Operations Administrator

Beacon Photonics; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee stock ownership

Health, dental, vision coverage

401(k) matching

Paid time off

Parental leave

Holidays

Job summary

Beacon Photonics in Arlington, VA is seeking an Operations Administrator to support and strengthen day-to-day operations. The role covers procurement, facilities, administration, employee support, and financial administration in a fast-paced startup environment.

The ideal candidate has a bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent experience, 2+ years in operations, strong MS Office skills, and familiarity with invoices, expenses, and AP\/AR processes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience in business operations.
• 2+ years of professional experience in business operations or a related field.
• Proficiency with MS Office and ability to quickly learn new software\/systems.
• Familiarity with basic financial processes (invoices, expenses, AP\/AR).

Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day operations across procurement, facilities, administration, and employee support.
• Coordinate purchasing, vendor communications, and invoice processing.
• Assist with onboarding, offboarding, and benefits administration support.
• Maintain operational records and documentation across vendor, financial, and compliance files.
• Support process improvements by documenting procedures and coordinating follow-up.

Skills

MS Office

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Multitasking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business/operations/finance/accounting

Tools

Accounting software

Job description

Beacon Photonics is creating revolutionary optical microsystems to disrupt traditional laser markets. Founded by pioneers in the field of integrated photonics, we are a dynamic tech startup at the forefront of optical innovation. Our heterogeneous photonics technology enables high-performance products that provide unparalleled advantages in cost, size, and functionality for communications, sensing, and quantum systems. We are a dedicated group of world-class engineers and scientists devoted to realizing transformative capabilities and solving real-world problems.

We are seeking an Operations Administrator to join our rapidly growing team. In this role, you will support and strengthen the day-to-day operations that enable Beacon Photonics to operate efficiently and scale effectively. The Operations Administrator will work across the organization to coordinate purchasing, vendors, workplace operations, employee support, financial administration, and other operational activities. This is an execution-focused role for someone who is comfortable working independently, managing multiple priorities, and taking ownership of getting things done in a fast-paced startup environment.

Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day business operations across procurement, facilities, administration, employee support, and other operational functions, including office supplies, inventory, shipping/receiving, maintenance requests, and general workplace needs.
• Coordinate purchasing, vendors, and financial administration, including purchase requests, order tracking, vendor communications, invoice processing, expense documentation, AP/AR support, and coordination with external accounting partners.
• Coordinate employee and company logistics, including onboarding, offboarding, benefits administration support, travel, meetings, events, and other administrative activities.
• Maintain operational records and documentation, including vendor, financial, administrative, and compliance-related records.
• Support operational projects and process improvements by documenting procedures, identifying issues, coordinating follow-up, and helping implement solutions.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business, operations, finance, accounting, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 2+ years of professional experience in business operations, operations management, business administration, or a related field.
• Proficiency with MS Office and ability to quickly learn new software and business systems.
• Familiarity with basic business financial processes, including invoices, expenses, accounts payable, and accounts receivable.
• Strong organizational, problem-solving, and attention-to-detail skills, with the ability to independently manage multiple priorities and consistently follow through on commitments in a fast-paced startup environment with evolving priorities.

Desirable Skills and Experience

• Experience working in a startup, small business, or rapidly growing organization.
• Experience with procurement, purchasing, vendor and inventory management, facilities, office operations, or workplace management.
• Experience with government contracting and compliance.
• Experience with accounting or business management software, as well as HR operations, employee onboarding, or related administrative processes.
• Experience supporting SOP and process documentation, project management, cross-functional coordination, government contracts, compliance programs, audits, or other regulated environments.

Beacon Photonics has offices in Arlington, VA and Santa Barbara, CA. We value innovation, collaboration, open and honest communication, and a passion for technology. Come build your future with us! Our benefits include competitive compensation and employee stock ownership. We provide generous family medical, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k) matching, holidays, parental leave, and paid time off.

Beacon is an equal-opportunity employer, committed to sustaining a diverse and inclusive workplace.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, or any other basis protected by law.

Estimated Salary Range: $60K – $90K

Actual compensation for the role will be commensurate with the candidate’s education, work experience, skills, incoming position, and responsibilities.

This position involves access to technology that may be subject to U.S. export controls. Such access is granted to U.S. citizens (born or naturalized), lawful permanent residents, certain categories of refugees and asylees, and those who can obtain appropriate export control licenses from the U.S. Departments of State and Commerce.