At a Glance
- Tasks: Identify new business opportunities and improve operational processes for growth.
- Company: Join Cartesian, a cutting-edge startup revolutionising retail with spatial intelligence.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hands-on experience, and a collaborative work culture.
- Other info: Opportunity to influence company strategy and grow within a dynamic team.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-paced environment while working with innovative technology.
- Qualifications: 3+ years in business development or related fields; strong communication and problem-solving skills.
The predicted salary is between 90000 - 90000 £ per year.
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 RF signals, we provide a uniquely scalable, infrastructure-free solution already deployed by international fashion brands. Founded by an MIT engineering professor and alumni behind award-winning, patented core technologies, Cartesian spun out in 2023. Originally backed by a U.S. National Science Foundation SBIR Award, we’ve bootstrapped to a live product now deployed in multiple countries and are scaling aggressively.
About the Role
We are looking for a Business Development and Operations Associate to join Cartesian at a pivotal moment in our growth. This is a hands-on, high-impact role focused on helping us identify new business opportunities, build relationships with prospective customers and partners, and improve the operational processes that support our growth. We are not tied to a rigid checklist of credentials—what matters most is your ability to communicate effectively, take ownership, learn quickly, and drive results. You will work directly with company leadership and collaborate across product, engineering, and customer-facing teams to help shape how Cartesian grows. We move quickly, value ownership, and expect high-quality work. You will have meaningful responsibility from day one and the opportunity to influence both our go-to-market strategy and company operations.
Location: In-person in Kendall Square, Cambridge.
Salary: $65,000 - $90,000 annually
What You’ll Do
- Identify and research prospective customers, partners, and market opportunities
- Execute outbound outreach campaigns through email, LinkedIn, phone, and other channels
- Support business development efforts across the sales pipeline, including lead qualification, customer research, and meeting preparation
- Coordinate customer meetings, follow-ups, and relationship management activities
- Facilitate successful pilot and demo outcomes through customer support and cross-functional coordination
- Conduct market, customer, and competitive research to inform strategy
- Support partnerships, strategic initiatives, and special projects across the company
- Improve internal processes and operational workflows as the company scales
- Maintain CRM systems and track outreach, pipeline, and business metrics
- Collaborate closely with leadership to help drive growth and operational excellence
- Take ownership of projects from initial concept through execution
Qualifications
- 3+ years of experience in business development, sales, operations, customer success, consulting, or a related field
- Experience with customer outreach, lead generation, relationship management, or business development
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
- Ability to work independently and thrive in a fast-moving, ambiguous environment
- Strong problem-solving and analytical abilities
- Demonstrated ownership and a track record of getting things done
Nice to Have
- Startup or early-stage company experience, retail experience is a plus too!
- Experience in B2B sales, partnerships, consulting, or technology businesses
- Familiarity with CRM tools such as HubSpot or Salesforce
- Experience supporting operational improvements or cross-functional initiatives
- Interest in AI, retail technology, logistics, or enterprise software
Why Cartesian
- Work on hard, real-world problems with immediate and visible impact
- Join a small, highly technical team with significant ownership and autonomy
- Build systems that are deployed and used globally
- Collaborative, thoughtful, low-ego culture focused on learning and execution
- In-person team culture in the heart of Kendall Square, Cambridge
If You’re Not Sure You’re a Perfect Fit
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 assess motivation, communication skills, and overall fit
- Discussion of past business development, sales, operational, or growth-related experience
- Practical exercise related to outreach, business strategy, or operational problem-solving
- Meet the team, chat with a founder, and references
Business Development and Operations Associate in Cambridge employer: Cartesian Systems
Cartesian is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic and collaborative work environment in the heart of Kendall Square, Cambridge. As a rapidly growing startup, we provide our employees with significant ownership and autonomy, allowing them to tackle real-world challenges that have immediate impact. With a culture that values learning, execution, and diverse perspectives, we are committed to fostering employee growth and creating meaningful opportunities for all team members.
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We think this is how you could land Business Development and Operations Associate in Cambridge
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We think you need these skills to ace Business Development and Operations Associate in Cambridge
Some tips for your application 🫡
Highlight Your Analytical Skills:In the business intelligence field, showcasing your analytical skills is a must. Make sure your CV includes relevant experience with data analysis tools, programming languages like SQL or Python, and any projects where you've interpreted complex data sets to drive business decisions.
Showcase Your Business Acumen:Don't just focus on data; show us how you can apply your insights to real-world business problems. Highlight projects where you made a tangible impact on company performance, and be prepared to explain your thought process in your cover letter.
Tailor Your Documents for Us:When applying for a full-time role at Cartesian Systems, tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect our organisational goals and strategies. Mention specific tools and methodologies that align with what we do—this shows you’ve done your homework and are genuinely interested in our mission!
Include Relevant Certifications:Certifications like Google Data Analytics or similar qualifications can really make you stand out in business intelligence. Include these in your application, as they demonstrate your commitment to the field and your willingness to stay current with industry standards.
How to prepare for a job interview at Cartesian Systems
✨Show off your analytical skills
In a business intelligence role, you're going to need to demonstrate your analytical prowess. Be prepared to discuss specific tools you've used, like SQL, Tableau, or Power BI. Have real-world examples ready where you’ve turned data into actionable insights – this is what makes us shine in interviews!
✨Practice your technical know-how
Expect some technical questions during the interview that dive deep into your understanding of data modelling and analytics frameworks. Brush up on your knowledge of data warehousing concepts and be ready to tackle any real case scenarios they might present. They’ll want to see how you approach problems using your BI toolkit.
✨Portfolio of Projects
Since it's a full-time role, having a strong portfolio is key! Compile case studies demonstrating your previous projects, preferably showing how your insights led to business improvements. This can help us display how you think through complex datasets and your problem-solving process, which is what employers are keen on seeing.
✨Know their business model
Get familiar with Cartesian Systems’s business model and recent data-driven decisions. Be prepared to discuss how your skills can specifically support their objectives or challenges. Understanding their landscape shows that you’re not just a data buff, but you’re also genuinely interested in how BI can impact their bottom line.
