Job Description

About the Foundation

The Rita Allen Foundation is a venture philanthropy organization that invests in transformative ideas in their earliest stages to leverage their growth and promote breakthrough solutions to significant problems. It enables early-career biomedical scholars to do pioneering research, seeds innovative approaches to fostering informed civic engagement, and develops knowledge and networks to build the effectiveness of the philanthropic sector. We support discoveries in their earliest stages that will ultimately improve human health, democracy, and understanding.

As a field-building leader in civic science, the Foundation is developing new investments, research, and coalitions to strengthen connections between science, diverse communities, and civil society. Our growing network includes pioneering scientists and civic science leaders, renowned national organizations, social innovation startups, and engaged funding partners. Together, we are working to catalyze a culture of civic science—supporting inclusive scientific and civic ecosystems where discovery and the public good can thrive.

Research, analysis, communication, and coordination are at the heart of our work to develop fields and networks collaborating to advance discovery science, philanthropic practice, and civic science. These programs include a number of national and international philanthropic collaborative initiatives, the field-leading Rita Allen Foundation Scholars program, and the Civic Science Fellows program, a signature effort co-created with a vibrant cross-sector community. With diverse roots and across ecosystems, we work to seed, incubate, and mobilize leaders and networks—co-creating a future where all people shape science to expand its benefits and frontiers.

About the Role: Program Research and Communication

We are seeking a versatile early-career professional with excellent writing, analytic, communication, and coordination skills to support grantmaking, learning, and collaboration in discovery science, civic science, and philanthropic practice. Working closely with our highly collaborative team, this role will be central to our efforts to support innovative leaders and networks through philanthropic excellence, engaged knowledge-development, and thoughtful connection across ideas and opportunities.

In our work together, you will:

RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATION

• Assist with research, analysis, and content development to help tell the story of our collaborative programs to facilitate shared learning, effective collaborations, and novel solutions to entrenched and emergent problems.
• Collect, assess, and organize updates from grant partners and network members, including through monitoring grant reports, news sources, field publications, and social media.
• Assist with research and monitoring to help inform the Foundation’s grant-making, relationship-building, and field-development activities.
• Write and collaborate on grant and program highlights, insights, and analysis to share with Rita Allen’s Board and staff, as well as our partners and networks.
• Contribute to drafting content highlighting program activity, impact, and learning for external audiences, including announcements, web articles, newsletters, and social media posts.
• Format, fact-check, proofread, and post digital media content for newsletters, social media, and websites.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for current and prospective grant partner inquiries.
• Attend select meetings and events hosted by Rita Allen and our network partners to share insights and updates with Foundation team members.

COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION

• Coordinate select grant processes, including for the Rita Allen Foundation Scholars program, in close collaboration with the Foundation grants team and external partners.
• Track grant deliverables and reports and assist with reporting on overall progress against annual and multiyear goals.
• Contribute to the Foundation’s maintenance of accurate records and contact information.
• Draft program-related correspondence, forms, materials, and grant agreements.
• Assist in coordinating in-person and virtual meetings, symposia, seminars, and convenings.
• Collaborate with Foundation team members around new projects and professional development.

We are looking for:

• A highly organized and effective communicator and coordinator eager to work in an interdisciplinary environment that balances research, engagement, and action in support of discovery science and civic science.
• A clear and compelling writer with meticulous attention to detail, who can help the Foundation and collaborators share impacts and insights with internal and external audiences in a way that is precise, engaging, and helpful to inform future work.
• A curious and thoughtful researcher with an aptitude for quickly coming up-to-speed on emergent developments in a variety of fields and a hunger for learning about findings in biomedical science, other areas of science, philanthropy, technology, ethics, communication, and democracy—and thinking about how they intersect.
• An agile collaborator—one who excels when working with a diverse mix of people, embracing an iterative team-based process of content creation and decision making, and advancing projects with enthusiasm for working in teams—with the ability to produce deliverables on deadline.
• A quick study of tools and processes essential to advancing our programs and communications, which currently include Fluxx grants management software, ClickUp, WordPress, Mailchimp, Canva, Salesforce, Survey Monkey, LinkedIn, Google Docs, and the Microsoft Office suite.
• Early-career experience working in an administrative, editorial, communications, analytic, or programmatic role for a minimum of two years, along with experience in academic, philanthropic, media, government, community organizing, public-benefit, or nonprofit spaces.
• Preferably, an advanced degree in a STEMM field, the social sciences, humanities, communication, journalism, administration, or interdisciplinary studies—or equivalent lived and professional experience. Awareness of issues related to philanthropy, ethics, equity, and the practice of science are strongly desired.

To Apply

Submit a résumé and cover letter to www.chaloner.com describing your interest in this position. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

The starting salary range for this full-time position is $80,000-90,000, depending on experience. We also offer a highly competitive benefits package, including health, dental, and life insurance; a defined-contribution retirement plan; and a generous paid-time-off program.

Our office is located in downtown Princeton, New Jersey. We have a hybrid policy that is flexible by team and reviewed bi-annually, with current team expectations for in-office days twice per week.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds. The Rita Allen Foundation is committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, sexual orientation or expression, gender, marital status, age, physical or mental disability, military status, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic as established under law. All individuals are welcomed and encouraged to apply.

How to Apply

Job Types: Full-Time. Salaries: 80,000 - 100,000.

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