Executive Business Partner to VP, Applied Research

The Hire Standard•Palo Alto, CA

About The Position

Breakthrough research needs room to happen. Your job is to create it. Our client is a frontier AI company with teams across the U.S. and Europe, turning cutting-edge research into technology people actually use. Their VP of Applied Research leads the work that moves ideas from the lab into the real world, and they need a partner who can take the operational weight off their shoulders so they can focus on what only they can do. This is a hands-on, high-trust role for someone who is organized to the core, proactive by instinct, and happiest when untangling a problem. You'll protect the VP's focus, extend their reach, and help shape how a fast-scaling research organization runs.

Requirements

8+ years in executive support, executive operations, or a similar role, including direct support for a founder, CTO, VP, or C-level executive.
Experience in a high-growth startup or another environment where things move fast and change often.
A sharp eye for detail, strong organizational habits, and dependable follow-through.
Clear, adaptable communication, whether you're working with researchers, investors, or board members.
Professionalism, sound judgment, and complete discretion with sensitive matters.
A strong ownership mindset. You fix problems instead of debating whose problem they are.
Comfort with ambiguity, a bias for speed, and a knack for building lightweight processes from scratch.
Real curiosity about AI and the research behind it.
Hands-on experience using AI tools to make your own work faster, sharper, and more efficient.

Responsibilities

Run the VP's calendar, scheduling, travel, and daily logistics, including board meetings, investor meetings, and key external engagements.
Ensure the right people are in the room and the right information and materials are ready before important meetings.
Coordinate board meetings, conferences, offsites, dinners, and other high-priority gatherings from first idea to final detail.
Track commitments and action items, work across teams, and keep priority work moving to completion.
Take on ambiguous problems and special projects, decide what needs to happen, and deliver it.
Continuously find ways to make the VP's workflow, and the organization around them, faster, simpler, and more effective.