Program Associate, Fellowship

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.

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. 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.

Key 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.

Qualifications

• An ambitious, early-career professional who is excited to jump in, learn quickly, take initiative, and grow their responsibilities over time.
• 0–2 years of experience in program coordination, operations, project management, administrative support, or a related field.
• Comfortable working with data, including basic analysis, visualization, and presenting findings clearly to others.
• Tech-savvy and excited to use new tools, including AI tools, to work efficiently, solve problems, and get things done.
• Exceptionally organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams and follow through.
• 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.
• Excited by Activate’s mission and eager to learn about science entrepreneurship and breakthrough technologies.

About The Role

• Full-time position.
• Competitive annual salary of $65,000.
• Generous benefits package:
• Professional development.
• $2,000 in annual wellness funds.
• Flexible paid time off.
• Healthcare coverage for employees and dependents, with 90–100% of premiums covered.
• 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.