Associate, Strategy

About the Company

We are a renewable energy and ocean technology company committed to rapidly developing and deploying technologies that will ensure a sustainable future for Earth by unlocking the vast energy potential of its oceans. Our focus is on capturing civilizational levels of ultra-low-cost renewable energy for applications including computing and affordable renewable fuels delivered to shore.

The company is a public benefit corporation headquartered in Portland, Oregon, and backed by leading venture capitalists, philanthropic investors, university endowments, and private investment offices. We operate as an idea meritocracy in which the best ideas change the company’s direction on a regular basis.

Our staff have worked at organizations such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Boeing, Tesla, Apple, Virgin Orbit, Astra, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, New Relic, Bridgewater, Raytheon, Disney Imagineering, and the US Army and Air Force, as well as research universities, startups, and small companies across a range of industries.

About the Job

Our core technology is the node, a device that produces energy in the ocean’s harshest conditions for years at a time without human maintenance or intervention.

Panthalassa’s strategy team works across capital formation, investor relations, partnerships, PR and media, and the company’s most important external relationships. As Associate, Strategy, you will work alongside the EVP, Strategy to keep the team organized, prepared, and responsive. As you learn the company, you will also build and improve the systems that allow the team to take on more.

The role includes substantial executive and operational support. You will manage calendars and travel, prepare briefings, organize visits and events, and handle the practical details that help our small team move quickly. Although much of the work will initially be administrative, doing it well requires a firm understanding of the team’s goals, plans, and challenges. As such, you will be included in many of the meetings and events that inform our most critical work. The position offers a close view of how deals, fundraising, and strategic partnerships come together, with room to take on greater responsibility in these areas over time.

The team works across time zones and travels often, so the schedule is not confined to standard business hours. Evening and weekend work is common, sometimes with little notice. You will have flexibility to manage your time around those demands.

Candidates should have strong interpersonal skills and be able to thrive in a creative, scrappy, and collaborative environment in which the best ideas change the company’s direction on a regular basis.

About You

The people who know you best would bet on you to find the way out if you were all dropped in the middle of a jungle. You like solving problems and puzzles at any scale and are usually the first to roll up your sleeves. You are resourceful, resilient, and quick to adjust when plans change. You communicate crisply in writing and in person. You are polished and tactful, but never vague or stiff. You give people the context they need, make next steps clear, and close the loop. Your background may not follow a standard path. We care less about the titles you’ve held than the evidence that you can handle demanding schedules, complicated logistics, and unfamiliar problems.

Responsibilities

• Calendars and Travel: Manage calendars and travel for the strategy team, including a changing mix of in-person and virtual meetings with senior leaders and international itineraries that may shift on short notice.
• Visits and Events: Plan investor and partner visits, conferences, meetings, and team gatherings, from initial planning through follow-up.
• Technology and AI: Troubleshoot Mac and iOS devices, software, accounts, and connectivity. Set up new tools and systems, often using AI, with rigorous attention to detail.
• Real-Time Problem Solving: Solve practical problems as they arise, particularly when the team is traveling or hosting visitors.
• Meeting and Project Support: Prepare background materials, confirm participants and logistics, and maintain an accurate record of decisions, owners, and next steps across short- and long-term strategy workstreams.
• Personal Logistics: Help the EVP with appointments, errands, and personal administrative needs that affect the workday.

Required Qualifications

• At least two years of experience in a role that required strong organization, practical judgment, and reliable execution; relevant backgrounds include startups, executive support, hospitality, private households or estates, venture capital, and banking.
• A record of catching errors before they cause problems and finishing work without repeated reminders.
• Strong practical technology skills, including troubleshooting Mac and iOS devices and learning new software and AI tools quickly.
• Experience planning multi-city or international travel across time zones, including itineraries that change often.
• Clear, concise communication in writing and in person.
• Good judgment with sensitive personal, company, and financial information.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience at an early-stage company
• Experience supporting a senior executive or a team that travels frequently
• Interest in energy, AI, or finance

If the role sounds right and your experience does not map neatly to every item above, we would still like to hear from you.

Additional Requirements

• Based in Portland, OR. Candidates based in Los Angeles who are willing to spend substantial time in Portland will also be considered. 
• Reliable availability for time-sensitive work outside standard business hours, including early mornings, nights, weekends, and holidays when travel or urgent work requires it.

Compensation and Benefits

If hired for this full-time role, you will receive:

• Cash compensation of $90,000 - $180,000, depending on experience.
• Equity in the company. We’re all owners and if we’re successful, this equity should be far and away the most valuable component of your compensation.
• A benefits package that helps you take care of yourself and your family, including:
  • Flexible paid time off
  • Health insurance (the company pays 100% of gold-level PPO plan for full-time employees, their partners, and dependents)
  • Dental insurance (the company pays 100% for full-time employees, their partners, and dependents)
  • Vision insurance (the company pays 100% for full-time employees, their partners, and dependents)
  • Disability insurance (the company pays 100% for a policy to provide long-term financial support if you become disabled)
  • Ability to contribute to tax-advantaged accounts, including 401(k), health FSA, and dependent care FSA
• Relocation assistance to facilitate your move to Portland (if needed).

Location

This is an on-site position. Our offices, lab, and shop are located in Portland, Oregon. Candidates based in Los Angeles who are willing to spend substantial time in Portland will also be considered.