---
title: 'Operations Associate at Tycho.AI'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/operations-associate-tycho-ai-cambridge-erns332nn0bm'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-09'
---

# Operations Associate at Tycho.AI

- **Company:** Tycho.AI
- **Location:** Cambridge, MA
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-08-18
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-09
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/tycho-ai/19c70dcd-1ede-4141-a373-8bf178957198

## Job description

## ABOUT TYCHO.AI

Tycho.AI is redefining the future of autonomous intelligence. Spun out of MIT and backed by DoD contracts, we are building breakthrough AI and autonomy solutions for unmanned systems operating in GPS-denied and contested environments. We are a fast-growing, dual-use technology company at the forefront of national security and commercial innovation, with a mission to push the boundaries of what autonomous systems can achieve.

Joining Tycho.AI means being part of a team shaping the next decade of autonomy from defense applications to commercial opportunities in areas like logistics, disaster response, and beyond. If you want to work at the cutting edge of autonomy and robotics with a company that’s poised for major impact and growth, we want to hear from you.

## ABOUT THE ROLE

We are looking for an Operations Associate to help keep the company running smoothly across day-to-day office operations, financial administration, and executive support. You will serve as a key ambassador for the organization, managing external visitor experiences and meeting logistics while fostering internal culture through employee events and morale initiatives.

This is a hands-on role that touches many parts of the business. You will work closely with leadership, employees, vendors, and our finance and operations functions to make sure things get done accurately and efficiently.

The ideal candidate is organized and detail-oriented, but also flexible, pragmatic, and comfortable with ambiguity. You won't always have a step-by-step playbook—or even a clearly defined task list. We are looking for someone who can figure things out, ask good questions when needed, and take ownership of getting the job done.

You will work alongside a highly technical team of engineers. You don't need to be an expert in AI or defense technology, but you should be comfortable working in a technical environment and interacting with people who are deeply focused on their work.

## WHAT YOU'LL DO

## OFFICE & WORKPLACE OPERATIONS

- Manage day-to-day office operations, including supplies, equipment, vendors, visitors, and facilities.
- Coordinate office services, maintenance, repairs, and other workplace needs.
- Help maintain a well-organized, welcoming, and functional office environment.
- Coordinate logistics for team meetings, lunches, celebrations, visitor and customer engagements, and other community and corporate events.
- Maintain a positive, uplifting workplace culture and work with leadership on employee engagement initiatives.
- Manage office-related purchasing and vendor relationships.
- Support onboarding and offboarding logistics for employees.
- Help establish and improve operational processes as the company grows.

## FINANCIAL & ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS

- Support day-to-day financial administration, including expense reports, invoices, receipts, purchasing, and corporate card administration.
- Assist with accounts payable and vendor management.
- Maintain accurate records and documentation.
- Help manage recurring payments, subscriptions, and vendor renewals.
- Coordinate with external accounting, payroll, insurance, and other professional service providers as needed.

## GENERAL OPERATIONS

- Take on special projects and operational tasks as the company evolves.
- Identify opportunities to make processes more efficient and implement improvements.
- Work cross-functionally with teams across the company to solve problems and keep things moving.
- Be willing to jump into areas outside your core responsibilities when the business needs it.

## EXECUTIVE & LEADERSHIP SUPPORT

- Provide administrative support to company leadership as needed.
- Handle ad hoc requests and projects that help leadership operate more effectively.
- Exercise good judgment and discretion when handling confidential or sensitive information.

## WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

- 2–5 years of professional experience in operations, office management, business administration, executive support, finance administration, or a similar role.
- Highly organized with strong attention to detail.
- Comfortable managing multiple priorities and switching between tasks throughout the day.
- Adaptable and willing to take on whatever needs to get done, including tasks that aren't explicitly listed in this job description.
- Strong sense of ownership and comfort working independently, while knowing when to ask questions or seek guidance.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Comfortable working with highly technical teams and learning new concepts, tools, and systems.
- Proficiency with common productivity tools such as Google Workspace, Confluence/Jira, Expensify, and similar software.

YOU'LL BE A GREAT FIT IF...

- You enjoy being the person who makes things happen behind the scenes.
- You are comfortable with a role where no two days look exactly the same.
- You don't need every task spelled out before you can get started.
- You are resourceful and naturally look for solutions rather than reasons something can't be done.
- You are a people person and enjoy engaging with coworkers, leaders, and visitors.
- You can work with engineers and technical teams without needing to understand every technical detail.
- You care about getting the small things right while keeping sight of the bigger picture.
- You are comfortable saying, “I don't know, but I'll figure it out.”
- You thrive in a startup environment where priorities can change quickly and your responsibilities will evolve as the company grows.

## WHY TYCHO.AI

- Be part of a rapidly scaling startup defining the future of autonomous intelligence.
- Collaborative, high-trust culture that values innovation, execution, and continuous learning.
- Competitive salary, meaningful equity, and generous benefits package.

## EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY (EEO) STATEMENT:

Tycho AI is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or protected veteran status.

## E-VERIFY AND RIGHT TO WORK

Tycho AI participates in E-Verify to confirm work authorization in the United States. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. and may be subject to a government security clearance process

## About Tycho.AI

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Tycho.AI builds mission-critical autonomy software and compute hardware for unmanned systems operating in GPS-denied and contested environments, enabling real-time edge decision-making without remote control or persistent connectivity.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series A; total funding ~$12M)
- **Headquarters**: Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
- **Founded**: 2022
- **Founders**: Sertac Karaman (Founder & Executive Chair)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Defense and Space Manufacturing
- **Target customers**: U.S. Department of Defense (Air Force, SOCOM), defense primes, and unmanned system integrators (B2G/B2B)
- **Mission statement**: Deliver mission-ready autonomous intelligence for unmanned systems that fly, drive, and decide in the world’s toughest environments — ensuring operations succeed even when GPS and communications fail.

## Products & Services
- **Voyager**: Low-size, weight, and power (SWaP) hardware and software autonomy stack that fuses AI-driven perception, navigation, and control. Enables precision navigation and autonomous decision-making in GPS-denied, comms-degraded environments. Designed with a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) for integration on any uncrewed platform.
- **Halley VTOL UAS**: Vertical takeoff and landing uncrewed aerial system validated for C-UAS and one-way attack demonstrations (TRL 6). Supports low-altitude, high-speed flight with swarming capability.
- **Autonomy Software Modules**: Battlefield assessment, threat identification, 3D mapping, multi-agent coordination, and mission planning tools that run entirely on the edge.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Total funding of $12M (latest: $10M Series A led by FirstMark Capital, closed November 2025; plus earlier option/warrant rounds and $1M AFWERX SBIR Phase II grant)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**:
  - Investors: FirstMark Capital, Pillar
  - Partners: Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), AFWERX, SOFWERX
- **Growth Signals**:
  - Headcount grew 766.7% year-over-year (now ~18 employees)
  - 18 active job postings (up 157% month-over-month)
  - Secured $2M AFRL TACFI contract (TRIDENT project) to advance maritime autonomy
  - Achieved CMMC Level 2 cybersecurity certification
  - Successful Halley VTOL demonstration at T-REX 26-2 (May 2026)
  - LinkedIn followers grew 1,075% year-over-year to 1,375

## Competitive Advantages
- **MIT Origins**: Founders and key technical staff from MIT research labs bring deep academic rigor and cutting-edge autonomy algorithms.
- **Proven Defense Track Record**: Multiple government contracts (AFRL, AFWERX, SOFWERX) and successful field demonstrations validate technology readiness.
- **True GPS-Denied Capability**: Voyager operates without GPS, comms, or external ranging beacons — a critical differentiator as electronic warfare proliferates.
- **Low-SWaP Design**: Compact module designed for small UAS, enabling swarming and high-tempo operations.
- **CMMC Level 2 Certified**: Demonstrates cybersecurity maturity required for handling controlled unclassified information (CUI) in defense programs.

## Strategic Focus
- **Maritime Autonomy**: The TRIDENT contract aims to deliver overland and over-the-water navigation in GPS-denied environments, extending Voyager to naval platforms.
- **Scalable Swarming**: Developing multi-agent coordination and swarm tactics to enable “low, fast, and in overwhelming numbers” battlefield advantage.
- **Industrial Base Expansion**: Transitioning from prototyping to production, integrating Voyager with existing operational frameworks (e.g., FANTOM middleware).
- **Commercial Adjacencies**: While currently defense-focused, the company’s edge autonomy stack has potential applications in logistics, infrastructure inspection, and disaster response.

## Why Work Here
- **Impact**: Your work directly supports national security; see your code and hardware fly in real-world missions.
- **Team**: Small (18 people), rapidly growing, composed of engineers from MIT, Harvard, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Cruise, and defense primes. Highly collaborative and mission-driven culture.
- **Flexibility**: Hybrid model based in Cambridge, MA (Kendall Square). Flexible hours and work schedules.
- **Compensation & Benefits**: Competitive salaries, excellent medical/dental/vision, 401(k), HSA/FSA, disability insurance.
- **Perks**: Unlimited PTO, growth opportunities in a fast-scaling startup.
- **Office Location**: “The most innovative square mile on the planet” — Cambridge/Kendall Square ecosystem with deep tech and defense talent.

## Sources
1. [tycho.ai](https://tycho.ai/)
2. [tycho.ai/careers](https://tycho.ai/careers)
3. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/tycho-ai](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/tycho-ai)
4. [linkedin.com/company/tycho-ai](https://www.linkedin.com/company/tycho-ai)
5. [cbinsights.com/company/tycho-ai](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/tycho-ai)

## Other roles at Tycho.AI

- [UAV Flight Test Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/uav-flight-test-lead-tycho-ai-cambridge-fdjjb7zsrctx) — Cambridge, MA
- [Software Integration & Test Engineer – Autonomy & Flight Test](https://feeny.ai/job/software-integration-test-engineer-autonomy-flight-test-tycho-ai-cambridge-casz8pkynkrp) — Cambridge, MA
- [Embedded Linux Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/embedded-linux-software-engineer-tycho-ai-cambridge-q1jtacc3ashy) — Cambridge, MA
- [Electrical Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/electrical-engineer-tycho-ai-cambridge-d1t7v6qng8t0) — Cambridge, MA
- [Machine Learning Engineer - Computer Vision & Robotics](https://feeny.ai/job/machine-learning-engineer-computer-vision-robotics-tycho-ai-cambridge-t7s32hppg0ps) — Cambridge, MA
- [Autonomy Engineer - State Estimation](https://feeny.ai/job/autonomy-engineer-state-estimation-tycho-ai-cambridge-z95fzpt3bgyj) — Cambridge, MA
- [Autonomy Engineer - Motion Planning & Controls](https://feeny.ai/job/autonomy-engineer-motion-planning-controls-tycho-ai-cambridge-tyc6sxp8r97j) — Cambridge, MA
- [Autonomy Engineer - Perception](https://feeny.ai/job/autonomy-engineer-perception-tycho-ai-cambridge-dv5n7f7t0s9s) — Cambridge, MA
- [Senior Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-software-engineer-tycho-ai-cambridge-vk8jbffjrd28) — Cambridge, MA
- [Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-tycho-ai-cambridge-f7xy46zpyess) — Cambridge, MA