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Accelerator Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

Braze

Forward Deployed AI Accelerator

Chicago, IL · On-site

Within that team, Forward Deployed AI Accelerators rotate across the company's non-revenue functions - Marketing, Finance, People, Legal, Operations, and beyond - embedding with one function at a ...

Braze

Forward Deployed AI Accelerator

Chicago, IL · On-site

Within that team, Forward Deployed AI Accelerators rotate across the company's non-revenue functions - Marketing, Finance, People, Legal, Operations, and beyond - embedding with one function at a ...

Argonne National Laboratory

Assistant Physicist

Lemont, IL · On-site

$94K - $147K/yr

The Argonne Wakefield Accelerator (AWA) Group, within the High Energy Physics (HEP) Division at Argonne National Laboratory, invites applications for an Assistant Physicist position in accelerator ...

Argonne National Laboratory

Assistant Physicist

Lemont, IL · On-site

$94K - $147K/yr

TheArgonne Wakefield Accelerator (AWA) Group, within theHigh Energy Physics (HEP) DivisionatArgonne National Laboratory, invites applications for an Assistant Physicist position inaccelerator science ...

Braven

Senior Director, Program Operations

Chicago, IL · On-site

Senior Director of Program Operations - Post-Accelerator Team : Product Location : Hybrid in Atlanta (GA), Chicago (IL), New York (NY), Newark (NJ) Employment Type : Full-time FLSA Classification

Stem Xpert

Troux Consultant

Peoria, IL · On-site

Can Be discussed Role Description Serve as a Troux specialist to lead the planning and execution of a Troux Accelerator. The candidate must possess a deep understanding of Enterprise Portfolio ...

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All JobsAccelerator JobsAccelerator Jobs in Illinois

Accelerator information

See Illinois salary details

$36.8K

$51.2K

$64.4K

How much do accelerator jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 7, 2026, the average yearly pay for accelerator in Illinois is $51,175.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $44,600.00 and $57,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are common challenges faced by an accelerator in managing multiple startups simultaneously?

Accelerators often oversee the progress of several startups at once, which can present challenges in prioritizing time, providing tailored support, and balancing resources across ventures with varying needs. Ensuring timely and relevant mentorship, tracking each company's progress, and helping startups navigate unique business hurdles require strong organizational and communication skills. Successful Accelerators use structured programs, regular check-ins, and a network of mentors to ensure each startup receives adequate guidance. This dynamic environment is fast-paced but also offers the opportunity to make a tangible impact on early-stage businesses and foster a culture of innovation.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an accelerator, and why are they important?

To excel as an Accelerator, you should have strong project management abilities, business development experience, and a solid understanding of startup ecosystems—often backed by a relevant degree and experience in entrepreneurship or venture capital. Familiarity with startup acceleration platforms, financial modeling tools, and market analysis software is typically expected. Outstanding interpersonal skills, mentorship capabilities, and adaptability distinguish top performers in this field. These capabilities are critical for guiding early-stage businesses, fostering innovation, and maximizing the success of accelerator programs.

What is an accelerator?

An Accelerator job typically involves working within a business or startup accelerator program to support early-stage companies in their growth journey. Professionals in this role provide mentorship, resources, and networking opportunities to startups, helping them refine their business models and secure funding. They may also assist with program development, investor relations, and operational support. The role requires strong business acumen, strategic thinking, and the ability to connect entrepreneurs with relevant industry experts.

What are the most commonly searched types of Accelerator jobs in Illinois? The most popular types of Accelerator jobs in Illinois are:
What cities in Illinois are hiring for Accelerator jobs? Cities in Illinois with the most Accelerator job openings:
Accelerator jobs near you
Infographic showing various Accelerator job openings in Illinois as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 92% Full Time, 5% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $51,175 per year, or $24.6 per hour.

Managing Director - Great Lakes Innovation Accelerator

gener8tor

Chicago, IL • On-site

$150K - $175K/yr

Full-time

Posted 2 days ago

New

Job description

Managing Director - Great Lakes Innovation Accelerator
Location: Chicago, IL
Salary: $150,000 - $175,000
Description
Do you know the water and ocean technology sector, and want to spend your time getting the best companies in it to market?? Do you want to support the best and brightest entrepreneurs tackling some of our biggest water challenges? Are you committed to providing opportunities across race, place and gender? If so, this position is for you!
gener8tor fosters innovation ecosystems through its accelerator programs, venture capital funds, and skills-based workforce initiatives. With a strong track record of supporting high-growth companies, gener8tor has expanded across the U.S. and internationally, building partnerships with governments, corporations, universities and economic development organizations to drive entrepreneurship and economic impact. gener8tor operates accelerators across 50 cities, 32 states and 9 countries, working with more than 300 startups per year. To date, gener8tor has worked with more than 2,300 startups that have cumulatively gone on to raise more than $3B in financing and employ more than 15,600 people.
gener8tor is a nationally recognized startup accelerator and entrepreneurial support organization and is seeking a Managing Director (MD) to lead the Great Lakes Innovation Accelerator (GLIA) in Chicago, IL. This program is supported by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and runs three 12-week programs per year, each investing $100,000 of non-dilutive funding into five startups (15 per year) focused on Ocean Enterprise innovation, including water measurement, observation, forecasting, and data-driven solutions that benefit the Great Lakes ecosystem and drive water-related advancement globally. Note that this is non-dilutive, grant-funded capital. You will deploy roughly $1.5M per year into founders without taking equity, and without carry.
As Managing Director, you will be responsible for recruiting, selecting, and investing in the most promising early-stage water tech and ocean enterprise startups, while building relationships with ecosystem partners to strengthen the support system for your portfolio. You bring real investment acumen. You understand early-stage funding dynamics, know how to position a company for seed, and can speak credibly to what it takes to get a startup to Series A+. You also bring operator depth: you can get into the weeds with founders on financial modeling, go-to-market strategy, and pitch decks, and you coach founders through commercialization.
You will work directly with our current partners, including the Great Lakes Observing System, Michigan Tech's Great Lakes Research Center, Cleveland Water Alliance, and the Northern Michigan Blue Economy Consortium. You will be gener8tor's face in the Great Lakes water community and a direct point of contact with our federal partners at NOAA.
Success for an MD looks like building a strong portfolio of early-stage water tech startups, investing in the best and brightest founders, and making the Great Lakes region a leading hub for water innovation. You will develop relationships with a personally curated group of mentors, investors and community partners to engage with founders while bending over backward to ensure the startups are set up for success.
You will report to the Senior Managing Director of Sustainability while collaborating across the organization with gener8tor's centralized support teams.
Responsibilities
  • Recruit startup applicants and lead the due diligence and selection process for three cohorts of five water tech and ocean enterprise startups per year, with a mandate to build a materially larger and higher-quality top-of-funnel.
  • Find and develop relationships with mentors, investors, and others who can help support the program and its founders.
  • Act as the lead mentor, cheerleader and point of contact for startups before, during and after the program, including hands-on coaching on financial modeling, go-to-market strategy, fundraising positioning, and deck development.
  • Continuously monitor and update progress for each startup post-program.
  • Build relationships with ecosystem partners and engage in the broader Great Lakes water tech community. Think of yourself as the unofficial "Startup Mayor" of water tech.
  • Plan logistics, engage with the network, execute the accelerator programs and other related activities.
  • Coordinate and collaborate with gener8tor staff and external program partners.
  • Manage relationships with external program partners by providing ongoing updates, program reporting and key metrics.
  • Support the decision-making process on TDC award allocation and any follow-on support for portfolio companies.
  • Assist alumni with ongoing mentor, sponsor and investor relations following the program.
  • Support the program's federal reporting obligations, including quarterly startup reporting, subrecipient monitoring across six partner organizations, and administration of the $100,000 Technology Development and Commercialization awards.
  • Represent the program with NOAA and the broader IOOS community, including the other Ocean Enterprise award winners.
  • Be the #1 cheerleader for the water tech and ocean enterprise ecosystem and the startups and entrepreneurs we work with.
  • Contribute to the gener8tor team's broader initiatives, including supporting other accelerator programs, engaging in ecosystem-building efforts, and assisting with strategic projects as needed.

Requirements
  • Demonstrated experience in water, ocean, environmental, or adjacent hard-tech sectors. You can evaluate a sensing, autonomy, treatment, or remote sensing company on the technology as well as the business, and you are credible with utilities, research institutions, and federal agencies.
  • Entrepreneurial spirit and a self-starter. Experience as a founder, employee in a venture-backed company. Operating experience inside a water or ocean technology company counts.
  • Comfort with capital-intensive hardware companies that have long development cycles, pilot-dependent sales, and regulatory exposure. Software-only backgrounds are not a fit for this portfolio.
  • Collaborative, team-based mindset. You will be working closely with other Managing Directors, founders, external program partners, and ecosystem stakeholders. You are expected to support the overall sustainability team.
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced, highly independent environment and juggle multiple ongoing projects, responsibilities and external relationships.
  • Willingness to intensively and rapidly dive deeper into the startup and venture capital communities even if already familiar.
  • Experience with federally funded programs is strongly preferred. This role carries real compliance responsibility under a NOAA cooperative agreement.
  • Flexibility to travel up to 25%, work some nights and weekends.
  • Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • A "no job is beneath me" mentality.
  • This is a build role. The program is in its second year of a four-year award with renewal conversations ahead. The person in this seat will shape what the Great Lakes Innovation Accelerator becomes.
  • Commitment to equity across race, place and gender.

At gener8tor we...
  • See genius in every community. We believe the company has a chance to accomplish a generational challenge in bridging genius with opportunity.
  • Never self-defeat and have a "play to win" mentality. We revolve everything we do around helping the entrepreneurs in our programs.
  • Are curious. We work hard to find hidden gems others overlook.
  • Believe no job is beneath us. We wipe down the tables and load up the U-Hauls with enthusiasm. Work as a team to get things done!
  • Strive for "that guy emailed me." Based on a story from our founders, we share a commitment to take a bottom-up approach to building strong, personal, 1-1 relationships. We believe that the best way to quality is through quantity.

Our values are core to how we work. If they don't resonate with you, this role might not be the right fit.
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