Associate

The Role

The Schmidt Sciences Climate Center seeks to understand how our planet works and the ways it's changing, connect climate research to action by developing science-driven tools, and empower interdisciplinary networks needed to drive climate solutions. Schmidt Sciences has developed a model called the Virtual Institute (VI), which is defined as a network of multiple high-risk, high-impact research projects typically composed of multiple international teams taking complementary approaches to a common problem.

Reporting to the Program Scientist, the Associate will support the carbon cycle portfolio within Schmidt Sciences, which will primarily include facilitating the program management for the Virtual Institute of the Carbon Cycle (VICC) program and acting as a liaison for the Carbon Research Frontier Network (C-RFN) initiative. The Associate will support the review and diligence of research proposals across these portfolios, support the evaluation of scientific research to inform the management of gifts and grants throughout their lifecycle, advance the implementation of strategic and programmatic priorities within the portfolios, build and iterate on operational processes, and contribute to building and maintaining a strong community of awardees and partners.

VICC: The Virtual Institute of the Carbon Cycle (VICC) is the cornerstone of the carbon cycle portfolio. Phase 1 of VICC launched in 2025 and projects selected as part of Phase 1 will enter their second of five years. Phase 2 planning of VICC is now also underway. At steady state, VICC will require the management of around 10 separate projects, including measurement of progress and outcomes, development of collaborative opportunities between projects, and coordination with external stakeholders relevant to the outputs of the program. Working in close tandem with the Senior Program Scientist, the Associate will provide operational and programmatic support for VICC, ensuring effective execution, efficient resource use, and alignment between operational/programmatic plans and the broader strategic goals of the Climate Center and Schmidt Sciences.

Carbon-RFN: Research Frontiers Networks (RFNs) are a new Climate Center initiative that will create interdisciplinary, cross-sector research hubs at leading academic research centers in India. RFN's will advance Earth system understanding, improve climate and energy models, and accelerate local decarbonization strategies. The Carbon-RFN will connect our place-based work to our Virtual Institute for the Carbon Cycle (VICC). The Associate will partner with the Senior Program Scientist and RFN Lead in the design of the structure and goals of the Carbon-RFN project to ensure sufficient collaboration and coordination with global and regional efforts (e.g., data sharing, mission relevance, awardee selection), design and organize effective convenings and workshops around strategic program goals, including community building and accelerating science outcomes.

The Climate Center’s broader carbon cycle portfolio also encompasses projects within the Virtual Earth System Research Institute (VESRI) and the Ocean Biogeochemistry Virtual Institute (OBVI) programs. Working in partnership with the Senior Program Scientist and program scientists leading these initiatives, the Associate will help advance the growth, coordination, and long-term sustainability of Schmidt Sciences’ integrated carbon cycle and climate research ecosystem.

Key responsibilities for this role include the following:

Program Operations and Management

• Providing comprehensive operational support to designated programs and the Climate Center, ensuring efficient and effective execution of initiatives in alignment with strategic priorities of the Climate Center and Schmidt Sciences.
• Assisting Program Delivery personnel to maintain accurate award data, including timely updates, documentation, and compliance with internal standards.
• Reviewing and prioritizing incoming awardee inquiries related to reporting, payments, and project progress, and directing them to the appropriate resources or personnel for resolution.
• Monitoring reporting requirements, milestone deliverables, payment schedules, and key metrics to ensure compliance and timeliness, while organizing findings to support internal evaluation of progress against goals.
• Partnering with the Science and Delivery staff to design and organize effective convenings and workshops around strategic program goals, including community building and accelerating science outcomes.
• Supporting team on synthesizing scientific and strategic takeaways from events and network interactions, collecting feedback from awardees and workshop participants through surveys, meetings and informal discussions to inform program development.
• Assisting in the selection and award process, including organizing application materials, coordinating review processes, supporting due diligence and evaluation, and managing award documentation and execution.
• Managing and streamlining internal workflows supporting program launch and implementation across new and existing initiatives within the carbon cycle portfolio.
• Developing and maintaining standardized operational templates, trackers, and data systems (e.g., Airtable) across the carbon cycle portfolio, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and scalability across tools and programs.
• Assisting with coordinating contracts for reviewers, advisors, program participants, and vendors in partnership with internal teams.
• Identifying opportunities to improve operational efficiency and consistency across programs, and propose changes for review with the Delivery and Science leads in the Climate Center.

Strategic Program Development and Management

• Facilitating collaboration between awardees and program staff and across projects to optimize program development and the impact of the Climate Center’s endeavors, e.g. through grant funding, workshops, researcher exchanges, and stakeholder engagement.
• Synthesizing scientific and strategic takeaways from events and network interactions to inform program development.
• Coordinating a call for proposals for VICC Phase 2 in collaboration with the Science, Delivery staff, and Advisory Board.
• Working collaboratively with team members across Schmidt Entities to connect program insights, metrics, and convening outcomes to broader organizational learnings and needs within and across climate-related programs.
• Identifying organizations - including universities, labs, other research facilities, and philanthropic and government organizations - that could work in concert with Schmidt Sciences on efforts relating to carbon cycle and climate.
• Representing Schmidt Sciences effectively in meetings, presentations, public forums, and conferences.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong organizational and project coordination skills, with attention to detail and follow-through.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to summarize complex information in a concise way.
• Demonstrated ability to support multiple projects and deadlines in a dynamic environment.
• Experience collaborating with and coordinating across diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Self-starter with the ability to take ownership of tasks, anticipate needs, and drive execution with appropriate guidance.
• Comfort working with scientific content and a willingness to learn more about carbon cycle and climate research as needed.
• Ability to critically analyze and assess funding proposals and other opportunities.
• Experience working with other science-focused institutions such as philanthropic organizations or academic research institutions.

Required Qualifications

• 3-6 years of program management experience in high-intensity, team-based environments, ideally in a philanthropic, academic, or research-focused organization.
• Demonstrated ability to work with multiple teams to support management of grant portfolios and coordinated work across multiple teams.
• Have the highest integrity and ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Values-based, collaborative working style with commitment to ethics, integrity, and confidentiality.
• Based in the New York Schmidt Sciences office and able to travel within the U.S. and internationally as needed, following company policy.

Desired Additional Skills:

• Master’s degree or equivalent from an accredited institution.
• Experience collaborating with scientific research teams or academic institutions, particularly those spanning multiple geographic locations.
• Experience working in a philanthropic organization, particularly one focused on science, technology, or research funding.
• Demonstrated interest in carbon cycle, climate research, remote-sensing or the broader Earth Science research ecosystem.