Volunteer Operations & Strategy Coordinator

About Us

Titan Astronomical Observatory is a Florida-based nonprofit working to acquire and modernize a 10-meter radio telescope and make it remotely accessible to students, educators, and the public through an online dashboard.

We are incorporated as a nonprofit, have our core governance in place, an option contract signed with the seller, a site secured, and an engaged community following the project. We are now focused on implementation: fundraising, telescope relocation, and preparing for operations.

Role Overview

We are looking for a Volunteer Operations & Strategy Coordinator to work closely with our Executive Director as a research and execution partner.

This is a collaborative role, so you will be given plenty of guidance and context, and gradually taking ownership of specific operational pieces as you become more comfortable. The goal is to have a second set of eyes and hands not only to make sure important tasks are completed, but to provide valuable input on key decisions.

Key Responsibilities

Depending on your skills and interests, responsibilities may include:

• Co-manage a simple project/task board for major workstreams (fundraising, telescope acquisition, partnerships, communications).
• Assist in preparing or polishing internal summaries, one-pagers, or slide decks.
• Regularly collaborate with the executive director to research and collect information to make sure decisions are well educated
• Contribute ideas and feedback on strategies for fundraising, outreach, and community engagement.
• Targeted “special projects”: Take on small, well-defined projects (e.g., basic research on a vendor or fiscal sponsor, organizing a list of prospective partners, helping prepare materials for the website or Idealist postings), always with clear guidance and check-ins.

The goal is to have another person in the room who understands the whole picture, can ask good questions, and is willing to help carry meaningful pieces of the work. We will work together to define your responsibilities, provide context for decisions, and adjust the scope as you get more comfortable.

What We’re Looking For

You might be a good fit if you:

• Like thinking at both levels: big picture (“What should we do next?”) and practical (“What has to happen this week?”)
• Are comfortable organizing complex work and are willing to take ownership of specific projects.
• Communicate clearly, are willing to speak up with ideas or concerns, and are open to feedback in both directions.
• Are interested in astronomy, STEM education, or nonprofit work. (Prior experience in those areas is helpful but not required.)

Prior experience in operations, project management, consulting, product management, or nonprofit leadership is a plus, but not required. Reliability, judgment, and willingness to learn matter more than specific titles.

Time Commitment

Approximately 5-15 hours per week, depending on the phase of the project. Regular check-ins with the Executive Director to set priorities, review progress, and talk through decisions. Consistent engagement and honest communication about your bandwidth is what matters more than a specific number of hours.

What You’ll Gain

• A meaningful role in shaping and advancing a unique scientific and educational project.
• Direct experience in nonprofit operations and strategy that you can point to in future roles or applications.
• A close working relationship with organizational leadership and a clear line of sight into how a real observatory project is planned and delivered.

How We’ll Support You

You’ll work directly with the Executive Director, who will provide context, share background on decisions, and involve you in discussion rather than just delegating tasks. We’ll start with clearly scoped responsibilities and expand them as you get comfortable and identify where you can make the biggest impact. You’ll have room to propose your own ideas and to say “this doesn’t seem like the best use of our time” when you see something misaligned.