Operations & Programs Associate

About the Role

AetherForge is a fast-moving, close-knit team, and is looking for someone who thrives in that kind of environment. This is a role for someone who’s not a specialist, but a sharp generalist who thrives in "figure it out" mode. Responsibilities will evolve, and flexibility is key.

As our Operations & Programs Associate, you'll have your hands in IT support, data management, compliance, and contract deliverables. You’ll be learning each area as you go, with support behind you. No single domain will be exclusively yours. Instead, you'll be the person who keeps many moving pieces running smoothly and who becomes genuinely skilled across a wide variety of things.

You'll work closely alongside our Executive assistant, who has spent years building new skills on the fly and will be right there with you. They'll be supporting in your learning journey, and they'll make sure you're never figuring things out alone.

This is a genuine growth opportunity. As AetherForge grows, so does this role — and the person in it.

What You'll Do

Your day-to-day will shift based on what the team needs — and that's intentional. Here's a look at the areas you'll work across:

• Provide internal IT support — troubleshooting issues, onboarding and offboarding staff, managing accounts, software licenses, and hardware; you'll hold an admin role in our systems
• Curate and organize company data across platforms, help build out our internal proposal library, and support the migration of data from legacy systems
• Track project controls: charge codes, scopes of work, and POW reporting — keeping everything accurate and up to date
• Support contract deliverables end-to-end: reviewing documents for consistency and accuracy, packaging submissions, tracking deadlines, and helping prepare monthly status reports and program progress reports
• Maintain compliance documentation and support audit readiness — you'll learn the basics of what's required, and you'll have expert backup every step of the way
• Assist with 508 (ADA) compliance for federal submissions — training will be provided
• Occasionally help with our office dogs — we're an animal-friendly team and proud of it

Who You Are

You don't need to know everything on day one. What matters most is that you show up ready to learn, adapt, and contribute. We're looking for someone who is:

• A fast, enthusiastic learner — new challenges energize you rather than overwhelm you
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail — able to manage multiple priorities without dropping the ball
• A self-starter — you anticipate what needs to happen next and take action
• Warm, personable, and easy to work with — a true team player with strong interpersonal skills
• Trustworthy and discreet — you'll have access to sensitive data and admin-level systems
• Early-career and genuinely excited to grow — mindset of learning, contributing, and advancing
• Bonus points for experience in IT, compliance, government contracting, or data management.

If you read this and thought "that's me" — we want to hear from you.