consciousness. We believe consciousness is the process by which the brain builds a coherent internal model of the world and the self. We aim to understand this model and to develop the technologies to write experience directly into the brain. By combining large-scale neural recording, causal perturbation, and brain-based AI, we seek to move neuroscience from observing correlates of experience to engineering it. The same tools carry direct therapeutic promise for neurological and psychiatric diseases that alter perception, thought, and sense of self. Because the science and tools required do not yet exist, we are assembling a founding team of neuroscientists, theorists, and engineers to create them. We do high-risk, high-reward science in a well-resourced, collaborative environment with competitive pay, and share everything openly under Astera's Open Science Policy.

Position Summary

Astera Neuro is looking for an Operations Coordinator to support the Chief Operating Officer in keeping our research operations organized, on schedule, and running smoothly. You'll sit at the center of the organization, tracking projects, coordinating across science, engineering, and operations teams, and making sure important work doesn't fall through the cracks. This is a great role for someone early in their career who is highly organized, detail-oriented, and excited to learn how a cutting-edge research organization runs day to day. The ideal candidate is a creative, tech-forward generalist who picks up new tools quickly and reaches for AI and automation before doing anything manual twice.

What You Will Build

• Partner directly with the COO to manage day-to-day operational priorities, project timelines, and follow-ups across the organization.
• Track cross-functional projects from kickoff to completion, keeping timelines, owners, and action items organized and visible.
• Use AI tools and automation to streamline workflows, draft first-pass materials, and build lightweight internal tools.
• Coordinate and prepare materials for leadership meetings, all-hands, and cross-team syncs, including agendas, notes, and follow-up tracking.
• Support vendor, facilities, and logistics coordination to keep the lab and office running smoothly.
• Help plan and execute internal events, onboarding logistics, and team offsites.
• Support recruiting coordination, including interview scheduling, candidate communications, and offer logistics, as the team grows.
• Maintain operational documentation, trackers, and dashboards so the team always has an accurate view of what's in flight.
• Identify process gaps and help build lightweight systems that make the organization more efficient as it scales.
• Take on ad hoc projects and special initiatives as priorities shift, no two weeks will look exactly the same.

Who You Are

Required:

• Bachelor's degree with 1–3 years of experience in a project coordination, operations, executive support, or program management role (internships count).
• Exceptional organizational skills and an ability to juggle multiple projects and deadlines without losing track of details.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; comfortable interfacing with leadership and technical teams alike.
• A proactive, ownership-driven mindset — you notice what needs to get done and follow through without being asked twice.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, early-stage environment where priorities can shift quickly.
• Proficiency with common productivity and collaboration tools (e.g., Google Workspace, Slack, project trackers like Asana/Notion).
• Fluency with new software and an instinct to reach for AI tools and automation to work faster and better.
• Discretion and sound judgment with confidential information.

Preferred/Nice to Have:

• Experience supporting a senior executive or leadership team directly.
• Exposure to a research, lab, hardware, or scientific organization.
• Familiarity with basic budgeting, vendor management, or procurement processes.
• Experience with no-code or automation tools (e.g., Zapier, Airtable, Notion databases) or basic scripting.

Why Join Us

This is a rare opportunity to get an inside view of how a cutting-edge neuroscience research organization operates, from the lab floor to the leadership table. You'll work closely with our COO, gain exposure to every part of the organization, and help build the operational foundation that lets our scientists and engineers do their best work. You don't need a neuroscience background; you need to be organized, resourceful, and excited to make things run better.

Astera Neuro provides a comprehensive benefits package and total compensation that is competitive and commensurate with the level of experience and qualifications.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity and inclusion!