Linear Talent
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Boston & Greater Boston, MA

Boston talent.

Linear supports Boston's family offices, life sciences and venture principals, and North Shore households with senior support hires vetted for judgment and longevity.

Who we serve

Multi-generational family offices, venture and life sciences principals, and North Shore private families.

Neighborhoods

  • Back Bay
  • Beacon Hill
  • Weston
  • Wellesley
  • Manchester-by-the-Sea
  • Cambridge

Industries

  • Life sciences & biotech
  • Venture capital
  • Family offices
  • Higher education & endowments

Market overview

Staffing in Boston.

Boston is a quieter, longer-tenure market with an unusual density of institutionally minded family offices, life sciences and venture principals, and multi-generational families with both a Back Bay or Beacon Hill residence and a North Shore or Berkshires secondary. Retention here is the defining feature, turnover in Boston private offices is materially lower than in coastal peer markets, and searches are structured for a ten-year fit rather than a two-year one. Linear works across Boston, Cambridge, the Route 128 corridor, Weston, Wellesley, and the North Shore.

Who we're serving

Our Boston clients are multi-generational single- and multi-family offices, life sciences founders and venture partners with growing principal offices, and North Shore private families whose household leadership is turning over after long tenures. A smaller but growing group are recently-liquid biotech founders formalizing private operations for the first time.

Compensation in Boston

What roles typically pay.

Chief of Staff
$210K–$375K base plus bonus. Multi-generational family offices frequently structure long-tenure incentives tied to a five- or ten-year horizon.
Executive Assistant
$135K–$225K base. Senior EAs supporting venture or life sciences principals with meaningful personal scope sit at the top of the range.
Estate Manager
$175K–$325K base for multi-residence households. North Shore and Berkshires portfolios with 4+ staff sit at the top.
House Manager / Family Office Administrator
$115K–$190K depending on scope and whether the role includes office coordination.

Figures are market ranges; every search is calibrated to the specific mandate.

Hiring in Boston

How searches actually run here.

Boston hiring is deliberate. Principals here expect longer intake, more finalist references, and slower interview cadences than coastal peers, and the candidates who fit are usually the ones who explicitly want a long-tenure home. We structure Boston searches with that in mind, a longer written mandate, more extensive reference work, and explicit calibration on retention over five to ten years rather than short-term fit.

Frequently asked

Boston searches.

Do you place staff for households that split time between Boston and the North Shore?
Yes. Many of our Boston engagements assume regular movement between a Back Bay or Beacon Hill residence and a North Shore or Cape secondary, and we calibrate on-site presence and commute expectations before sourcing.
Do you work with newly formed family offices after a biotech or venture liquidity event?
Yes. This is a growing share of our Boston work. We typically begin with a Chief of Staff or Family Office Administrator, then build household leadership around that hire.
How does Boston compensation compare with New York?
Base compensation in Boston typically sits 10–15% below Manhattan for equivalent senior roles, though long-tenure incentives in family office structures often close the gap over a five-year horizon.

Roles we place in Boston

Senior support, across disciplines.

Beginning a search in Boston?

Every engagement starts with a private consultation.

Request consultation