The Heising-Simons Foundation is a family foundation based in Los Altos and San Francisco, California. The Foundation works with its many partners to advance sustainable solutions in climate and clean energy, enable groundbreaking research in science, enhance the education of our youngest learners, and support human rights for all people. In 2020, the Foundation awarded more than $127 million in grants. The Foundation’s grantmaking is guided by the values of humility, courage, justice, opportunity, sustainability, innovation, relationships, and integrity.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, all Heising-Simons Foundation staff are working remotely. We plan to reopen our offices on October 1, 2021.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Program Associate (PA) provides administrative and program-related support to the Foundation’s Science team. The goal of the Foundation’s Science program is to support fundamental research primarily in the physical sciences and climate change science. The program also strives to increase the number of women and black, indigenous, and people of color (of all genders) in physics, astronomy, and the geosciences in the U.S. research academy.

The Science team is currently staffed by one PA, three Program Officers (POs), and the Program Director (PD). In 2020, the Science Team made 56 grants totaling $26M in grant funding. This role will work in partnership with the current PA to provide support to the team’s PD and POs. Although the focus of this role is to work with the Science team, the PA will also support PDs, POs, and PAs in other program areas, as needed. 

This position is an opportunity to learn about subfields within science, including astronomy, climate change science, and physics, diversity, equity and inclusion in scientific research, and philanthropy. Candidates are not expected to have experience in all areas listed in the job posting.

The primary responsibilities of the PA are to:

• Serve as the first point of contact for grantees and grant seekers.
• Work closely with the Grants Management team to ensure that grantmaking adheres to the Foundation’s grantmaking and contracting policies, procedures, and deadlines.
• Provide administrative support to the POs and PD, ranging from calendaring to research.

This full-time (37.5 hours per week), nonexempt (hourly) position reports to the PD of the Science team and is based in our Los Altos, CA office.

COMPENSATION

The target starting salary for this position is $72,000-86,000 per year, depending on experience.

HOW TO APPLY

Click here for more information or to apply. (https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/720219/The-Heising-Simons-Foundation/Program-Associate-Science). The Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes a diverse pool of applicants. Foundation policy prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, military service, legally protected medical condition, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws. Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified applicants with disabilities may participate in the application process. Please advise in writing of special needs at the time of application.

Our success is dependent on our ability to build teams that include people with different experiences and expertise and who can challenge each other’s assumptions with new viewpoints and bring different perspectives to the team. We encourage women, people of color, formerly incarcerated individuals, immigrants, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, and others with diverse perspectives and experiences to apply.