Project Associate, Life Sciences

*Applicants MUST submit a cover letter with resume to be considered.

*This position will require in-office presence. Hybrid work schedules may be possible based on specific job duties and consistent with ESD policy.

*Minorities, women, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Please contact Human Resources if you require an accommodation.

BASIC FUNCTION:

The Project Associate supports the administration and coordination of grants and contracts under the Life Sciences Initiative, including assistance with RFPs, applications, review, approvals, funding, reporting, and compliance. The role provides operational, analytical, and project coordination support to senior team members, contributes to internal and external reporting and presentations, and assists in tracking life science program data, performance metrics, and project milestones.

WORK PERFORMED:

• Support management of a portfolio of grants and contracts, including application review assistance, preparation of incentive proposals, of board of directors’ approval documents, project tracking, report compilation, and compliance monitoring of funding requirements. 
• Assist project leads in coordinating with grant and contract recipients to track milestones, deliverables, and key performance indicators.
• Serve as a support liaison with other ESD departments, including: Loans and Grants, Project Finance, Procurement, Contracts Administration, Legal, and the Office of Contractor and Supplier Diversity. Help prepare board of directors’ materials, contracts, project status reports, and other documents required for the review/management of projects.
• Process invoices and payment requests under supervision, including assisting with desk audits, validating expenditure documentation, and supporting grant disbursement workflows. 
• Ensure that project information is accurate and up to date in all web-based project tracking databases.
• Support development of the legislatively mandated annual report on the operations and accomplishments of the Life Science Initiative using supporting data and statistics on assigned projects.
• Assist in drafting memos, talking points, briefings and other strategic communications and materials as needed for senior ESD and New York State officials, including reports and documents needed for legislative hearings.
• Provide operational and administrative support including spreadsheet preparation, data management, document tracking, scheduling, and cross-team coordination.
• Contribute to outreach and awareness efforts supporting the state’s life science programs and ecosystem.
• Respond to ad-hoc stakeholders and internal requests with guidance from senior team members.
• Work on other projects assigned by supervisor and/or other senior team members.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Education Required: Associate degree in relevant area. Bachelor’s degree is preferred in business, public administration/public policy, social sciences, or other relevant fields. Interest in science or life science a plus. Degree in life science subject in conjunction with business or policy degree also welcomed.

Experience Required:   1-3 years of relevant experience, including internships, contract roles, or applied academic/project experience, or an equivalent combination of education and hands-on program or operations experience. Experience in grant management, policy research and analysis, program implementation, public administration, business administration, or a related field required. Experience working in State or Local Government is highly preferred. Experience in and understanding of the commercial life science industry desired.

Knowledge and skills Required: 

Outstanding written and oral communication skills are required, with the ability to synthesize complex information effectively and succinctly for different audiences. Must be detail oriented and highly organized with strong follow-up skills. Ability to navigate ambiguity is essential. Ability to work in a team and independently. Must be able to handle multiple changing prior