---
title: 'Open Science Data Steward at Astera Institute'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/open-science-data-steward-astera-institute-emeryville-an38zx6jn5yj'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-08'
---

# Open Science Data Steward at Astera Institute

- **Company:** Astera Institute
- **Location:** Emeryville, CA
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Posted:** 2026-09-04
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-08
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/astera/aa37ab2c-53ea-410e-a9c8-f36587e3e79d

## Job description

## ABOUT ASTERA

Astera is a private foundation on a mission to steer science and technology toward an abundant future for all. We believe the coming years will bring an era of unprecedented scientific and technological advancement as exponential progress in AI converges with central advances in other fields to dramatically accelerate innovation. This inflection point provides an unparalleled opportunity to fundamentally rethink the institutions, systems, and tools that drive scientific progress. We are searching for visionary leaders who are compelled by the challenge of driving transformative change in the way science is funded, conducted, and communicated. You can read more about our mission, vision, and programming here https://astera.org/vision/.

## POSITION SUMMARY

We are seeking a detail-oriented and proactive Open Science Data Steward to oversee the full lifecycle of research data across our science programs. In this in-person role, you will partner with researchers from many different fields of science, maintain high data quality standards, develop scalable data infrastructure, and champion open science and FAIR data principles. The ideal candidate brings expertise in data management, a collaborative spirit, and a commitment to responsible, innovative data sharing.

## KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

- Partner with researchers across Astera's Science to understand the context and characteristics of their data, ensuring it is prepared and published to meet the highest standards of quality and reusability for both human researchers and AI systems.
- Serve as one of the organization’s data stewards, overseeing the complete lifecycle of research data from creation through publication and archival, ensuring data integrity and accessibility throughout.
- Work closely with a small but growing team of data stewards to create and maintain comprehensive living documentation for data repository interactions, establish best practices for data release timing and methods, metadata tools and standards, and ensure compliance with open science principles and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data standards.
- Proactively identify patterns and emerging challenges in data management across research teams, collaborating with leadership to develop scalable solutions and infrastructure improvements that benefit the entire organization.
- Support the integration of research data with open science knowledge graphs and ensure compatibility with emerging AI and machine learning ecosystems that rely on high-quality scientific data.
- Provide training and guidance to new researchers and residents on data management best practices, fostering a culture of early and effective data sharing that maximizes scientific impact.
- Collaborate across the organization, especially with software engineers, to identify and address technical gaps in data infrastructure, ensuring researchers have the tools and support needed to manage their data effectively.
- Work directly with researchers and residents to ensure data policies are followed, being present on-site to navigate both routine compliance and the inevitable edge cases that require creative problem-solving, while knowing when to loop in leadership for guidance on particularly complex or sensitive data situations.
- Navigate the balance between Astera's commitment to radically open science and the practical realities of responsible data sharing, developing thoughtful approaches for situations where research sensitivity, privacy requirements, safety considerations, or dual-use risks demand more nuanced data release strategies, and knowing when to escalate particularly challenging cases to leadership while maintaining the organization's open science mission.

## QUALIFICATIONS

## REQUIRED:

- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Science, Library Science, Data Science, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
- 3-5+ years of experience managing data in research organizations, academic institutions, or similar environments with complex data governance requirements.
- Deep understanding of data quality principles, data governance frameworks, and metadata standards, with demonstrated ability to implement these concepts in practice.
- Familiarity with scientific data formats, repositories, and standards.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to translate between technical data requirements and researcher needs.
- Strong organizational skills with meticulous attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple data projects simultaneously while maintaining high standards.
- High agency self-starter with the ability to work independently, identify opportunities for process improvement, and drive initiatives forward without constant oversight.

## PREFERRED:

- Experience with data across many different fields of science, including, but not limited to, life sciences, materials science, neuroscience, robotics, and atmospheric science, and the ability to adapt quickly to understand domain-specific data challenges.
- Familiarity with the AI/ML data landscape and understanding of how to structure data for machine learning applications.
- Knowledge of open science initiatives and experience with open data publishing platforms.
- Experience with data integration, knowledge graphs, or semantic web technologies.
- Track record of developing data management policies, procedures, or training materials.

## LOCATION

This role is in-person at our office in Emeryville, CA.

Astera Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive team.

## About Astera Institute

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Astera Institute is a nonprofit organization that funds and conducts high-impact scientific research and engineering projects focused on neuroscience, artificial general intelligence (AGI), and open science to accelerate positive futures for humanity.
- **Entity Type**: Private nonprofit (501(c)(3) private foundation)
- **Headquarters**: Berkeley, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2020
- **Founders**: Jed McCaleb (also co-founder of Stellar Development Foundation and founder of Vast)

## Core Business
- **Primary industries**: Research services, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, life sciences, grantmaking
- **Target customers**: Not applicable (nonprofit; serves the research community and the public through open science and foundational advances)
- **Mission / purpose**: Empower visionary, high-leverage science and technology projects with the capacity to create transformative progress for human civilization. Focus on areas like AGI, science, and climate that lack natural homes in the existing innovation ecosystem.

## Products & Services
Astera operates three main divisions (not commercial products):
- **Neuro & AGI**: Directed neuroscience and AI research effort to understand biological intelligence and engineer safe, successful general intelligence systems. [astera.org](https://astera.org/)
- **Radial**: Life sciences research division that funds and runs high-impact fundamental scientific challenges, testing new models for how science is conducted. [astera.org](https://astera.org/)
- **Foundation**: Centralized operational, financial support, and ecosystem-building for Neuro-AI, Science, and Strategic Investments. Also leads Residency and Fellowship programs. [astera.org](https://astera.org/)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not applicable (nonprofit)
- **Key Metrics**: 
  - **Total assets** (2023): $2,003,858,714 [causeiq.com](https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/astera-institute,845162617/)
  - **Total expenses** (2023): $27,504,754 [causeiq.com](https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/astera-institute,845162617/)
  - **Investment income and dividends** (2023): $58,598,494 [causeiq.com](https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/astera-institute,845162617/)
  - **Headcount**: 55 employees (+63.4% YoY) [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/astera-institute)
- **Notable Investors / Partners**: Funded primarily by founder Jed McCaleb (grants contributed $131M in 2022). Key leaders include Prachee Avasthi (Head of Open Science), Doris Tsao (Chief Scientist – Neuro), Seemay Chou (CEO – Radial), and Dileep George (Co-Founder, Neuro & AGI). [astera.org](https://astera.org/team/)
- **Growth Signals**: 
  - 63.4% employee growth year-over-year (55 people) [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/astera-institute)
  - 23 active job postings (up 1050% YoY) [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/astera-institute)
  - LinkedIn followers grew 128.9% yearly [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/astera-institute)
  - Presence in Netherlands and United Kingdom [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/astera-institute)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Unique model**: Nonprofit foundation that internally incubates and directly funds high-risk, high-leverage research across neuroscience, AI, and life sciences — without the pressure of commercial returns.
- **Top-tier leadership**: Led by accomplished scientists (e.g., Doris Tsao, Dileep George) and experienced operators from organizations like Stellar, Google, and Arcadia Science. [astera.org](https://astera.org/team/)
- **Open science focus**: Strong commitment to open access research and new models for scientific collaboration, attracting talent who value transparency and impact.
- **Substantial capital base**: Over $2B in assets provides long-term runway for ambitious, multi-year projects.

## Strategic Focus
- Deepen understanding of biological intelligence through large-scale neural circuit analysis and causal manipulation (Neuro & AGI). [astera.org](https://astera.org/)
- Continue incubation of radical science projects via Radial, particularly in aging, biotech, and platforms. [causeiq.com](https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/astera-institute,845162617/)
- Expand the Residency and Fellowship programs to attract diverse scientific and engineering talent. [astera.org](https://astera.org/)
- Scale operations and hiring: current job postings span roles from vivarium operations manager to research scientists in energy-based models and distributed simulation systems. [jobs.ashbyhq.com](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/astera)

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-driven work**: Directly contribute to foundational research that could reshape humanity’s future with AGI and novel science.
- **Benefits**: Full-time W2 employees receive top-tier medical/dental/vision insurance, 403(b) retirement plans, long-term disability plan, health/dependent-care FSAs, and commuter pre-tax accounts. [astera.org](https://astera.org/careers/)
- **Culture**: Described as an equal opportunity employer committed to equity and inclusion, encouraging diverse applicants. Emphasis on open science, experimentation, and high-leverage impact. [astera.org](https://astera.org/careers/)
- **Work setup**: Headquarters in Berkeley, CA; also has staff in the Netherlands and UK. Specific remote/hybrid policy not disclosed but multiple job postings suggest flexible arrangements.
- **Team composition**: Highly technical and research-oriented (21 researchers, 10 technical staff, 6 medical). Staff previously from Google, Stanford, UCSF, Arcadia Science, Relay Therapeutics. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/astera-institute)
- **Rapid growth**: 63% YoY headcount increase and 1050% growth in job postings signal an expanding organization with ample career opportunities.

## Sources
1. [astera.org](https://astera.org/) – Homepage and division descriptions
2. [astera.org](https://astera.org/team/) – Leadership team details
3. [astera.org](https://astera.org/careers/) – Benefits and culture
4. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/astera-institute) – Company page with headcount, growth, job postings, and talent sources
5. [causeiq.com](https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/astera-institute,845162617/) – Financials (990-PF: revenues, expenses, assets, program areas)
6. [jobs.ashbyhq.com](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/astera) – Active open positions list

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