The Hiring Advisors is currently partnering with a venture-backed, high-growth deep-tech & defense hardware startup in the Hawthorne area to find an unstoppable Operations Lead / Operational Right-Hand to report directly to the CEO. If you are a hungry, hyper-organized, and autonomous operator who thrives in the chaos of 0-to-1 environments—and loves being the operational engine behind hard tech—this is your launchpad.

You will serve as the operational backbone for a fast-moving defense and hardware team building next-generation optical and hardware systems. You’ll sit right next to the CEO, wearing multiple hats—from executive support and lab vendor logistics to facility coordination and finance operations.

There is zero hand-holding here. You'll manage 10+ concurrent workstreams, build processes from scratch, and keep the entire company running like a clock.

What You’ll Be Doing

• CEO Co-Pilot: Manage calendar, travel, interview scheduling, and high-priority administrative tasks for the Founder/CEO.
• Lab & Hardware Operations: Manage vendor procurement, purchase orders, equipment deliveries, cleanroom/lab inventory, and supplier tracking.
• Workplace & Facilities: Own daily workplace logistics, inventory, food operations, and facility management for an on-site hardware team.
• Finance & Accounting Liaison: Coordinate with external accounting firms on monthly close, expense tracking, and invoice reconciliation.
• Rapid Context-Switching: Seamlessly bounce between recruiting coordination, insurance management, vendor research, and operational problem-solving.

What We’re Looking For

• 3 Years of Operations Experience: Background in startup ops, executive assistant roles, office management, or business ops inside a fast-paced environment.
• Hardware / Aerospace / Defense Exposure: Experience or strong interest in hardware, aerospace, defense, or high-tech lab environments.
• Education: Degree in Operations, Business, Industrial Engineering, or related fields preferred.
• Tech Stack Proficiency: Master of Google Workspace, spreadsheets, Slack, and expense/travel platforms.
• Workstyle: High autonomy, incredible attention to detail, and a bias for action. You love hands-on execution over slide decks.

The Role at a Glance

🚀 Location: Hawthorne, CA (100% On-Site, 5 Days/Week)

💰 Compensation: up to $120,000 Base Salary

💼 Experience: 3 Years (Early-Career Startup Operations / Executive Support)

Interested or Know Someone Who Fits?

Drop me a direct message on LinkedIn or email your resume confidentially to Aileen@thehiringadvisors.com to start the conversation!

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