We're looking for a seasoned executive who can build and scale Convergent's UK presence while navigating the intersection of breakthrough science, institutional design, and UK science policy. As our Partner for UK Operations & Programs, you'll lead our ARIA partnership, run our UK Residency program, build our on-the-ground team and infrastructure, sit on FRO boards, and represent Convergent across the UK science and policy ecosystem. You'll interface with ARIA, UKRI, Innovate UK, and government leadership while maintaining our standards for ambitious, high-integrity science. If you've built teams and organizations from the ground up, understand both startup velocity and UK public sector dynamics, and believe British science policy can actually enable moonshots rather than just talk about them, you'll fit in great here.
Convergent Research exists to bring entirely new scientific institutions into the world: Focused Research Organizations (FROs). These are purpose-built, mission-driven orgs designed to solve technological bottlenecks, unlock whole new fields, and lead to scaled revolutions. Think: "What if Bell Labs, but for single-cell proteomics?" We've launched more than 10 FROs globally and proven that the model works. We've raised over $350 million and catalyzed $300+ million in follow-on investment. Now we're scaling intentionally into the UK, and this is a critical inflection point for that expansion.
Last year, we became an ARIA Activation Partner and ran our first UK Residency program for prospective FRO founders, through which we incubated and selected two new UK FROs for ARIA funding. We also established a legal presence in the UK. This year, we're running Version 2 of the Residency, expanding our physical and operational footprint, deepening our networks across British research institutions and funding bodies, and building the team that will make Convergent a permanent fixture of the UK science ecosystem.
This role is critical because UK expansion represents both massive opportunity and serious operational complexity. The person who joins in this role will be setting a lot of where our UK (and broader European) strategy goes. In addition to a strong strategic leader, we need someone who can work hand in hand with our US-based team to help manage UK-specific infrastructure around hiring, systems, governance, and partnerships while also growing a portfolio of world-class FROs that maintain the speed, ambition, and scientific rigor Convergent is known for. You're joining at a moment that is neither all risk nor all rote—we have early traction and strong partnerships, but plenty of room for experimentation. You'll be joining a team that is ambitious, irreverent, and deeply committed to enabling breakthrough science. If you're excited about building institutions from scratch, UK science policy and innovation ecosystems, and helping founders build lasting organizations without drowning in bureaucracy, this is your role.
As our Partner for UK Operations & Programs, you'll be part strategic operator, part ecosystem builder, part founder boss, part diplomatic envoy, part chief of staff for UK activities. You will:
UK Residency Leadership: Own strategy and execution for Version 2 (and beyond) of the UK Residency program. This means sourcing candidates from across UK research institutions, designing programming that converts ideas into fundable FROs, managing relationships with ARIA and other potential funders, running selection processes, and ensuring residents have everything they need to succeed. Report on program outcomes and iterate the model based on what we learn.
ARIA Partnership Management: Serve as Convergent's primary point of contact for ARIA. Manage the relationship strategically, understanding ARIA's evolving priorities, positioning Convergent FROs for success within ARIA's portfolio, ensuring compliance with partnership agreements, and identifying opportunities to deepen collaboration.
UK Funding Ecosystem Development: Build relationships with UKRI program directors, Innovate UK leads, DSIT officials, and other funders in the UK landscape. Identify funding opportunities for existing and prospective FROs. Help FROs craft compelling proposals that speak to UK funding priorities whilst maintaining scientific ambition. Translate FRO impact into the stories and metrics that unlock sustained UK public and private support.
Board & FRO Governance: Represent Convergent on the boards of UK-based FROs. Bring strategic oversight, ensure compliance with UK-specific requirements (charity law, employment law, etc.), call bullshit when needed, and help founders navigate operating in the UK research ecosystem whilst maintaining FRO velocity.
Ecosystem Building & External Representation: Attend the right conferences and convenings. Build relationships with university technology transfer offices, research institute directors, and heads of department. Publish in Research Professional, speak on panels, brief parliamentarians and civil servants, and generally make Convergent a known and trusted name in UK science.
UK Team Building & Operations: Support organizational design decisions and hiring for Convergent's growing UK team—could include roles in operations, programming, fundraising, communications, or technical support. Where appropriate, directly manage new hires. Work with our US-based operations team to ensure consistency where it matters and localization where it helps.
Requirements
You've operated in both the startup world and the UK science/policy world, and you believe research can move much, MUCH faster. You're equally comfortable whiteboarding with a systems biologist and navigating UKRI grant portals. You've built teams and systems from the ground up. You understand that "government-funded" doesn't have to mean "endless meetings and no progress," but you also know the UK has particular operational requirements that must be respected. You're comfortable with ambiguity and able to evolve the role as our UK presence matures. Version 1 of Convergent UK is working. Your job is to build Version 2 and set the stage for Version 3.
You might be: