Open Innovation Consultant

Part-time Remote Bachelor Degree

Position Overview

MIT Solve, a marketplace for social impact innovation, has a periodic need for consultants to support our Global Programs team. Consultants provide support to specific open innovation challenges, either as generalists focusing on exceptional program delivery, or as specialists providing technical expertise to support the sourcing or selection of innovations in a particular area. All consultants should have program execution experience in a fast-paced environment.  

Timeline: Flexible, generally 3-6 month commitments at 5-20 hrs/wk

Location: Remote within US

Compensation: Varies based on experience

Key Responsibilities

Deliver key components of an innovation challenge, with guidance from the Challenge Lead and other Solve staff. These may include:

  • Consulting with industry experts to help define challenge design and parameters 

  • Creating comprehensive challenge collateral including challenge description, technical requirements, evaluation criteria, and impact metrics

  • Researching qualified experts to invite as technical vetters, reviewers, and/or judges 

  • Designing and executing a targeted outreach strategy to reach a critical mass of qualified applicants, including:

    • Promotional materials meeting client branding guidelines

    • Email marketing approach leveraging existing Solve network and newly researched applicants and networks

    • Targeted outreach and support for individual applicants

  • Screening or reviewing applications for completion, relevance, and general quality

  • Supporting finalist applicants by reviewing and providing feedback on pitch decks and video pitch presentations

  • Prepare other challenge collateral as needed, including materials for info sessions, technical vetting, and finalist interviews

  • Helping coordinate cross-functional workflows between MIT Solve team, client, and external partners

 

Required Qualifications

  • 2+ years of experience with a demonstrated track record of successfully executing time-sensitive projects with multiple stakeholders

  • Strong verbal and written communication skills with comfort engaging with technical topics

  • Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail 

  • Ability to work independently with guidance on scope and prioritization

  • Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field 

Beneficial Expertise - strong candidates will bring more specific expertise that may be relevant for a particular challenge program. That could include any of the following (strong candidates will bring 2-3 of these skills)

  • Professional proficiency in Arabic, French, Portuguese, or Spanish

  • Work experience within one of Solve’s areas of impact - climate, health, learning, economic prosperity, or Indigenous communities

  • Technical research and report drafting, particularly in social impact or humanitarian contexts 

  • Technical experience in areas such as machine learning, generative AI, or medical devices

  • Experience in graphic design or digital marketing

For Interested Consultants

We invite those interested in part-time program consulting work to submit a resume, cover letter, and two relevant work samples to Alexander Dale at innovatorsupport at solve dot mit dot edu. Solve staff will reach out to relevant candidates when an upcoming program needs consultant support; candidates should not expect a short-term response. 

MIT Solve values diversity and encourages applications from candidates of all backgrounds who are passionate about driving positive social & environmental impact.