Associate, Innovation - Physical Sciences

Company Overview

NobleReach Foundation is a civic leadership platform focused on renewing a commitment to national service at every career stage. The organization brings together leaders from science, technology, and business who can work across government, industry, and academia to help tackle major challenges facing the United States. It serves as a place where ambitious professionals can pursue meaningful careers while contributing to public service and broader social impact.

Role Summary

The Associate, Innovation will support early-stage ventures with both technical and operational work. Reporting to the Director of Innovation and collaborating closely with Senior Commercialization Advisors and Commercialization Advisors, this person will research markets, analyze data, develop content and reports, and help carry out customized strategies for portfolio ventures. The role sits at the intersection of scientific innovation and commercial execution, with frequent interaction among researchers, founders, and advisors to advance commercialization efforts.

Key Responsibilities

• Collect and interpret information to support market research and competitive analysis for emerging technologies.
• Perform technical assessments and diligence work to evaluate whether a venture has commercial promise.
• Prepare polished presentations, written materials, and reports for internal stakeholders and venture partners.
• Contribute to business model development, financial forecasting, and go-to-market planning.
• Help execute customized commercialization plans for ventures in the portfolio.
• Assist in connecting ventures with relevant resources, funding sources, and strategic partners.
• Support broader ecosystem initiatives that can accelerate venture growth at scale.
• Arrange and coordinate meetings, workshops, and review sessions.
• Track progress against milestones and provide regular updates on status.
• Build and refine templates, workflows, and automations that improve consistency and repeatability.
• Carry out specific venture-support and ecosystem-support tasks as assigned by Commercialization Advisors.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in science or engineering is required.
• Experience of 2 to 4 years in research or a technical role.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with careful attention to detail.
• Ability to explain complex technical ideas clearly to different audiences.
• Shown interest in technology commercialization and entrepreneurship.
• Comfort using data analysis tools and standard business software.
• Working familiarity with one or more target sectors, such as Pharma, Biotech, Medical Devices, Enterprise Software, Semiconductors, Advanced Materials, Cybersecurity, IoT, AI, or Agriculture.
• Capacity to manage several ventures at once without compromising quality.
• Excellent verbal, written, and visual communication abilities.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-moving, changing, and entrepreneurial setting.
• Sound judgment and flexibility when dealing with complex situations.
• Natural curiosity and a strong desire to keep learning.
• An entrepreneurial mindset and a genuine commitment to creating social impact.

Additional Information

This role is expected to be performed on-site in Tysons Corner, VA. The compensation is based on experience, and the position is eligible for a bonus. The employer states that all qualified applicants will be considered fairly regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, or veteran status. The company also notes that artificial intelligence tools may be used to assist with parts of the hiring process, such as screening applications, reviewing resumes, analyzing responses, and spotting inconsistencies or verification signals; however, human recruiters make the final decision. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Equal Opportunity

The organization provides equal employment consideration to all qualified candidates and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics.

AI in Hiring

AI-based tools may support application review and resume analysis, but they do not replace human judgment in hiring decisions.