Program Coordinator

The Program Coordinator — San Diego is the operational engine behind Aquillius's programming at the headquarters hub in Southern California. This role plans, coordinates, and executes the full Aquillius event and program calendar at the San Diego hub — from flagship investor symposia and multi-week accelerator programs to weekly networking events, scientific seminars, and community gatherings — ensuring every event is professionally produced, well-attended, and aligned with the Aquillius brand and mission.
San Diego is one of the most dynamic innovation markets in the world — a global leader in life sciences, biotech, defense technology, and clean energy, with deep cross-border ties to Tijuana's manufacturing and technology ecosystem. This creates a rich and distinctive programming environment: the San Diego Program Coordinator will plan events that speak to a scientifically sophisticated, globally connected member community, including binational business gatherings, life sciences and MedTech-focused workshops, AI and technology conferences, and investor-facing events.
A distinctive element of this role is its coordination with Microtek, a manufacturing facility located in San Diego and part of the broader Aquillius ecosystem. The Program Coordinator works with the Microtek team to align on business and administrative activities, coordinate joint programming and events, and build cohesion between the innovation hub community and the manufacturing operations — strengthening the connection between Aquillius's innovation environment and real-world production capabilities.
This role reports to the Innovation Hub Director — San Diego and the Director of Marketing & Community. While the Innovation Hub Director provides site-level direction and member insights, the Program Coordinator also provides direction back on event logistics, scheduling, and execution — ensuring programming runs efficiently and the Innovation Hub Director can stay focused on community engagement, ecosystem partnerships, and member relationships.

logistics of the Investor Readiness Bootcamp cohorts in San Diego — including participant recruitment and registration, partner coordination with Big Tree Innovation Fund, venue and AV setup, weekly session logistics, and the final pitch showcase
• Plan and execute Bright Business Accelerator programming — including discovery meetings, cohort sessions, mentor scheduling, and milestone events
• Coordinate the Catalyst Capital Symposia in San Diego — including venue, AV and production, catering, investor and speaker management, registration, guest experience, and event-day logistics for a high-profile, multi-stakeholder event
• Support Simbiosyx community programming — including expert onboarding events, networking sessions, and experiences that activate the Simbiosyx platform within the San Diego member community
• Plan and execute Investor Meetups — coordinating gatherings focused primarily on building relationships among investors, with curated founder touchpoints as a secondary element; responsibilities include venue selection, investor outreach, guest curation, and post-event follow-up logistics
Community & Networking Events
• Plan and execute the full recurring community event calendar at the San Diego hub — including monthly networking events, happy hours, The Pitch Pit series, industry panels, scientific seminars, and member spotlights
• Coordinate workshops and educational events tailored to the San Diego member community — including life sciences and MedTech-focused programming, AI and technology conferences, lab technique seminars, and cross-industry events open to all member companies
• Plan and execute Binational Business Gatherings and cross-border events that leverage San Diego's unique proximity to Tijuana — connecting San Diego innovators with Tijuana's manufacturing, technology, and business community
• Work closely with the Innovation Hub Director — San Diego to understand the needs and interests of the member community — and provide clear direction on hosting responsibilities, member communications, and on-site support for each event
• Coordinate with the Microtek team to align on shared business and administrative activities, plan joint events and programming that bridge innovation and manufacturing, and foster ongoing collaboration between the Aquillius hub community and Microtek's operations
• Manage event registrations via Nexudus and Eventship — including RSVPs, reminders, waitlists, and post-event follow-up communications
Production & Logistics Management
The Program Coordinator leads event production end-to-end — directing event logistics and providing clear guidance to Hub Managers on their roles for each event, so they can focus on community engagement and relationship building rather than operational details.
• Manage all event logistics from planning through execution — including venue coordination, AV and production setup, catering, signage, printed materials, branded swag, and name badges
• Coordinate with AV and production vendors for hybrid events — including livestreaming, video recording, photography, and virtual attendee management
• Maintain relationships with preferred vendors — AV companies, caterers, photographers, videographers, and production crews
• Manage the County-specified event calendar requirements, including scheduling and reporting for workshops, training events, and networking events as required by contract obligations
• Recruit, train, and coordinate the Aquillius volunteer and ambassador team — including onboarding volunteers for events, assigning roles, and managing the ambassador program as a community engagement and brand-building initiative
• Coordinate capital or county procurement processes for event-related vendor contracts as applicable
Front Desk, Hospitality & Member Services
As the on-site face of the Aquillius San Diego hub on a day-to-day basis, the Program Coordinator manages the front desk and ensures a warm, professional, and well-run environment for residents, guests, and visitors.
• Manage the front desk daily — serving as the first point of contact for all visitors, members, vendors, and guests arriving at the San Diego hub
• Greet visitors professionally, manage guest sign-in, and coordinate visitor access in accordance with hub security and access protocols
• Monitor and maintain the coffee and snack area — ensuring it is consistently well-stocked, clean, and ready for residents throughout the day
• Coordinate restocking of kitchen and breakroom supplies, coordinating with vendors and the Innovation Hub Director as needed
• Maintain a tidy, professional, and inviting front-of-house environment that reflects the Aquillius brand and culture
Bicoastal Program Coordination
A defining feature of this role is the close working relationship with the Program Coordinator based in Montgomery County, Maryland. The two coordinators function as a bicoastal programming team, ensuring Aquillius delivers cohesive, connected experiences across both markets.
• Collaborate on the execution of network-wide flagship events — including the Catalyst Capital Symposia and Investor Readiness Bootcamp — ensuring consistent quality and experience across both coasts
• Identify opportunities for cross-coast member engagement — including virtual joint events, shared speaker lineups, Binational Business Gatherings, and programs that create value for members
• Maintain shared program documentation, run-of-show templates, and vendor databases that support efficient coordination between the two roles
Metrics, Reporting & Communications
• Track event attendance, collect post-event feedback surveys, and compile event metrics for regular reporting to the Innovation Hub Director — San Diego and Director of Marketing & Community
• Maintain accurate program and event records — including attendance logs, vendor contracts, budgets, and outcome data
• Support the Director of Marketing & Community with event-related content — including pre-event promotion, social media assets, post-event recaps, and impact reporting
• Provide input to the Annual Impact Report on programming outcomes, attendance, and community engagement at the San Diego hub

Qualifications
Required
• 3+ years of event planning, program coordination, or community management experience
• Demonstrated experience managing events of varying scale — from intimate workshops to multi-stakeholder symposia of 50 to 500+ attendees
• Strong organizational and project management skills — ability to manage multiple events and programs simultaneously across multiple locations
• Experience with event registration and community management platforms such as Nexudus, Eventbrite, or similar tools
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to work collaboratively across a multi-supervisor reporting structure and a geographically distributed team
• Bachelor's degree preferred
Preferred
• Experience with hybrid event production — livestreaming, video recording, and virtual attendee management
• Familiarity with innovation ecosystems, startup events, accelerator programs, or investor-facing programming
• Experience supporting multi-site or multi-city event calendars
• Familiarity with the San Diego innovation ecosystem — including life sciences, biotech, defense tech, and the broader Southern California startup community
• Experience with or interest in cross-border and binational event programming — particularly events connecting San Diego with Tijuana and the broader U.S.-Mexico border business community
• Familiarity with manufacturing environments or experience coordinating programming and events that bridge innovation and production operations
• Experience with investor events, pitch competitions, or venture-facing programming
• CMP (Certified Meeting Professional) or similar certification