Founder's Associate: Ops & Prototyping Lead

Edge of Elsewhere; Needham (MA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity ownership

Medical, dental, vision

Retirement match

Flexible hours

Job summary

Midnight Mansion in Needham, MA is seeking a Founder’s Associate to partner with the CEO on technical, operational, and strategic initiatives. This full-time, in-person role requires hands-on execution, cross-functional collaboration, and comfort with ambiguity across design, fabrication, and research.

You will source hardware, evaluate vendors, help develop proposals, and drive proposals and procurement. The position offers meaningful equity, a competitive salary, flexible hours, and the chance

Qualifications

• Experience in operations, technical production, procurement, or startup work.
• Ability to work through ambiguity and independently solve problems.
• Comfort researching options, comparing and making recommendations.
• Technical curiosity and ability to learn unfamiliar subjects.
• Strong written communication and comfort with spreadsheets and documents.
• Ability to commute to Needham, MA or Somerville, MA as needed.

Responsibilities

• Take loosely defined problems from research through execution and completed work.
• Research technical, operational, and business questions and get up to speed quickly on unfamiliar subjects.
• Source and evaluate products, components, vendors, and services based on cost, capability, lead time, and fit.
• Work across engineering, design, fabrication, projects, and outside vendors to gather information and move work forward.
• Support proposals, scopes, estimates, procurement, and other priorities requiring research and attention to detail.
• Identify missing information, dependencies, contradictions, and risks; handle follow-ups and routine details needed to close loops.
• Take ownership of increasingly complex problems and initiatives, improving recurring processes and reducing routine decisions that need the CEO.

Job description

Midnight Mansion in Needham, MA is seeking a Founder’s Associate to partner with the CEO on technical, operational, and strategic initiatives. This full-time, in-person role requires hands-on execution, cross-functional collaboration, and comfort with ambiguity across design, fabrication, and research.

You will source hardware, evaluate vendors, help develop proposals, and drive proposals and procurement. The position offers meaningful equity, a competitive salary, flexible hours, and the chance