Operations Associate

About Cartesian

Cartesian is building spatial intelligence for indoor environments to drive operational efficiency. We're tackling one of the biggest challenges in the $35T global retail industry: in-store inventory visibility. Our platform delivers accurate indoor positioning and actionable product location insights, helping retailers streamline operations, optimize workflows, and reduce inefficiencies. By fusing wireless signals and mobile computer vision, we provide a uniquely scalable, infrastructure-free solution already deployed by international fashion brands.

Founded by an MIT engineering professor and alumni behind award-winning, patented core technologies, Cartesian spun out in 2023. Originally backed by a U.S. National Science Foundation SBIR Award, we've bootstrapped to a live product now deployed in multiple countries and are scaling aggressively.

About the Role

We are looking for an Operations Associate to join Cartesian as we scale our business and customer deployments. This role is ideal for someone who is highly organized, detail-oriented, and enjoys building structure in fast-moving environments.

As an Operations Associate, you will work directly with company leadership across finance, events, customer operations, and general business operations. You will help ensure that critical business processes run smoothly, support customer-facing activities, and create systems that allow the company to scale efficiently.

This is a hands-on role with significant ownership and visibility. You'll have the opportunity to work across multiple functions, solve operational challenges, and help shape how Cartesian operates as we grow.

Location: In-person in Kendall Square, Cambridge
Salary: $65,000 - $80,000 annually

What You'll Do

• Support finance and accounting operations, including expense reconciliation, invoice processing, billing support, and vendor management
• Manage corporate card and expense workflows using tools such as Ramp
• Coordinate company travel, lodging, and logistics for employees and leadership
• Support trade shows, conferences, customer visits, and company events from planning through execution
• Coordinate customer demos and pilot activities, ensuring smooth communication between customers, business teams, and engineering teams
• Build and improve operational processes, documentation, and internal systems
• Track operational metrics, deadlines, and action items across teams
• Assist with scheduling, administrative tasks, and special projects as needed
• Take ownership of recurring operational workflows and continuously improve efficiency

Qualifications

• 1+ years of experience in operations, administration, project coordination, finance operations, accounting support, event management, customer success, or a related field
• Exceptional organizational skills and strong attention to detail
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously
• Comfort working in a fast-paced startup environment with changing priorities
• Strong problem-solving skills and willingness to take ownership of outcomes
• High degree of reliability, professionalism, and follow-through

Nice to Have

• Experience with expense management platforms such as Ramp, Brex, or similar tools
• Experience supporting accounting, bookkeeping, billing, or finance operations
• Experience planning events, conferences, or travel logistics
• Experience working in startups or small teams
• Experience coordinating customer-facing activities or projects
• Familiarity with CRM, project management, or productivity tools

Why Cartesian

• Work directly with company founders and leadership
• Gain exposure to finance, operations, customer success, and go-to-market functions
• Take ownership of projects that have immediate impact on the business
• Build systems and processes that help a growing company scale
• Join a collaborative, ambitious team solving challenging real-world problems
• Significant opportunities for growth as the company expands
  
  

If You're Not Sure You're a Perfect Fit

We know that no one checks every box—and we don't expect you to. If this role sounds exciting to you, and you think you could contribute to Cartesian's mission, we encourage you to apply even if your experience doesn't perfectly match the description. We care deeply about people who are curious, thoughtful, and motivated to learn, and we believe strong teams are built from a diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

Interview Process

• Introductory call to assess motivation and overall fit
• Behavioral interview focused on ownership, organization, and problem solving
• Practical exercise focused on prioritization, operations, or process design
• Final in person interview with company leadership
• Reference checks