Building a better world starts with you. Our employees are an incredible group of compassionate, committed individuals, drawn by the opportunity to make a difference. They come from academic, scientific, private, government and nonprofit backgrounds and you’ll work alongside top thinkers, problem solvers and doers.
Put your talents to use in a fast-paced, stimulating organization where you can make an outsized impact. Year over year, our employees report they are proud to work here and are willing to go above and beyond in service of our mission to reduce inequities.
“One of the most important things for me in thinking about coming to work at the Gates Foundation is the ability to work somewhere with such a global reputation and to work at a global scale.”
At the Gates Foundation, we have bold aspirations and we're unabashedly optimistic.
We succeed when our employees thrive. We offer an exceptional benefit package and work environment to support you.
We want to inspire people to take action to change the world—and that includes our employees. Our employee programs enable you to get connected and get involved, both in and out of the office.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion
To have the greatest possible impact, we must make diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) a priority, starting with the people we hire and how we work to retain them. As our workforce grows, so does our opportunity to evolve into an organization that is more reflective of our partners and the communities we serve.
The hiring process
We want to get to know you, and for you to get to know us. The following is an overview of our typical interview process. On occasion, the process may look slightly different for certain roles.
We want to get to know you, and for you to get to know us. The following is an overview of our typical interview process. On occasion, the process may look slightly different for certain roles.
Application
We recognize that you have invested time and energy to prepare your resume and apply. If your skills and experience are a good match with the job description and the identified needs of the hiring manager, you will be contacted via email to schedule a screening phone call with one of our recruiters.
Initial screening call (with recruiter)
Our goal during this phone call is to better understand your background, skills, goals, and values. Equally important, we’d like to learn how you could be a positive contributor to the organizational culture of the Gates Foundation.
Second screening call (with hiring manager)
The next potential step is a phone interview with the hiring manager, who will use this time to better understand your skills and experience and begin to get to know you.
Full interviews (with team members)
The next potential step is interviews with team members. Depending on the role, the interviews might consist of 45- to 60-minute meetings with team leaders, partners, and key team members. Your recruiter will let you know about any specific prework or exercise we’d like you to complete to demonstrate your expertise.
At this stage, team members will assess how your skills and experience might complement the larger team, as well as whether you would be a positive addition to the team’s culture. It is also your opportunity to better understand us and what being an employee on this team could mean for you personally and professionally.
Job offer
Members of the interview team will individually submit written feedback to the recruiter after meeting with each candidate. At the conclusion of the full interview stage, the team will get together for a structured discussion and the hiring manager will make a final decision.
The recruiter will be in touch to share the outcomes of your interviews and let you know if the hiring manager would like to move forward. If you are offered the position, subsequent conversations with the recruiter will include details of our proposed “total rewards” offer (including salary, benefits package, and time off) and preparing you to join the Gates Foundation.
What our employees are saying
We have offices worldwide to tackle critical problems
Our staff in the United States works with governments, nongovernmental organizations, universities, industry, and the philanthropic sector to advance the foundation’s goals. In the United States and Canada, we build relationships with community leaders, policymakers, and innovators who are working to create opportunity around the world and transform schools in the United States.
Our London & Berlin staff work with grantees and partners across Europe, the Middle East, and East Asia to build and sustain donor government support and foster commitment to advancing global health and development goals. These offices are also home to a number of staff who work on specific foundation initiatives in global health, development, and education.
Our India-based staff work in collaboration with the Indian government and other partners on various issues, from health care and sanitation to gender equality, agricultural development, and financial empowerment of the most vulnerable populations.
With the goal of improving the lives of millions of Indian people, we collaborate with community groups, nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, the private sector, and development organizations.
Our employees based in Africa work alongside national governments, local organizations, and other African partners and we contribute funding and scientific expertise in support of their goals for change. We support a range of programs that work to improve health and nutrition, gender equality, disease prevention & treatment, sanitation, agriculture, and financial empowerment.
Our China-based staff lead our efforts to provide financial and technical support to our Chinese partners, build bridges to international cooperation to help them accelerate product, technology, and systems innovation in health, agricultural development, and poverty reduction.
More about the foundation
Learn how our foundation fits among the many institutions working to improve the world.
Learn about where we work around the globe and the programs we’ve created to address urgent issues in global health, global development, and education.