The DATA & AI Lab (DIAL) at UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, brings together researchers from economics, computer science, and business to study the profound impact of artificial intelligence and big data on economic systems.
We’re currently looking for an executive assistant to be a supportive force who empowers Associate Professor Abhishek Nagaraj freeing him up from administrative logistics to do what he does best, research. The ideal candidate is a "Unicorn Executer + Ops Visionary"—a proactive problem solver with exceptional communication skills and meticulous attention to detail who can handle high-level administrative tasks while sharing the long-term vision to build out the lab.
Given the dynamic nature of the academic and research landscape, we rely on this role to be flexible, strategic, and consistent while maintaining the confidentiality of high-level systems and operations.
Objectives of this role:
Empower Leadership: Support the Associate Professor primarily to ensure that lab goals, research objectives, and academic operations run efficiently.
Build Infrastructure: Maintain, refine, and build upon existing internal processes and communication infrastructure to expedite research workflows and expand lab capacity.
Coordinate Stakeholders: Manage communication and logistics by liaising with students, corporate executives, legal counsel, co-authors, and university administration on various projects and tasks.
Drive Long-Term Growth: Act as a central foundational partner with the ambition to scale the role from hands-on administrative execution into a full-time position.
Responsibilities:
Inbox & Calendar Management: Manage professional scheduling, prioritize high-volume email streams, and handle calendar requests across multiple international time zones.
Academic & Grant Support: Format, draft, and proofread formal documentation, including student recommendation letters, reports, and grant workflows.
Travel Logistics: Coordinate complex international and domestic travel itineraries, including accommodations, visas, and university-compliant logistics.
Meeting Coordination: Schedule and orchestrate cross-functional meetings, Zoom sessions, and academic seminars involving external collaborators and institutional teams.
Project Management: Review meeting notes, build on current project management systems, and track project progress across multiple stakeholders.
Required skills and qualifications:
Proven Administrative Experience: Strong track record in an administrative or executive support role, ideally reporting directly to upper management or academic faculty.
Execution Excellence: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a meticulous eye for the "in-the-weeds" operational details.
Visionary Growth Mindset: A desire to stay with the lab long-term and actively participate in scaling its operations and footprint.
Technical Aptitude: Proficiency with office productivity tools, remote workspace systems, and an aptitude for quickly learning university-specific software.
Adaptable & Confident: Flexible team player, willing to adapt to changes, and unafraid of navigating the complex landscapes of a major research university.
Preferred skills and qualifications:
Academic Familiarity: Experience working within higher education, research labs, or managing academic grant documentation.
Financial Administration: Experience in overseeing budgets, expenses, and reimbursement processes.
Bay Area Presence: While the role is almost fully remote across the US, a slight preference is given to candidates based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Aptitude for AI: AI experience or strong curiosity for learning and integrating AI into daily procedures.
Fundraising and Grant Writing: Experience and/or interest in sourcing and writing grants.
Logistics & Compensation
Hours: Highly flexible; starting part-time targeting 30 hours per week, with the opportunity to grow into a full-time role.
$35 - $39/ HR
Location: Remote (US-based), Preference for Bay Area
How to Apply
If you are ready to help build this vision, please email your resume/CV or website link.
Please include a quick note explaining why you're interested in the role.
Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.