Innovation Project Director Jobs

About BEAM Circular:

BEAM Circular is unlocking the power of communities to transform waste into opportunity by building a vibrant regional ecosystem for the circular bioeconomy in California’s agricultural heartland. Anchored in the North San Joaquin Valley, we are facilitating collaboration through the BioEconomy, Agriculture, & Manufacturing (BEAM) Initiative to scale the most promising innovations in bioindustrial manufacturing. Our work includes public-private projects and programs in the areas of innovation, access to capital, infrastructure, talent development, and cross-cutting partnerships to advance economic and environmental value for local communities.

BEAM Circular was launched in January 2023, catalyzed by the Stanislaus 2030 inclusive economic development planning process, and has raised over $15.4 million to date to seed the BEAM Initiative. Together with local communities and a growing network of state and national collaborators, we are aligning resources and partnerships to make the North San Joaquin Valley a global hub for solutions at the intersections of food and agriculture, climate, biotechnology, and economic inclusion.

We have a dynamic, mission-driven team and are looking for partners to join us who believe in rolling up their sleeves to contribute to a bold vision; who have a results-oriented, “get things done” mentality; who lead with curiosity, collaboration, and kindness; and who are dedicated to positive impact for people and the planet.

BEAM Circular is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and encourages individuals identifying with any race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin, and abilities to apply, particularly members of historically marginalized communities.

Position Summary:

BEAM Circular seeks an Innovation Project Director knowledgeable and excited about sustainability, bioindustrial innovation, and partnership management to lead a key initiative in BEAM Circular’s portfolio of work. The Project Director will be responsible for coordinating and advancing the Circular Bioeconomy Innovation Collaborative (“CBIO Collaborative”), a coalition of cross-sector partners developing a regional innovation engine with support from a National Science Foundation (NSF) Regional Innovation Engine Development Award.

The Project Director will coordinate CBIO Collaborative’s ongoing ecosystem development efforts in collaboration with academic, industry, and government partners, enabling the translation of scientific discoveries in biotechnology and biomanufacturing into scalable, sustainable, and market-ready solutions. The Project Director will be responsible for facilitating partner collaboration, providing project management for ongoing strategic planning activities, overseeing CBIO Collaborative pilot projects, leading CBIO Collaborative event planning, and supporting the CBIO Collaborative Joint Management Team with delivery of a proposal for a Type-2 NSF Regional Innovation Engine Award.

The role will involve significant facilitation of working groups, design sessions, and other convenings of key regional stakeholders in order to achieve the goals of CBIO Collaborative, in addition to other project management responsibilities pertaining to administering the NSF Engines Development Award and deploying relevant programs in the BEAM Circular project portfolio.

The Project Director position is grant-funded for a two year period, with possibility for extension given job performance, project success, and availability of funding.

Essential Functions:

• Lead and facilitate working groups, meetings, and design sessions with cross-sector planning partners in order to advance CBIO’s development and project mission, in addition to developing and facilitating effective communication channels between partners
• Develop and monitor CBIO Collaborative metrics, including evaluation of pilot projects
• Support grant proposal development and strategic plan drafting and editing
• Manage and coordinate project-related planning, timelines, stakeholders, and deliverables required for CBIO Collaborative’s successful design and implementation of pilot projects
• Support Joint Management Team with strategic planning for CBIO’s long-term work, including hiring and managing consultants as needed
• Conduct landscape analyses and collect relevant data as needed to support CBIO Collaborative Working Groups and strategic planning activities; translate research into clear and actionable materials for use by CBIO Collaborative partners
• Manage project budget and dedicated grants, including meeting grant requirements
• Build and manage partnership coalitions composed of industry, government, and academic stakeholders in order to support innovation engine development and implementation work, serving as a trusted convener
• Serve as lead project Director for the development and administration of CBIO Collaborative, driving project goals and activities and representing the coalition to external stakeholders
• Lead event planning for CBIO Collaborative convenings and meetings

Requirements

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Resourceful and proactive attitude needed to operate in a dynamic start-up environment
• Strong written and verbal communication
• Educational or professional experience in a field relevant to the bioindustrial manufacturing industry and circular bioeconomy preferred (e.g. biochemical engineering, microbiology, environmental sciences, climate technology)
• Sophisticated ability to foster and manage relationships with diverse key stakeholders, including industry executives, academic faculty, industry researchers, and leaders of regional economic development activities
• Experience in innovation engine / ecosystem / network development or other relevant partnership development experience in a complex system a plus
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex, high-priority projects with multiple fast-moving workstreams and organizational partners, including experience developing and executing on detailed work plans
• Experience with collaborative design process facilitation, and/or coachability and flexibility with an openness to training and professional development in facilitation
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required, with demonstrated ability to communicate with researchers and academic stakeholders; 5+ years of professional experience and master's degree or above preferred

Physical Demands:

• Position requires sitting and viewing a computer monitor for extended periods of time; dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard; reaching, bending, and stooping; exert 10 to 20 pounds of force to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects; hearing and speaking English to communicate and provide information to others; vision to read printed material and computer monitor

Benefits

Pay based on experience with competitive benefits package including:

• Life Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Family Leave
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick, & Public Holidays)
• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Hybrid work arrangements permitted

BEAM is incubated and fiscally sponsored by Opportunity Stanislaus, an organization that promotes regional economic growth and workforce development opportunities. The Director will be hired as an employee of Opportunity Stanislaus, but will be dedicated to BEAM Circular operations.