Strategic Projects Associate

Handshake is the college career network of the future, built to transform the recruiting experience for college students, career centers and employers. Our mission is to democratize access to opportunity:To help every college student find the right job for them, no matter where they go to school, what they're majoring in, or who they know. We do this by connecting college students and young alumni to a comprehensive national network, all built on a fast, scalable, mobile infrastructure. Handshake's network gives students access to more career opportunities and insights, provides employers with more comprehensive and efficient access to talent, and gives colleges more tools to drive student engagement and increase student employment. Launched in 2014, Handshake is the ultimate career network and recruiting platform for college students and young alumni. With over 500 U. S. universities, 8 million students, and 200,000 companies (including 95% of the Fortune 500), Handshake is designed to transform the recruiting experience for students, recruiters, and career centers. Handshake, headquartered in San Francisco, CA, has raised $34 million in funding from Spark Capital, KPCB, Lightspeed Ventures, True Ventures, and Lowercase Capital. Read more about Handshake at www.joinhandshake.com.

Handshake AI is trusted by top AI labs and technology companies to deliver high-quality talent and operational execution for their most important model training initiatives. As a Strategic Project Associate (SPA), you’ll be at the center of our delivery engine making sure projects run smoothly, talent pipelines stay healthy, and client expectations are met.

What sets us apart is that we are the first company to recognize India’s critical role in building out frontier AI models at scale and our team reflects this global-first, future-forward approach.

You’ll be joining a group of operators and strategists who have spent years at the forefront of the human data industry, working with some of the brightest minds in AI research and development.

**About the Role**

As a Strategic Project Associate (SPA), you will be a key driver in making sure Handshake AI delivers flawlessly for our customers. This role blends execution, analysis, and problem-solving with a unique opportunity to contribute to projects that directly impact the training of state-of-the-art AI models.

You will work hand-in-hand with Strategic Project Leads, Delivery Leads, and Operations leadership gaining a front-row seat to how the human data layer of AI is being built. This is a launchpad role with significant growth potential, designed to prepare you for higher-impact leadership roles in project delivery and client strategy.

We work 5 days in-office and half days remotely on Saturday.

**Key Responsibilities**

- Drive the day-to-day execution of projects from setting up operational workflows to ensuring deadlines are met and deliverables exceed client expectations.
- Support onboarding of hundreds of domain experts across diverse industries, keeping pipelines healthy and engagement high.
- Track KPIs, maintain dashboards, and provide regular updates to leadership, ensuring stakeholders always have a clear view of project health.
- Work closely with Strategic Project Leads to translate client requirements into action plans and unblock execution bottlenecks.
- Propose and implement process improvements and automations that scale our ability to deliver at speed and quality.
- Help prepare updates and progress reports that showcase results to clients and highlight opportunities for expansion and upsell.

**Desired Capabilities**

- Bachelor’s degree in STEM, business or a related field.
- Early-career experience in operations, consulting, research, or project management preferred (internships count).
- Analytical mindset with comfort using spreadsheets (Excel/Google Sheets) and project management tools (Notion, Asana, Jira, etc.).
- Clear communicator with excellent written and verbal English.
- Highly organized, detail-oriented, and driven to deliver outcomes rather than just complete tasks.

**You’ll Thrive Here If You:**

- Are motivated by solving operational problems that have direct, measurable impact.
- Want to be part of a company shaping the future of AI through human data.
- Can navigate ambiguity, act with urgency, and keep multiple workstreams moving in parallel.
- Are ambitious and looking for a stepping stone into leadership roles in operations or client strategy.

**Perks**

- Generous Equity Grant vested over 4 years.
- Housing Bonus: 1.3 Lakhs spread throughout the first year.
- Well Defined Performance Bonus ranging between 10 - 100% of base.
- Medical Insurance Coverage.
- Food credit for every in-person day that should cover for lunch and dinner.

Join Handshake AI as a Strategic Projects Associate to drive project execution, build networks, and support AI model training initiatives in India.

Handshake AI is trusted by top AI labs and technology companies to deliver high-quality talent and operational execution for their most important model training initiatives. As a Strategic Project Associate (SPA), you’ll be at the center of our delivery engine making sure projects run smoothly, talent pipelines stay healthy, and client expectations are met.

What sets us apart is that we are the first company to recognize India’s critical role in building out frontier AI models at scale and our team reflects this global-first, future-forward approach.

You’ll be joining a group of operators and strategists who have spent years at the forefront of the human data industry, working with some of the brightest minds in AI research and development.

**About the Role**

As a Strategic Project Associate (SPA), you will be a key driver in making sure Handshake AI delivers flawlessly for our customers. This role blends execution, analysis, and problem-solving with a unique opportunity to contribute to projects that directly impact the training of state-of-the-art AI models.

You will work hand-in-hand with Strategic Project Leads, Delivery Leads, and Operations leadership gaining a front-row seat to how the human data layer of AI is being built. This is a launchpad role with significant growth potential, designed to prepare you for higher-impact leadership roles in project delivery and client strategy.

We work 5 days in-office and half days remotely on Saturday.

**Key Responsibilities**

- Drive the day-to-day execution of projects from setting up operational workflows to ensuring deadlines are met and deliverables exceed client expectations.
- Support onboarding of hundreds of domain experts across diverse industries, keeping pipelines healthy and engagement high.
- Track KPIs, maintain dashboards, and provide regular updates to leadership, ensuring stakeholders always have a clear view of project health.
- Work closely with Strategic Project Leads to translate client requirements into action plans and unblock execution bottlenecks.
- Propose and implement process improvements and automations that scale our ability to deliver at speed and quality.
- Help prepare updates and progress reports that showcase results to clients and highlight opportunities for expansion and upsell.

**Desired Capabilities**

- Bachelor’s degree in STEM, business or a related field.
- Early-career experience in operations, consulting, research, or project management preferred (internships count).
- Analytical mindset with comfort using spreadsheets (Excel/Google Sheets) and project management tools (Notion, Asana, Jira, etc.).
- Clear communicator with excellent written and verbal English.
- Highly organized, detail-oriented, and driven to deliver outcomes rather than just complete tasks.

**You’ll Thrive Here If You:**

- Are motivated by solving operational problems that have direct, measurable impact.
- Want to be part of a company shaping the future of AI through human data.
- Can navigate ambiguity, act with urgency, and keep multiple workstreams moving in parallel.
- Are ambitious and looking for a stepping stone into leadership roles in operations or client strategy.

**Perks**

- Generous Equity Grant vested over 4 years.
- Housing Bonus: 1.3 Lakhs spread throughout the first year.
- Well Defined Performance Bonus ranging between 10 - 100% of base.
- Medical Insurance Coverage.
- Food credit for every in-person day that should cover for lunch and dinner.Requirements:<ul><li> Bachelor’s degree in STEM, business or a related field.</li><li> Early-career experience in operations, consulting, research, or project management preferred (internships count).</li><li> Analytical mindset with comfort using spreadsheets (Excel/Google Sheets) and project management tools (Notion, Asana, Jira, etc.).</li><li> Clear communicator with excellent written and verbal English.</li><li> Highly organized, detail-oriented, and driven to deliver outcomes rather than just complete tasks.</li><li> Motivated by solving operational problems that have direct, measurable impact.</li><li> Want to be part of a company shaping the future of AI through human data.</li><li> Can navigate ambiguity, act with urgency, and keep multiple workstreams moving in parallel.</li><li> Are ambitious and looking for a stepping stone into leadership roles in operations or client strategy.</li></ul>Benefits:<ul><li> Generous Equity Grant vested over 4 years</li><li> Housing Bonus: 1.3 Lakhs spread throughout the first year</li><li> Well Defined Performance Bonus ranging between 10 - 100% of base</li><li> Medical Insurance Coverage</li><li> Food credit for every in person day that should cover for lunch and dinner</li></ul>

Handshake

Strategic Projects Associate Join Handshake AI as a Strategic Projects Associate to drive project execution, build networks, and support AI model training initiatives in India. Handshake AI is trusted by top AI labs and technology companies to deliver high-quality talent and operational execution for their most important model training initiatives. As a Strategic Project Associate (SPA), you’ll be at the center of our delivery engine making sure projects run smoothly, talent pipelines stay healthy, and client expectations are met.

What sets us apart is that we are the first company to recognize India’s critical role in building out frontier AI models at scale and our team reflects this global-first, future-forward approach.

You’ll be joining a group of operators and strategists who have spent years at the forefront of the human data industry, working with some of the brightest minds in AI research and development.

**About the Role**

As a Strategic Project Associate (SPA), you will be a key driver in making sure Handshake AI delivers flawlessly for our customers. This role blends execution, analysis, and problem-solving with a unique opportunity to contribute to projects that directly impact the training of state-of-the-art AI models.

You will work hand-in-hand with Strategic Project Leads, Delivery Leads, and Operations leadership gaining a front-row seat to how the human data layer of AI is being built. This is a launchpad role with significant growth potential, designed to prepare you for higher-impact leadership roles in project delivery and client strategy.

We work 5 days in-office and half days remotely on Saturday.

**Key Responsibilities**

- Drive the day-to-day execution of projects from setting up operational workflows to ensuring deadlines are met and deliverables exceed client expectations.
- Support onboarding of hundreds of domain experts across diverse industries, keeping pipelines healthy and engagement high.
- Track KPIs, maintain dashboards, and provide regular updates to leadership, ensuring stakeholders always have a clear view of project health.
- Work closely with Strategic Project Leads to translate client requirements into action plans and unblock execution bottlenecks.
- Propose and implement process improvements and automations that scale our ability to deliver at speed and quality.
- Help prepare updates and progress reports that showcase results to clients and highlight opportunities for expansion and upsell.

**Desired Capabilities**

- Bachelor’s degree in STEM, business or a related field.
- Early-career experience in operations, consulting, research, or project management preferred (internships count).
- Analytical mindset with comfort using spreadsheets (Excel/Google Sheets) and project management tools (Notion, Asana, Jira, etc.).
- Clear communicator with excellent written and verbal English.
- Highly organized, detail-oriented, and driven to deliver outcomes rather than just complete tasks.

**You’ll Thrive Here If You:**

- Are motivated by solving operational problems that have direct, measurable impact.
- Want to be part of a company shaping the future of AI through human data.
- Can navigate ambiguity, act with urgency, and keep multiple workstreams moving in parallel.
- Are ambitious and looking for a stepping stone into leadership roles in operations or client strategy.

**Perks**

- Generous Equity Grant vested over 4 years.
- Housing Bonus: 1.3 Lakhs spread throughout the first year.
- Well Defined Performance Bonus ranging between 10 - 100% of base.
- Medical Insurance Coverage.
- Food credit for every in-person day that should cover for lunch and dinner. Strategic Projects Associate Consultant Handshake technology-information-and-internet career-services professional-networking recruitment-technology talent-management education job-search mobile-apps all-students candidate-relationship-management-software college-recruiting computer-software enterprise-software event-management events events-services higher-education hr human-resources information-technology internet job-search-sites recruiting recruiting-automation-software recruitment-marketing-platforms saas services software staffing technology university-students virtual-career-fair-platforms

As a Strategic Projects Associate at Handshake AI, you will manage project workflows, support talent onboarding, and collaborate with leadership to ensure successful AI training projects. This role offers growth opportunities in AI operations and client strategy, with a mix of in-office and remote work.

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