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Research Operations Associate Jobs in Colorado (NOW HIRING)

AtmosZero

Business Operations Associate

Loveland, CO · On-site

$65K - $72K/yr

... research, or supporting customer and business development initiatives. This is an in-office role ... Associate, or Commercial Operations role over time Compensation: $65,000 - 72,500 annually ...

Nourish

Research Associate

Denver, CO · On-site +1

About the Role As our first Research Associate, you will play a foundational role in building the operational infrastructure that makes Nourish's prospective clinical research possible -- owning the ...

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Research Operations Associate information

See Colorado salary details

$11

$27

$56

How much do research operations associate jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 10, 2026, the average hourly pay for research operations associate in Colorado is $27.60, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $18.70 and $31.83 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How does a Research Operations Associate typically collaborate with research and cross-functional teams on projects?

A Research Operations Associate plays a crucial role in facilitating smooth collaboration between researchers and other departments such as product, design, and engineering. They often coordinate project timelines, manage participant recruitment, and ensure compliance with data privacy standards, allowing researchers to focus on their studies. Effective communication and organizational skills are essential, as the Associate acts as a bridge, aligning research activities with broader organizational goals. Regular meetings, shared project management tools, and clear documentation are common practices to support seamless teamwork.

What skills and qualifications are needed to thrive as a Research Operations Associate?

To thrive as a Research Operations Associate, you need strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and a background in project management or research administration, often supported by a bachelor’s degree in a related field. Familiarity with research management platforms, budgeting software, and compliance systems is typically required. Excellent communication, problem-solving, and collaboration abilities help you navigate complex projects and support research teams effectively. These skills are crucial for ensuring research projects run smoothly, meet regulatory requirements, and achieve organizational goals.

What does a Research Operations Associate do?

A Research Operations Associate supports the research team by managing the processes, tools, and logistics that enable effective research. Their responsibilities may include coordinating participant recruitment, maintaining research databases, handling scheduling, managing budgets, and ensuring compliance with ethical guidelines. This role helps streamline the workflow for researchers, so they can focus more on conducting studies and less on administrative tasks. Research Operations Associates also play a key role in improving research efficiency and ensuring high-quality results.

What is the difference between Research Operations Associate vs Research Analyst?

AspectResearch Operations AssociateResearch Analyst
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in related field, experience in research supportBachelor's or master's degree, strong analytical skills
Work EnvironmentSupports research teams, manages logistics and toolsConducts data analysis, prepares reports
Employer & Industry UsageCommon in tech, academia, corporate R&DWidely used across finance, market research, consulting

The Research Operations Associate primarily focuses on supporting research processes, logistics, and tools management, while the Research Analyst emphasizes data analysis and reporting. Both roles require research-related credentials and are integral to research teams, but they differ in daily responsibilities and skill sets.

What are the most commonly searched types of Research Operations jobs in Colorado? The most popular types of Research Operations jobs in Colorado are:
What are popular job titles related to Research Operations Associate jobs in Colorado? For Research Operations Associate jobs in Colorado, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Research Operations Associate jobs in Colorado look for? The top searched job categories for Research Operations Associate jobs in Colorado are:
What cities in Colorado are hiring for Research Operations Associate jobs? Cities in Colorado with the most Research Operations Associate job openings:
Research Operations Associate jobs near you
Infographic showing various Research Operations Associate job openings in Colorado as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 92% In-person, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $57,401 per year, or $27.6 per hour.

Saturn Five - Operations Associate

Trinity Park Talent Opportunities

Denver, CO • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 23 days ago

Job description

Operations Associate
Support and strengthen a growing portfolio of enduring small businesses through operational execution,
analytics, and project management
Join Saturn Five
Saturn Five is looking for an execution powerhouse to join its Operations Team in Denver as an Operations Associate. If that sounds like you and if you're looking for a great culture, variety in your work, and you love small business, this could be a strong fit. You'll work closely with operations leadership and the leaders of our portfolio companies, spanning a wide range of businesses, from specialty contractors, to landscaping and garden centers, to outdoor adventure tour operators. You'll get direct exposure to the operating realities of growing small businesses and the investment strategies that support them. We are currently deploying a nearly $200 million investment fund focused on acquiring outstanding small businesses with strong cultures, resilient cash flows, and long-term growth potential. We emphasize stewardship over short-term optimization, we are a long-term-hold investor (i.e., we don't "flip" companies), we partner closely with management teams, and we prioritize the long-term health of the businesses we own.
The Role
As an Operations Associate, you'll manage the integration of new acquisitions, oversee portfolio-company reporting, take on special projects that enable the firm and our portfolio companies to be successful, and support firm operations broadly with whatever needs to be done (i.e., no task is too big or too small). Your responsibilities will be broad, requiring exceptional execution, organization, communication, and analytical capabilities. There are multiple potential career trajectories within Saturn Five from this position, based upon the strengths you bring to the role. We look forward to sharing more with you about our vision to expand our portfolio company resources and data analytics capabilities, and learning more about your career interests.
What You'll Get to Do:
Gain invaluable soup-to-nuts integration experience, and operating and financial insight into a wide range of small businesses alongside a proven team who has been doing this work for years.
Project Management
  • Manage new company integrations (we call them "transitions") after acquisition, ensuring the entities are established properly and all financial and operational changes (like new bank accounts, equipment titles, employee matters, etc.) are handled correctly and completed on time
  • Execute on operational, support, special research, or administrative projects for the Ops Team or within our portfolio companies, helping our CEOs be successful, to include supporting periodic CEO gatherings and best-practice-sharing events
Portfolio Reporting & Analytics
  • Execute and manage the monthly financial reporting process for portfolio companies, including compiling data into standardized templates at the fund and company level, and coordinating senior-level reviews
  • Support quarterly investment performance reporting to senior management and investors
  • Support Operating Partners to collect, organize, systematize, and analyze portfolio-company operating metrics
  • Aggregate, synthesize, and visualize operational and financial data to support decision-making
  • Identify, implement, and manage technology tools to optimize Operations Team processes and information gathering
Why Saturn Five?
We think small businesses are important. We find companies with strong foundations and work closely with management teams to help them grow thoughtfully over time.
Our values, Adventure, Trust, Excellence, Love, and Joy, shape both how we invest and how we work together. We currently own controlling stakes in just under 30 businesses and we are planning for that number to nearly double in the next few years. More about our philosophy and approach can be found in our annual letters: Saturn Five Annual Letters
Who You'll Be Working With
You'll report directly to the firm's COO and work closely with our team of Operating Partners to support our portfolio companies in the joys and challenges that come with running a business. We work hard, laugh a lot, and trust each other to get after it for our companies and investors. We think we're a team most people would like to work with. You can see who you'll be working with here: Our Team
Qualifications:
The role requires meticulous attention to detail, a strong bias toward action, and amazing follow through. You should be equally comfortable consolidating financial information, documenting operational processes, managing complex projects, and supporting leadership teams across a variety of needs. We value people who are resourceful, service-oriented, and willing to jump into unfamiliar or challenging situations to help the team move forward.
  • Bachelor's degree in finance, business, or a related field
  • 3-5 years of professional experience in operations, finance, business analytics, consulting, investment management, private equity support, or a related environment
  • Solid financial acumen - knowledge of general finance and budgeting, and comfort with three-statement financial models, including profit and loss (P&L), balance sheet, and statement of cash flows
  • Advanced Excel and Google Sheet capabilities
  • Fluency with tech (especially AI) tools
  • Demonstrated ability to aggregate, synthesize, and visualize data clearly for others
  • Experience with business intelligence, dashboarding, SQL, or data visualization tools is a plus
  • Strong project management capabilities with demonstrated excellence handling multiple parallel projects; laser-focused control of your calendar and tracking your to-dos; expertise with project management tools like Asana and/or Notion is a major plus
  • Exceptional execution and follow-through; someone who consistently completes work accurately, thoughtfully, and faster than expected
  • High attention to detail and organizational discipline
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to adapt communication styles across investors, executives, operators, and external partners
  • Strong emotional intelligence and willingness to proactively communicate challenges, needs, and important information
  • Ability to assess, implement, and manage software tools to address business needs
  • Demonstrated initiative, accountability, and sound judgment
  • Strong interest in small businesses and long-term investing
  • Ability to leverage AI tools productively while maintaining independent critical thinking
  • Questionably high tolerance for tired jokes
  • Willingness to work in person in Denver

Compensation & Benefits
  • Base salary: $90,000-$110,000 (depending on experience and background)
  • Annual bonus target: Starting at 10% of base salary
  • 401(k) with employer match
  • Health and dental insurance
  • Paid time off
  • Coaching support
  • Monthly date-night stipend

Location & Timing
  • Denver, Colorado (in-person)
  • Apply before July 1, 2026
  • Target start date: Summer 2026
Are you a fit?
If you're hungry, humble, and smart, if you can take a joke (and give one), and if you think small businesses are important, we'd love to meet you; please apply!

Apply