Business Strategy and Operations Associate

Cartesian Systems; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Cartesian is seeking a Business Strategy and Operations Associate in Cambridge, MA to drive critical initiatives across operations and strategy. You will work closely with the head of operations and founders on projects shaping the future of the business, including refining product-market fit and streamlining internal processes.

Location is in-person in Kendall Square, Cambridge. The role involves market research, financial modeling, stakeholder communications, and supporting fundraising

Qualifications

• 2+ years experience in consulting or startups.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication abilities.
• High ownership, and thrive wearing multiple hats in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Perform business research and analysis on customer needs, competitors, partners, and market trends to inform strategy.
• Synthesize findings into actionable insights and recommendations for leadership.
• Assist with cross-company operations, including financial modeling, planning, and internal reporting.
• Support customer success and partner relations, including product demos, onboarding new customers, and responding to inquiries.
• Assist with fundraising efforts including investor research and decks.

Skills

Consulting/startups

Analytical skills

Written and verbal communication

Ownership / wear many hats

Job description

Business Strategy and Operations Associate

Cambridge, MA

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. Leveraging wireless signals, we provide a uniquely scalable, infrastructure-free solution already deployed by international fashion brands.

Founded by an MIT engineering professor and alum behind the award-winning, patented core technologies, Cartesian spun out in 2023. Originally backed by the prestigious SBIR Award from the US National Science Foundation, we've bootstrapped to a live product that's now deployed in over a dozen countries and have been aggressively scaling in the market.

About the Role

We are looking for a Business Strategy and Operations Associate to join Cartesian at a pivotal moment in our growth. In this role, you’ll play a key role in helping drive critical initiatives across operations and strategy, including refining our product market fit, streamlining internal processes, and informing strategic company decisions. You’ll work closely with the head of operations and founders on projects that shape the future of the business.

Location: In-person in Kendall Square, Cambridge.

What You’ll Do

• Perform business research and analysis (through desk research, outreach, and on-the-ground interviews) on customer needs, competitors, partners (go-to-market), and market trends to inform company strategy.
• Synthesize findings into actionable insights and recommendations to discuss with the head of operations and founders.
• Assist with operational processes across the company, including:
• Financial modeling, analysis, and planning
• Managing inbound/outbound inquiries
• Internal reporting and analytics
• Support customer success and partner relations, including preparing presentation materials, responding to product questions, managing product demos and pilots, and assisting with onboarding new customers.
• Support in fundraising efforts including investor interactions (decks, research, etc.).

Qualifications

• 2+ years experience in consulting or startups
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong written and verbal communication abilities
• You have high ownership, are looking to wear ‘many hats’, and thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment

Nice to Have

• Past startup experience
• Knowledge of the retail industry, particularly fashion retail
• Fluent in Spanish

Why Cartesian

• Work on hard, real-world problems with immediate and visible impact
• Join a small but mighty team with significant ownership and impact on the company’s trajectory
• Support our current and future customers, and our globally deployed product.
• Collaborative, thoughtful, low-ego culture focused on learning and execution
• In-person team culture in the heart of Kendall Square, Cambridge
  

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 learn more about your background, interests, and what you're looking for in your next role.
• Interview conversations focused on your experience, problem-solving approach, and how you've navigated real-world challenges.
• Take-home case study that reflects the type of work you'd do in the role, followed by a discussion of your approach and recommendations.
• Final on-site interviews with the hiring team, including a deeper dive into your experience, collaboration style, and an opportunity to get to know the team and our work.
• Founder conversation and references before we make a final decision.

Expected Salary: $70,000 - $100,000 annually