Operations Coordinator

Astera Institute•Emeryville, CA

51d•$70,000 - $100,000

About The Position

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.

Requirements

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.

Nice To Haves

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.

Responsibilities

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.