Operations Associate/Specialist

We offer a referral bonus of up to $2,500 for this position; see here for more details.

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  • Project/Division: Operations
  • Start date: As soon as possible
  • Status: Full-time SecureBio employee
  • Approximate compensation: $80,000 to $105,000, based on experience; higher compensation considered for exceptional candidates
  • Visa sponsorship: Considered for exceptional candidates 
  • Work location: In-person in Cambridge, MA
  • Reports to: Director of Operations
  • Application form: apply here. We will review applications on a rolling basis.

The role

SecureBio is a pioneering biosecurity nonprofit dedicated to protecting society from catastrophic biological risks. We collaborate with leading experts across academia, industry, and government to develop novel technologies and forward-thinking policy proposals to delay, detect, and defend against the most dangerous biological agents, both natural and engineered. Our key initiatives include the Nucleic Acid Observatory for early warning of catastrophic biothreats and our AI and Biotechnology Risks effort.

Our programs are expanding rapidly, and we are growing the organization as a result. 

We seek a highly organized, tech-savvy Operations Specialist or Associate. Your exact title will depend on your experience level, demonstrated skills, and the responsibilities you're prepared to own from day one. In this role, you will be a generalist, contributing to or directly owning responsibilities across operational domains such as: accounting, events, hiring, office upkeep, managing the expansion of our coworking space, social media. You will also work on special projects for the Nucleic Acid Observatory and AIxBio teams. There is flexibility to support or focus on other operational domains depending on your interests. 

We expect an excellent candidate to become a highly valuable long-term member of the SecureBio team. You will support our organization’s growth by assisting with communications, administrative tasks, and essential day-to-day upkeep. By doing so, you will significantly contribute to SecureBio’s overall effectiveness in preventing catastrophic biorisk. We are particularly interested in highly talented, motivated self-starters who are looking to advance their operational skills across a variety of verticals and have a growth mindset.

This is an in-person role, reporting to the Director of Operations, and is based in our office space in the Kendall Square area of Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Responsibilities

  • Events: Organize and run retreats, networking sessions, and seminars

  • Accounting: Process invoices, manage finance spreadsheets, track programmatic spending and maintain oversight of budgets 

  • Communications: manage our social media presence and assist our strategic communications across all platforms and channels to help disseminate our work among the relevant partners

  • Human Resources: Support hiring processes, performance reviews, organizational improvement initiatives, and staff onboarding/offboarding 

  • Office Management: Manage daily office operations, vendors, budgeting, and assist our efforts to expand our coworking hub. Manage a part time office assistant.

  • Communication: Maintain our social media presence, assist with executive email triage, and edit public-facing reports

  • Special Projects:

    • Provide program management and other operational support for specific project teams (e.g. organizing and running weekly meetings).

    • Research and implement solutions to routine work (e.g. finding software tools that can automate some of our processes).

We are a small team with varied workstreams, some of which involve routine (and at times unglamorous) tasks. The examples above illustrate the nature of the role; we’re seeking someone flexible and enthusiastic about providing essential administrative support wherever it’s needed.

Who we’re looking for

You might be a good fit if you are:

  • Adaptable and resilient. You are agile and stay composed under shifting circumstances. You have a growth mindset and see mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow.

  • Solutions-oriented. You don’t get stuck easily, and you are quick to ask for help when needed. You're thoughtful in providing solutions that meet the underlying goals, even if they differ from the initial ask.

  • Highly organized and focused. You can effectively prioritize diverse daily tasks and transparently communicate your priorities to your colleagues.

  • Motivated to efficiently complete tasks of all sizes, embracing even routine or behind-the-scenes work that is vital to our mission.

  • Communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing. You accurately interpret requests and proactively clarify when expectations are uncertain.

  • A fast and motivated learner, comfortable with diving into new areas, skilling up quickly, and seeking out advice when needed.

  • Conscientious and responsive, willing to occasionally work beyond regular hours to meet important deadlines or urgent team needs.

  • Discreet & trustworthy with confidential or sensitive information.

  • Enthusiastic about or have experience in biosecurity, with the desire to learn fast and orient yourself quickly in a new context.

Preferred

  • 1-2 years in business operations, project management, consulting, finance, or startups (2+ years for Operations Specialist)

  • Hands-on experience in designing & building automated solutions to tricky operational problems.

  • Basic familiarity with programming and Excel/Google Sheets functions and shortcuts

If you are unsure whether you are a good fit, we strongly recommend that you apply anyway.

Salary and benefits

This is a full-time, in-person role based in our office space in the Kendall Square area of Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Your starting salary range is $80,000 to $105,000 per annum, depending on prior experience. There may be flexibility in salary for exceptional candidates with significant relevant experience.

Our employee benefits reflect our belief in investing to build the strongest possible team, in which everyone receives the trust and support they need to excel. Our benefits package includes:

  • Comprehensive healthcare

    Comprehensive healthcare coverage, including health, dental & vision insurance, as well as a yearly mental health allowance for every employee.

  • Flexible work schedule

    Flexible work hours; unlimited paid time off (PTO) for all employees; and minimum 12 weeks fully-paid parental leave.

  • World-class office

    An exceptional working environment in our Kendall Square office, including high-quality ergonomic office equipment, snacks, and daily catered lunches.

  • Development opportunities

    Generous professional development opportunities, including fully-paid conference sponsorships and a yearly development allowance for every employee.

  • 401(k)

    Employer 401(k) match up to 4% of total salary.

  • Relocation & commuter support

    Free commuter benefits, plus a generous relocation allowance for employees who move to the Boston area

About SecureBio

In joining SecureBio, you’ll be joining a motivated, mission-driven, and international team of professionals dedicated to protecting the world from biological threats. Through in-house research & development, as well as collaborations with experts in academia, industry & government, we are working to build the tools, technologies, and institutions the world needs to be secure against future biotechnology,

Major projects by the SecureBio team include the Nucleic Acid Observatory project for reliable pandemic detection and our work to understand and reduce biological risks from advanced artificial intelligence.

Application process

We will review applications on a rolling basis, and are looking for someone to start as soon as possible.

After considering your written application, we may invite you to a short screening interview. High-performing candidates may be invited to further interviews and/or paid trial tasks. We will also require up to two reference checks. 

We’re committed to fostering a culture of inclusion, and we encourage individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply. We especially encourage applications from women, gender minorities, and people of color who are excited about contributing to our mission, and are happy to consider applicants from overseas. We’re an equal opportunity employer.

If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, or have any other questions about applying, please contact [email protected].

Referral bonus

We offer a referral bonus of up to $2,500 to individuals who refer successful candidates for this position:

  • If you refer a candidate that we invite to a full structured interview or work trial, you will receive $250;

  • If the candidate accepts a job offer, you will receive a further $750, for a total of $1,000;

  • If the candidate is still working with us after the three months from their start date, you will receive a further $1,500, for a total of $2,500.

To receive these bonuses, we must reasonably believe that you were responsible for referring the candidate to us (e.g. due to you introducing them to us when we didn’t previously know them, or them mentioning you on their application as the reason they heard about the position).