Startup Specialist at Parallel18 (BioLeap) in San Juan, Puerto Rico at Puerto Rico Science Technology & Research Trust

Job Title: Startup Specialist

Reports to: Associate Director at Parallel18 (BioLeap)

Location / Hours: San Juan, Puerto Rico / Full-Time

Type of Contract: Fixed Term Contract (1 year contract)

Overview of the Organization

The Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust (“PRSTRT” or “Trust”) is a private non-profit organization created in 2004 to encourage and promote innovation, transfer, and commercialization of technology and creation of jobs in the technology sector. We contribute to Puerto Rico’s public policy for science, technology, research, and development. The Trust’s mission is to invest, facilitate and build capacity to continually advance Puerto Rico's economy and its citizens’ well-being through innovation-driven enterprises, science, technology, research, and public health. Our vision is that Puerto Rico is a globally recognized innovation hub.

Parallel18, a program of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust (PRSTRT), is a top-level, performance-driven international startup program with a social mission: offering entrepreneurs from all over the world access to high-quality business training, funding, and networks to help them scale globally while working to position Puerto Rico as a unique hub for innovative businesses and technology.

BioLeap is a life sciences innovation incubator program launched to increase economic development through innovation and entrepreneurship in the life sciences sector key focus areas such as biotechnology, AI-driven medical technologies, genomics, and more in the Island of Puerto Rico. The program focuses on closing the gap between cutting-edge local scientific research and its commercialization thus advancing the establishment of an inclusive innovation ecosystem in the island. BioLeap will provide a single point of access to educational resources in creating a business in the life sciences, technical assistance, access to capital and basic resources including coworking space.

Purpose

As Parallel18 continues to grow its world-class innovation programs, the Startup Specialist is responsible for executing the fundamental offerings of the BioLeap program. This role is critical to the development and growth of the startups that participate in each program. The Startup Specialist works closely with founders, investors, and mentors to help companies scale, from early-stage acceleration and life sciences incubation to growth-stage expansion. A core part of the job is building and nurturing meaningful relationships within the Parallel18 community to further extend the programs’ reach and impact.

Key Responsibilities and Duties

Manage a portfolio of participating startups across BioLeap’s Gen 1 to Gen 4, meeting with them regularly to validate progress, surface challenges, and provide consistent support throughout their journey in the program.Execute the acceleration, incubation, and growth-stage curricula effectively, adapting delivery to the stage and needs of each cohort (early-stage acceleration, life sciences incubation, or growth-stage scaling).Ensure the funds, grants, and resources provided by each program are used strategically and responsibly by the entrepreneurs, and support compliance and reporting requirements tied to each initiative.Coordinate the planning and execution of events, workshops, and conferences across the programs, bringing fresh perspectives to optimize operations, processes, guidelines, and community engagement.Support travel and logistics arrangements for local and international mentors, judges, and speakers.Connect high-potential startups with investors, mentors, corporate partners, and universities alongside Business Development, Parallel18 Ventures, and the broader PRSTRT ecosystem.Perform research as needed when entrepreneurial needs cannot be met within the active network and help startups resolve technical and business challenges by connecting them to the right resources.Manage outreach to service providers and technology companies to secure pro bono or discounted perks for program participants.Serve as a channel of communication among stakeholders to identify areas of possible collaboration across the three programs.Represent Parallel18 and its programs in local startup events, entrepreneurial give-back engagements, and university outreach seeking opportunities to promote BioLeap through speaking engagements, business expositions, and networking events.Help manage the community platforms and communication channels, including maintenance and weekly updates.Develop and maintain interactive dashboards for each cohort, enabling participating companies to input program-related progress and growth data, and helping track program KPIs.Provide support for the preparation, management, and execution of internal and external events of Parallel18 program in collaboration with the Marketing and Communications department.Manage and maintain in-house applications and program tools.Draft communications to current and prospective stakeholders, manage calendars, and coordinate meetings as needed for the Associate Director, Program Manager and program leads.Independently oversee and manage specific projects that support the startups, applying sound project-management practice to keep timelines, deliverables, and stakeholders on track.Work hand on hand with the Marketing and Communications department in all related efforts regarding the program's application process and outreach efforts

The most important characteristic of this role is the passion to give back to the entrepreneurship and innovation community in Puerto Rico. These programs exist to collaborate with and facilitate the path of entrepreneurs — we need people who will truly be there for them.

As the organization evolves to adapt to new roles and responsibilities, you should anticipate that this job description will be adjusted to align with those changing demands.

Qualifications & Technical Job Requirements

The ideal candidate for the Startup Specialist position must:

Do things with passion and bring a positive, can-do attitude. Strong execution is essential; think big, start small, and constantly challenge the status quo.Possess a T-shaped mindset, project-management discipline, and entrepreneurial thinking.Be a fast learner, resourceful, and detail-oriented, with the willingness to learn and master new skill sets.Work effectively both independently and within teams.Be able to work under pressure and manage multiple projects across various verticals and programs simultaneously.Outstanding verbal and written communication skills.Outstanding time-management, planning, and organizational skills.High motivation to make a positive impact in Puerto Rico.Technical proficiency and the ability to work across different platforms and tools (e.g., CRM, project-management, and dashboard tools).Working knowledge of Google Workspace and Microsoft Teams, among other basic tools in both suites.This is a global and multicultural set of programs, so fluency in Spanish and English is required.

Experience & Educational Requirements

A college degree (BA or BS), preferably in Business Administration, or a STEM-related field, is required.Experience in project management and 1+ years of experience in a fast-paced environment involving startups, innovation, or financial ecosystems, although extensive experience is not mandatory. Familiarity with life sciences or STEM sectors is a plus given the BioLeap portfolio.

“The Trust is an equal opportunity employer; we strive to maintain a workplace atmosphere that is free from discrimination. To those ends, the Trust provides equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, national origin, social status, political affiliation, religion, physical or mental disability, veteran status, perceived or real domestic violence victim status, sexual harassment victim status, stalking victim status, and/or any other basis protected by law.”