Operations & Programs Associate

AetherForge; Herndon (VA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

AetherForge is seeking an Operations & Programs Associate to join a fast-moving, close-knit team in Herndon, VA. This role is ideal for a sharp generalist who thrives in a learning-by-doing environment and supports multiple areas as they grow.

You'll work alongside an experienced Executive Assistant, helping coordinate IT, data, compliance, and program deliverables while developing broad skills across the organization. This is a genuine growth opportunity.

Qualifications

• Willingness to learn across multiple domains.
• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities without dropping tasks.
• Discretion with sensitive data and admin systems.

Responsibilities

• Provide internal IT support, onboarding/offboarding staff, and account management.
• Curate company data across platforms and assist data migrations.
• Track project controls, scopes of work, and reporting.
• Support contract deliverables, packaging submissions, and deadlines.
• Maintain compliance docs and support audit readiness.
• Assist with 508 (ADA) compliance for federal submissions.
• Occasionally help with office dogs and team culture.

Skills

Fast learner

Organized

Self-starter

Team player

Discreet

Growth mindset

Job description

About the Role

AetherForge is a fast-moving, close-knit team, and is looking for someone who thrives in that kind of environment. This is a role for someone who's not a specialist, but a sharp generalist who thrives in "figure it out" mode. Responsibilities will evolve, and flexibility is key.

As our Operations & Programs Associate, you'll be learning each area as you go, with support behind you. No single domain will be exclusively yours. Instead, you'll be the person who keeps many moving pieces running smoothly and who becomes genuinely skilled across a wide variety of things.

You'll work closely alongside our Executive assistant, who has spent years building new skills on the fly and will be right there with you. They'll be supporting in your learning journey, and they'll make sure you're never figuring things out alone.

This is a genuine growth opportunity. As AetherForge grows, so does this role - and the person in it.

What You'll Do

Your day-to-day will shift based on what the team needs - and that's intentional. Here's a look at the areas you'll work across:

• Provide internal IT support - troubleshooting issues, onboarding and offboarding staff, managing accounts, software licenses, and hardware; you'll hold an admin role in our systems
• Curate and organize company data across platforms, help build out our internal proposal library, and support the migration of data from legacy systems
• Track project controls: charge codes, scopes of work, and POW reporting - keeping everything accurate and up to date
• Support contract deliverables end-to-end: reviewing documents for consistency and accuracy, packaging submissions, tracking deadlines, and helping prepare monthly status reports and program progress reports
• Maintain compliance documentation and support audit readiness - you'll learn the basics of what's required, and you'll have expert backup every step of the way
• Assist with 508 (ADA) compliance for federal submissions - training will be provided
• Occasionally help with our office dogs - we're an animal-friendly team and proud of it

Who You Are

You don't need to know everything on day one. What matters most is that you show up ready to learn, adapt, and contribute. We're looking for someone who is:

• A fast, enthusiastic learner - new challenges energize you rather than overwhelm you
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail - able to manage multiple priorities without dropping the ball
• A self-starter - you anticipate what needs to happen next and take action
• Warm, personable, and easy to work with - a true team player with strong interpersonal skills
• Trustworthy and discreet - you'll have access to sensitive data and admin-level systems
• Early-career and genuinely excited to grow - mindset of learning, contributing, and advancing
• Bonus points for experience in IT, compliance, government contracting, or data management.