Founding Operations Associate

Robotics Startup Operations, Founder Support, Events, and Business Coordination Location: Palo Alto, CA / Bay Area Type: Full-time, on-site About Proception At Proception , we are building advanced humanoid robotic systems focused on dexterous manipulation. Our work sits at the intersection of robotics, AI, hardware, and real-world deployment. We are a small, fast-moving team building ambitious technology from the ground up. As the company grows, we are looking for our first non-technical hire : someone who can bring structure, execution, and calm to the chaos of an early-stage deep tech company. This is a high-ownership role for someone who wants to be close to the founders, close to the team, and close to the action. The Role This is a highly cross-functional role for someone who loves making things happen. You will work directly with the founders and engineering team to keep the company running smoothly across logistics, scheduling, recruiting coordination, customer demos, investor meetings, conferences, office operations, and day-to-day execution. One day you may be organizing a customer demo. The next day you may be coordinating shipments, preparing for an exhibition, managing vendor logistics, booking travel, or making sure an important internal meeting happens on time with the right people and materials. This role is ideal for someone who is organized, resourceful, detail-oriented, and energized by early-stage environments where priorities move quickly and no task is too small. What You'll Do Own day-to-day operational coordination across the company Manage calendars, scheduling, and internal/external meeting logistics Help founders stay organized on priorities, follow-ups, travel, and administrative workflows Coordinate customer visits, partner meetings, investor meetings, recruiting visits, and robot demos Support conference, exhibition, and event planning from preparation to execution Handle office, lab, and company logistics, including supplies, shipments, vendors, and on-site coordination Prepare materials and logistics for customer meetings, investor meetings, public showcases, and recruiting events Track action items, timelines, and operational loose ends so nothing slips Build lightweight systems and processes for recurring operational tasks Coordinate with external vendors, service providers, building management, and contractors Support basic people operations, including interview coordination, onboarding logistics, and candidate visits Jump into whatever is needed to help the company move faster What We're Looking For 2–6 years of experience in operations, executive support, office management, event coordination, program coordination, startup operations, or similar roles Extremely organized and detail-oriented Strong written and verbal communication skills High ownership, strong follow-through, and good judgment Comfortable juggling many moving parts at once Able to prioritize quickly in a fast-changing environment Excited to work on-site and be physically present where things are happening Willing to do both strategic coordination and hands-on execution Positive, low-ego, no-task-too-small attitude Strong professional presence when interacting with candidates, customers, investors, vendors, and partners Nice to Have Experience at an early-stage startup Experience supporting founders or senior executives Experience coordinating events, demos, trade shows, customer visits, or exhibitions Experience with vendors, office operations, shipping, logistics, or travel planning Interest in robotics, AI, hardware, or deep tech Experience helping with recruiting, business development coordination, or external partnerships Why This Role Matters In an early-stage robotics company, operational leverage matters a lot. This person will help the team stay focused, responsive, and prepared as we grow. You will play a key role in how the company operates internally and how we present ourselves externally to candidates, customers, investors, partners, and the broader robotics community. You will be joining at a stage where your work will directly shape company culture, operating rhythm, and execution quality. Compensation Compensation includes salary and equity, commensurate with experience. J-18808-Ljbffr