Overview
Location: Swissnex in San Francisco
Status: Full-time, 40 hours/week
Start Date: August 1, 2023
Duration: 12 months
Reports to: Senior Entrepreneurship Program Manager
About Swissnex
Swissnex is the Swiss global network connecting the dots in education, research, and innovation. The Swissnex global network consists of six locations and outposts established in the world’s most innovative hubs. We contribute to strengthening Switzerland’s profile as a world-leading innovation hotspot.
Located at Pier 17, Swissnex in San Francisco connects the dots between Switzerland and the West Coast of the USA in education, research, innovation, and the arts. We foster international collaboration and empower next generation innovators to create futures in which the planet and society thrives. In service of this goal, our dynamic and international team produces academic and corporate programs, startup bootcamps, events and much more. Our work space is shared with corporate innovators, researchers, artists, and entrepreneurs, and is connected to an event space and our digital community. We work collaboratively and in a complementary manner with our neighbors at Pier17, the Consulate General, the Swiss Business Hub USA and Switzerland Tourism.
A rare opportunity to join the team as Programs Associate is available for a people-oriented, open-minded, creative and self-motivated individual.
Position Summary
The Programs Associate is a flexible individual who is excited to be a part of our ever-transforming program offers, and able to adapt as needed to new and changing responsibilities. In that position, you will play a crucial role in supporting both in-person, digital and hybrid formats of our programs, which include the Startup Bootcamp, researchers’ sabbaticals, and other programs and mandates. With a focus on entrepreneurship, the Programs Associate will support the different program managers transversely, assisting with the design and delivery of ongoing programs, but also the creation of new mission-aligned initiatives and partnerships, performing research as well as creating content (e.g. trends, benchmarking and insight reports).
Reporting to the Senior Entrepreneurship Program Manager, you will get the chance to shape how our current and new programs develop in the future – anticipating needs in the ever-changing global innovation ecosystem, and how Swissnex in San Francisco can diversify its streams of income and maximize its impact on the next generation of innovators.
As a Programs Associate, you should be a self-starter, willing to roll up your sleeves, and take on new and challenging responsibilities. This internship offers unique exposure to international experts and thought-leaders from a variety of fields, and the possibility to learn hands-on about program design and management, event planning and execution, fundraising and more. As part of a small team with a bottom-up, informal culture, you can shape projects and outcomes, and learn with and from colleagues, partners and stakeholders, and build your own professional network within Silicon Valley’s innovation ecosystem.
Key Responsibilities:
- Program Building & Implementation (60%): Work with program managers in ideating, building, coordinating and implementing ongoing programs such as for Swiss startups or researchers; contribute ideas to improving and expanding existing offerings; there is the opportunity to take the lead and create mission aligned activities within these programs.
- Alumni Community Support (20%): Support team in engaging our alumni community (e.g. startups, academics, creatives etc.) and contribute to ongoing as well as new alumni offerings
- Operational support, special projects, and other duties (20%): To be determined according to organizational needs and, where possible, candidate’s interests and abilities
Our Ideal Candidate:
- Has some experience with project management, working with external partners, content creation, and producing events, along with a demonstrated passion for science, art, innovation and the digital world
- Is an organizational wizard and a doer. This role is primarily about organizing, executing and getting things done, along with some outcome-oriented research and writing
- Has excellent communication skills, including command of written and spoken English, and is fluent in at least one Swiss language
- Has had first touchpoints with the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Switzerland or the US – links to other stakeholder groups of Swissnex, such as researchers & students, designers (games, industrial etc.) & artists, or corporate innovators is a plus
- Has experience in an impact-driven environment
- Is an excellent problem-solver and team player, as well as proactive, independent, self-motivated, collaborative, energetic and detail-oriented. Flexibility and adaptability is crucial.
- Is interested in new technologies and loves to experiment with new digital tools to develop hybrid formats
- Is willing to work evening hours as needed for events, and is comfortable with and able to take on the physical work required for in-person event production (e.g. lifting chairs, stage elements, etc.)
What We Offer
- Gain work experience in an innovation-driven and fast-paced environment in one of the most dynamic regions of the world and collaborate with interesting partners in the fields of science, education, art and innovation in both Silicon Valley and Switzerland
- Be part of a creative, fun team, curating and producing programs and events
- Team environment that jointly creates interdisciplinary events to inspire and excite a variety of audiences
- Develop networking and project management skills and extend your personal network
- Internship compensation is CHF 3’200 / month, in compliance with guidelines of the Swiss Federal Government, and is paid locally each month in USD
Eligibility Criteria for Internship
- Candidate is a Swiss citizen
- Candidate currently studies in a university or university of applied sciences in Switzerland towards a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree OR the last university degree (Bachelor/Master) is not older than one year at the beginning of the internship (no exceptions are possible)
- Candidate has not gained professional experience in the field of his/her studies
- The total period of internships (“Hochschulpraktikum”/ “Stage académique”, including this one) within the Swiss confederation does not exceed 6 months for candidates who have not yet obtained their Bachelor’s degree or 12 months for those with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree.
Ready to Apply?
To be considered for the Programs Associate internship, you must apply through the link below and include your resume (CV) and a detailed cover letter not exceeding one page that answers:
- why you are interested in this position and why you want to work at Swissnex,
- why you should be chosen to join our team – including the experiences, personal qualities or strengths that make you well-suited for the position and
- tell us very briefly about one topic that you are passionate about that is connected to our work.
Any other documents that may support your candidacy are welcomed and can be attached via the application platform linked below.
Click HERE to apply. Deadline to apply is Sunday, May 7, 2023.