Chief of Staff

About Our Work
We are neuroscientists who build ground-breaking technology for the spatial computing
era. We stimulate nerves to create artificial tactile sensations, creating new, more
meaningful connections to the user for notifications, 3D digital content, physical AI, health
information, and beyond. Our first products will be mobile, wearable devices that stream
haptic data from multiple digital source to create meaningful sensations of touch.

What You'll Be Doing
The R&D Chief of Staff serves as a strategic and operational partner to the CTO and the
Research & Development organization. This role is responsible for driving alignment,
execution, and organizational effectiveness across R&D and hardware engineering
initiatives. Acting as the connective tissue of the team, the R&D Chief of Staff ensures that
priorities are clearly defined, decisions are translated into actionable plans, and key
initiatives move forward efficiently.

Key Responsibilities
• Partner closely with the CTO to operationalize strategic priorities across the R&D
organization
• Translate leadership discussions and decisions into structured action plans and
measurable outcomes
• Establish and maintain systems, processes, and tracking tools to ensure initiatives
progress to completion

• Coordinate cross-functional efforts across engineering, product, and other internal
stakeholders
• Monitor timelines, identify risks, and proactively address bottlenecks that may
impact delivery
• Facilitate meetings, document key decisions, and ensure accountability for follow-
up actions
• Streamline communication and information flow across teams
• Identify operational gaps and implement process improvements
• Support roadmap planning, execution tracking, and organizational prioritization
• Serve as the operational backbone of the office in the early stage, managing
essential administrative functions while building systems that will scale with the
company
• Other duties as assigned.

What You'll Need for This Position
Education
• Bachelor’s degree required, or equivalent combination of education and relevant
professional experience
• Preferred fields include: Business Administration, Engineering, Science, Technology
Management, Project Management, or a related discipline
Must-Have Skills & Experience
• 5+ years of experience in operations, program management, project management,
consulting, executive support, or a related field
• Experience supporting technical, engineering, or product-focused teams preferred
• Strong project and program management capabilities
• Exceptional organizational and prioritization skills
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex initiatives simultaneously
• Ability to operate independently and exercise sound judgment
• Skilled at synthesizing complex information and translating ambiguity into
structured plans
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to influence and drive alignment without formal authority
• High level of discretion, professionalism, and executive presence
• Comfortable working in fast-paced, evolving environments
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills

What's in It for You
Work closely with cutting-edge technology. You'll be hands-on with novel neural haptic
technology that's defining the future of spatial computing and immersive experiences.
Work in a close-knit, startup environment. We strive to create an intellectually
stimulating and collegial working environment. Our energy for inventing, creating, and
learning spans work and play: we have regular happy hours, plan field trips, play games,
play music, and generally have a good time.

An early employee experience. We are an early-stage deep tech startup company that
requires all members to contribute across the entire business. On any given day, there will
be new challenges and new demands to propel the business forward. We expect all
employees to be able to dive into any new challenges that present themselves, even if they
are beyond the job description above. If your are driven by the desire to see success and to
create new tech not seen by the world previously, you will fit right in to the team's culture.
Compensation & Benefits

Afference is committed to providing the sense of touch for the evolution of the human
connection to technology and the future of the digital experience. We are leading this effort
through deep science and technology, which provides unique experiences compared to
classical haptic technologies. Our lean team of experts demands a high level of excellence
but can compensate with the commensurate upside potential of an early-growth startup in
a high-growth sector of extended reality.

Compensation offers depend on skills, qualifications, and experience, and range between:
$79,600 to $119,400 per year at 100% FTE

Benefits include:
• Medical, dental vision, life, STD, FSA, additional company perks
• Equity incentives
• Self-managed PTO

Location: On-site; Cleveland, OH office