Luminary Labs
Strategy and program execution consultancy
Communications Associate
+ Discretionary annual performance bonus
Two days on-site per week, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, are expected in the New York City office.
About the job
- Experience in strategic communications and marketing in an in-house, agency, or consulting environment.
- Ability to define audiences, set goals, develop communications strategies, engage audiences and communities, craft high-impact messaging, and execute effective campaigns.
- Strong grasp of digital platforms, including the ability to monitor web and social analytics and optimize communications activities based on outcomes.
- Ability to quickly understand complex topics and connect ideas to communicate compelling stories.
- High attention to detail, clear communication, and fresh thinking.
- Collaborate with a team to define audiences, set goals, and develop marketing strategies.
- Identify opportunities to promote and amplify the company’s work, and execute campaigns across channels.
- Monitor modern marketing and communications practices and share best practices with the team.
- Track campaign progress toward defined goals, articulate actionable data-informed insights, and recommend adjustments to strategy and tactics.
- Build networks and engagement, research people and organizations, conduct multichannel outreach, monitor media coverage, and pitch stories to relevant reporters.
- Quickly ramp up on new topics, filter signals from noise, and lead the drafting of blog posts, press releases, email newsletters, and social media posts.
- Edit personal and peer work for clarity and consistency.
- Create content plans and materials that balance audience needs with project or business goals.
- Adapt messages for different contexts and develop content for different channels and formats.
- 4-6+ years of work experience in tech-savvy marketing, communications, or business development, including 2-3 years in an agency, consultancy, startup, or with corporate clients.
- Demonstrated experience supporting large-scale integrated communications programs, including social media campaigns, direct marketing, communities, and press outreach.
- Familiarity with Google Analytics and social media analytics.
- Experience researching and identifying influencers and press or event opportunities.
- Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills.
- Experience developing multichannel content to activate audiences.
- Excellent verbal skills and a high emotional quotient, with the ability to translate communications strategy to internal and client teams.
- Experience with Mailchimp and WordPress is a plus.
- Familiarity with Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, or equivalent large language models, with sound judgment when using artificial intelligence tools in a client services environment.
- A strong record as a high performer in academic, volunteer, or work activities, with noted leadership accomplishments.
- High adaptability to new organizational cultures and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
About the company
Luminary Labs is a strategy and innovation consultancy based in New York City. It helps government, foundations, and private-sector clients tackle complex, multistakeholder problems in four focus areas: the future of health, the future of work and education, scientific discovery, and infrastructure. The firm combines strategy and execution, guiding collaborative decision-making and turning upfront thinking into concrete strategies and programs that can be implemented. They emphasize clear, transparent work with a focus on high-quality execution, aiming to turn good ideas into real, measurable outcomes. Their approach thrives in spaces where solutions aren’t obvious and the potential for impact is high. The goal is to help clients make informed choices and turn ideas into realities that advance public and private interests while maintaining a balanced, efficient workplace culture.
Company Size
11-50
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
New York City, New York
Founded
2009
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- September 2026 updates show active hiring and promotions, signaling demand.
- New launches include Single Shield, Orbital Clarity, and Permitting Innovators.
- OASIS+, NOIS3, and IHT 2.0 widen access to larger procurements.
What critics are saying
- Revenue depends on federal procurement cycles and agency priorities in 2026.
- Contract vehicles commoditize consulting, pressuring margins against larger integrators like Deloitte.
- A federal funding freeze would hit its prize pipeline and utilization immediately.
What makes Luminary Labs unique
- Luminary Labs secured six federal contract vehicles in 2025-2026.
- It designs prize competitions, open innovation programs, and implementation for agencies.
- Its 2026 portfolio spans NASA, BARDA, CEQ, VA, and ARPA-H.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Paid Vacation
Parental Leave
401(k) Retirement Plan
401(k) Company Match
Commuter Benefits
Phone/Internet Stipend
Professional Development Budget
Charitable Donation Matching
Hybrid Work Options
Company News
Fall 2026 company updates. Expanding its team to bring fresh ideas and groundbreaking programs to life. 2026 has been a full and fulfilling year - and Luminary Labs LLC haven't even closed the books on the third quarter yet. Since its last company update in early April, Luminary Labs LLC has launched six new initiatives on behalf of its federal clients: * Permitting Innovators, a Council on Environmental Quality program to modernize federal permitting for the 21st century, sourced tech solutions through an open call and hosted nearly 500 attendees at the Permitting Innovators Expo this summer. * The LymeX Visible Voices Prize invited patients, caregivers, clinicians, and innovators to create clear, trusted educational resources, and will soon announce winners. * The Careers in Your Community Challenge, part of the CTE Momentum series, invites high schools to propose solutions that improve career exploration at their schools. * The Single Shield Prize, an $80+ million competition to advance single-administration vaccine platforms for pandemic influenza A(H5N1), will host a Proposers' Day in New York next week. * The Robotically Manipulated Payload Challenge, part of the NASA TechLeap Prize, invited applicants to propose payloads that can be manipulated by a robotic arm in low Earth orbit. Phase 1 winners will be announced soon. * The Orbital Clarity Challenge, also part of the NASA TechLeap Prize, is currently open for submissions and seeks to advance orbital drag measurement for safer, more predictable satellite flight paths. In between launches, Luminary Labs LLC has celebrated Founding Partner Sara Holoubek's new fellowship with the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, shifted its Nowcasting series from analysis to agenda, announced a new podcast on the purpose of education, and reimagined its Lab Report newsletter as a robust monthly publication. This thoughtful, ambitious work doesn't happen on its own; its team has expanded to bring fresh ideas and groundbreaking programs to life. Luminary Labs LLC is pleased to share the news of recent hires and promotions at Luminary Labs. New hires and promotions. Olivia Anderle joined Luminary Labs in 2022 as a Senior Talent Associate and was recently promoted to People Operations Manager. This new role expands her purview to include onboarding, professional development, and internal training programs, as well as employee engagement and experience initiatives. She will also continue to build the company's team of full-time employees and its extended team of contractors, providing an exceptional end-to-end recruitment experience for all involved in the hiring process. Taylor Garner joined Luminary Labs as a Senior Associate. She brings experience working across government agencies, multilaterals, NGOs, and development banks to support complex programs in the U.S. and abroad. Her work centers on helping clients solve complex problems through innovative approaches, strong project management, and thoughtful stakeholder engagement - moving from strategy to practical implementation. She is currently supporting its Permitting Innovators work with the Council on Environmental Quality, as well as the Robotically Manipulated Payload Challenge with the NASA TechLeap Prize. Emma Stevens joined Luminary Labs as an Associate. She brings expertise in public-sector workflows, stakeholder engagement, and interagency collaboration. Emma excels at identifying problems, achieving consensus, and mapping the pathway to an actionable solution. She is currently supporting its teams working on the LymeX Visible Voices Prize, LymeX Diagnostics Prize, and the NASA TechLeap Prize's Orbital Clarity Challenge. Publication date. September 23, 2026 Partner and CEO
Bringing Veteran mental health to the fore. As the BHT 2025 Veteran Week Partner, Luminary Labs supports programming to elevate veteran perspectives. There are 15.8 million Veterans in the United States, representing 6% of the adult civilian population. They have unique healthcare needs and deserve access to the best care possible. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), through the Veterans Health Administration - the nation's largest integrated healthcare system - carries out a critical but challenging mission, delivering exceptional care that is both efficient and high-quality to meet the needs of today's Veterans. Launched in 2022, Mission Daybreak was a $20 million grand challenge to address a top clinical priority for the VA: the crisis of Veteran suicide. Effectively one of the largest suicide prevention funding programs ever created, Mission Daybreak leveraged open innovation to identify promising novel solutions, deliver catalytic seed funding, and provide targeted support through piloting and scaling phases. Today, some Mission Daybreak teams have secured VA contracts to pilot their solutions throughout the VA system, using technology and community-based approaches to reach Veterans where they are. Designed and produced by Luminary Labs, Mission Daybreak continues to accelerate innovation in suicide prevention, demonstrating the support innovators need to navigate large, complex systems to realize long-term impact. Teams that participated in the grand challenge, including Unite Us and NeuroFlow, were recently recognized among the world's best healthtech companies by TIME Magazine. Building on Mission Daybreak's momentum and the lessons learned from supporting innovators in Veteran mental health, Luminary Labs is proud to be the Veteran Week Partner for the 2025 Behavioral Health Tech Conference. Amplifying veterans' experiences at BHT 2025. There are countless opportunities to improve the lives of America's Veterans. Through focused conference programming and content on BHT's blog and Expanding Access podcast, Luminary Labs will amplify Veterans' perspectives and elevate insights for mental health innovation. The Luminary Labs team will join thousands of health and innovation leaders at the 2025 Behavioral Health Tech Conference. On November 12, Ben Alsdurf, Luminary Labs Senior Director, Future of Health, will moderate a panel sharing innovation lessons from working with Veterans, featuring perspectives from former VA officials and providers including: * Dr. Matthew Miller, PhD - As the Vice President of the Military, Veteran, and Family Center of Excellence at A-G Associates, Dr. Miller has over 20 years of experience in Veteran and military healthcare, specializing in suicide prevention and mental health services. As former Executive Director for VA Suicide Prevention at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, he oversaw national evidence-based interventions and transformed the Veterans Crisis Line into the world's largest and most efficient suicide crisis call center. * Terri Tanielian - Terri Tanielian served as Special Assistant to the President for Veterans Affairs and Behavioral Health in the Biden-Harris Administration (2021-2025), where she led key White House initiatives on mental health, substance use, and Veteran services. As former director of the RAND Center for Military Health Policy Research, she led landmark studies including "Invisible Wounds of War" and "Hidden Heroes: America's Military Caregivers," and has authored over 100 publications shaping Veteran health policy. * Dr. Blas Villalobos - Dr. Villalobos is Chief Executive Officer of Centerstone's Military Services, a not-for-profit health system specializing in mental health and substance use disorder treatments for veterans, active-duty military personnel, and military families. A proud combat veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps (1999-2003), he brings over 15 years of experience working with the veteran and military community, including previous roles as Director of Veterans Affairs for Chapman University and Veterans Affairs Manager for the Los Angeles Mayor's Office. If you're planning to attend BHT2025, Luminary Labs LLC. hope you'll join Luminary Labs LLC. for this session. Conference attendees can register using code VETERAN25 for a discounted rate, courtesy of Luminary Labs. Sharing veteran perspectives. Luminary Labs LLC. has also produced a series of articles and podcasts highlighting key topics and inspiring voices from the Veteran community. * Understanding the Veterans you already serve. Ben Alsdurf and John Boerstler discuss how most behavioral health organizations in America are already serving Veterans - whether they know it or not - and highlight findings from a recent Ipsos survey. * From patients to pioneers: How Veterans drive health innovation. From CT scans to VR therapy, Veterans have driven some of the biggest breakthroughs in healthcare. In this article on the BHT blog, Ben Alsdurf explores those contributions and how they're shaping the future of behavioral health today. * Understanding the Veteran experience: Avoiding assumptions & providing dignity. In this episode, Wanda Wright, Director of the Office for Veteran and Military Academic Engagement at Arizona State University, advocates for women Veterans. She notes many women don't recognize themselves as Veterans, and this, combined with bias, contributes to higher rates of suicide and homelessness among them. * Bridging the Perception Gap: What Veterans Want in Behavioral Healthcare. In this episode, John Boerstler, Head of Public Sector at Ipsos Public Affairs, discusses the unique challenges Veterans face in accessing behavioral health support and the critical need to reduce the stigma surrounding care-seeking. Luminary Labs LLC. will continue publishing Veteran-focused content leading up to the conference. Check back for future articles and recaps from its session and presence at BHT 2025. There's still time to plan your trip to San Diego - register today using code VETERAN25 for a discounted rate.
"Best-in-Class" contract vehicle makes it even easier for federal clients to access the company's strategy, design, implementation, and scaling services.NEW YORK, Jan. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Luminary Labs, a strategy and innovation consultancy, announced today that it has been awarded an OASIS+ Small Business contract. The award highlights Luminary Labs' strong track record of delivering high-quality strategy, design, implementation, and scaling services to federal government clients. OASIS+ (One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services Plus) is a governmentwide contract program administered by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). It allows agencies across the federal government to acquire innovative solutions from highly qualified businesses on a contract vehicle designed to be Best-in-Class (BIC), satisfying key criteria defined by the Office of Management and Budget
Luminary Labs establishes a partnership model to support continued growth and expansion.NEW YORK, Feb. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Luminary Labs, an independent strategy and innovation consultancy, announced that Janna Gilbert has been named a Partner.Since joining Luminary Labs in 2013, Janna has been instrumental in evolving the consultancy's service offering, building and investing in the team, developing deep relationships with clients, and supporting strategic business expansion. In 2019, Janna was promoted to President and has continued to be meaningfully involved in talent and infrastructure investments to support Luminary Labs' growth.Janna Gilbert, Partner and President at Luminary Labs"Joining Luminary Labs changed the course of my career. I have been fortunate to help build and shape a thriving business, and honored to lead an exceptional team doing extraordinary work. I look forward to what is next as we continue to pursue a better and more hopeful future — for the world, for our clients, and for ourselves." said Janna Gilbert, Partner and President.The company's new partnership model will support continued growth and expansion."By creating a partnership path, we are also ensuring that our company's leadership can expand to meet the scale of our ambitions –– and support our deep commitment to organizational sustainability and longevity." said Sara Holoubek, Founding Partner and CEO.Janna and Sara will continue to serve as President and CEO, respectively.Luminary Labs is a strategy and innovation consultancy established in 2009. The company's work spans a broad cross section of topics across four focus areas: the future of work and education, the future of health, scientific discovery, and infrastructure.Luminary Labs has been tasked with designing and producing open innovation programs on behalf of public, private, and nonprofit organizations, representing more than $250 million in potential cash incentives for accelerating effective, scalable solutions
100+ leading organizations across 20+ industries offer fresh perspectives on designing programs, developing partnerships, and measuring outcomes.NEW YORK, Nov. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The world has changed dramatically in the past five years, and in this new world, there's a growing awareness of open innovation and recognition of its potential to achieve an organization's most urgent and important goals. Today, Luminary Labs released the State of Open Innovation 2023 , a follow-up to the company's landmark 2018 report. The new report, available online at luminary-labs.com , includes insights from open innovation leaders at more than 100 organizations — including AstraZeneca, Bayer, MIT Solve, NASA, the National Institutes of Health, Siegel Family Endowment, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the University of Chicago, and the Walton Family Foundation.Open innovation comes of ageFive years ago, collaboration was "the new competitive edge." Now, across sectors, partnership is a prerequisite, and open innovation is essential to keeping pace in a rapidly changing world. Open innovation — a model or methodology that intentionally expands beyond internal resources, inviting external innovators and partners to help advance a goal or solve a problem — can include initiatives like prize competitions, accelerators, hackathons, crowdsourcing, open data/research, participatory design, and open partnership models such as consortia.A number of survey respondents noted that open innovation is increasingly the norm, rather than a niche approach