Description

Join our entrepreneurial team working to advance discovery science, collaborative philanthropy, and holistic approaches to strengthening science and democracy. We are looking for a boundary-spanning, early-career innovator to support the Foundation’s leadership as a pioneering discovery science funder and civic science field builder—extending learning, networks, and successes of the Rita Allen Scholars program and collaboratively organized Civic Science Fellows program.

The inaugural Rita Allen Foundation Fellow in Neuroscience & Civic Science is a full-time two‐year fellowship. The Fellow will have the exciting opportunity to collaborate with our team and partners around grants and programmatic activities. The Fellow will be an active member of the Rita Allen Foundation Scholars and Civic Science Fellows program teams and have opportunities to engage with partners across the Foundation’s extensive national networks. Key initiatives will include advancing plans to meaningfully mark the Scholars program 50^th anniversary in 2026 and developing promising pathways to cultivate connections between the Foundation’s discovery science and civic science work.

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 inclusive 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.

Our programs include a number of national and international philanthropic collaborative initiatives, including 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—toward a future where all people can help shape science to expand its horizons and benefits.

In our work together, you will:

• Participate in planning and implementation of programs and activities to foster connection and collaboration among Scholars, including programming and events to mark the upcoming 50^th anniversary of the Rita Allen Foundation Scholars program, and Civic Science Fellows—strengthening partnerships, connecting networks, and advancing shared learning.
• Survey research and practice ecosystems to help identify emergent questions, innovative approaches, and promising ideas—including to inform Scholars 50^th anniversary initiatives and to identify opportunities for programmatic work to build bridges among Scholars, Civic Science Fellows, and philanthropic practice programs.
• Curate and cultivate a network of interdisciplinary experts and changemakers to learn with and engage across knowledge hubs and networks.
• Work collaboratively across programmatic and operational areas as a thought partner with program staff and leadership.
• Represent the Foundation at conferences, meetings, and other professional convenings to share learnings with teams and partners.
• Up to 10% of time may be dedicated to professional development activities.

We are looking for:

• An early-career innovator with a master’s, Ph.D., or other advanced degree in neuroscience or a related STEMM field
• 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 coordinate complex processes and produce deliverables on deadline.
• A relationship builder with meticulous attention to detail, who can help the Foundation and its collaborators form strong, long-term partnerships based on mutual understanding, aligned values, and ongoing learning.
• A skilled synthesizer with intellectual curiosity who can connect content from a variety of sources and about complex topics—particularly related to science, civic science, and philanthropy with attention to ethics, equity, and collaboration.
• A clear and compelling communicator, with the ability to translate complex scientific ideas for a range of audiences; quickly summarize learning, events, and next steps with teams and partners; and with great attention to detail and accuracy.  
• A creative thinker with the ability to elevate emerging opportunities and propose solutions to advance projects and goals.
• A driven professional with the ability to outline and achieve project timelines, including effective communication with collaborators and flexibility as emergent needs, opportunities, or circumstances arise.

To Apply:

Please submit a cover letter describing your qualifications, a brief bio (200‐word limit), and your curriculum vitae to amd@ritaallen.org. For full consideration, please apply by the priority application deadline of December 19, 2024. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

The anticipated/desired start date is early-2025. The salary range for this full-time two-year fellowship position is $80,000 ‐ $85,000. 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. Additional support to participate in professional development activities and scientific conferences is also available (with approval).

The Rita Allen Foundation office is located in downtown Princeton, New Jersey. A remote or hybrid working arrangement is possible for this position.

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.