Strategy & Operations Associate, Special Projects

Hadrian - Manufacturing the FutureHadrian is building autonomous factories that help aerospace and defense companies manufacture rockets, satellites, jets, and ships up to 10x faster and up to 2x cheaper. By combining advanced software, robotics, and full-stack manufacturing, we are reinventing how America produces its most critical parts.We’re accelerating our mission with the launch of Factory 3 in Mesa, Arizona, a 290,000-square-foot facility creating 350 new jobs. We are expanding rapidly to support thousands of future hires, launching Hadrian Maritime to expand into naval production, and introducing a Factory-as-a-Service model that delivers complete systems instead of individual parts.Hadrian is backed by leading investors including T. Rowe Price, Lux Capital, Founders Fund, and Andreessen Horowitz, our fast-growing team is united around reindustrializing American manufacturing for the 21st century and beyond.The Role Hadrian is scaling and growing extremely fast and we need to execute. We can’t afford to lose time on missing context, duplicated work, or decisions made with limited data. We are building a world class Strategy and Operations team within our R&D / Special Projects group to run projects that design, launch, drive adoption, formalize, and transition the operating model to enable this hyper growth.This is an operator role with a technical bent focused on outcomes and adoption. This role rapidly designs and prototypes v1 requirements / inputs / workflows and can self-serve lightweight analysis and systems (e.g., retool automations) before handing off to other team members.What You’ll DoProject ownership and outcomes: Independently define scope, success metrics, exit criteria, and deliverables for a project; run the operating cadence; deliver measurable outcomes just process and documentsSystem design: Translate ambiguous cross-functional problems into a sustained system with clear inputs, decisions, outputs, enforcement, and named ownersTechnical prototyping and measurement: Prototype simple workflows where needed, self-serve basic analysis, and define and measure KPIs so adoption and durability can be measured; partner with teammates to productionizeRapid v1 launch and iteration: Ship a v1 mechanism within 3 to 6 weeks; pilot with one to two teams; gather usage feedback and iterate to improveCross-functional execution: Drive execution across teams through clear ownership, dependency management, follow-through, and selective escalationExecutive-ready communication: Write decision memos and narrative updates with crisp recommendations and explicit tradeoffs; produce durable documentation that enables consistent executionAdoption and handoff: Drive adoption until the mechanism runs on time without “policing”Operate in ambiguity: When problems are underspecified, rapidly create structure in the first few hours (clarify the decision to be made, define constraints, propose a v1 approach, and drive to a real pilot)Be a factory teammate when needed: for example: help install a machine or ship a partWhat We’re Looking ForIdeal profile: Top-tier consultant or equivalent operator with 1-4 years of experience and demonstrated implementation and scrappy system builder instinctsExperience: 1–3 years post-grad in top-tier consulting (MBB, Strategy&, ATK, LEK, etc.) with evidence of implementation, or Strategy and Operations / Business Operations / Chief of Staff-type roles at high-tempo orgs, or high-growth startup operator roles (program ops, planning, bizops) particularly in Defense TechAbility to run a workstream: Can independently set scope, define metrics and exit criteria, align stakeholders, ship v1 quickly, and drive adoption through handoffCommunication: Strong verbal and written communication; able to communicate effectively across all levelsAnalytical self-serve: Strong Excel or Google Sheets; working comfort with tools like SQL, BI, retool, etc. is preferred to pilot, validate metrics, diagnose issues, and measure adoption; interest in automating manual processesMeasurement mindset: Can define what must be logged and timestamped so adoption rate and handoff durability are measurableTechnical partnership: Can write clear requirements, outputs, and identify and discuss data quality with teammatesOperating system fluency: Comfortable working across Jira, Confluence, calendars, and dashboard tools to create repeatable cadence and documentationMission alignment: Strong interest in manufacturing and Hadrian, with the ability to learn and succeed in a fast-moving environmentComfort with ambiguity and pace: Demonstrated ability to take a messy problem with unclear inputs, create a plan fast, and deliver a usable v1 without waiting for perfect data or complete directionLow-ego, high-ownership “help anywhere” mindset: Willing to do whatever it takes to meet the mission, including hands-on operational support when requiredWhat Will Set You ApartSystem-first operator: You enjoy getting your hands dirty and improving operations, not theoretical frameworks or deck-only recommendationsStrong judgment: You know when to be scrappy and when to formalize, and you can define “good enough” v1Adoption leadership: You can create buy-in, remove friction, and make the “right” process the path of least resistanceSystems thinking: You can translate messy reality and competing priorities into a system that links inputs to decisions to actions to accountabilityShop floor curiosity: You enjoy learning from engineers and factory technicians to ground systems in reality; you find manufacturing fascinating and want to sit on the shop floor every dayAbility to operate in ambiguityCompensationFor this role, the target salary range is $135,000- $175,000(actual range may vary based on experience).This is the lowest to highest salary we reasonably and in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range, and the range may be modified in the future. An employee's pay position within the salary range will be based on several factors, including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, performance, and business or organizational needs.Benefits for Full-time EmployeesMedical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans for employees401kRelocation support may be provided for certain situations, based on business need.Flexible vacation policyEquityITAR RequirementsTo conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.Use of AI in hiringHadrian uses AI-assisted tools in our recruiting and hiring processes to help our team work more efficiently. This may include tools that help organize and analyze recruiting data, as well as an AI-powered notetaker that can record and transcribe interviews and help coordinate feedback. These tools support our team and are not used to make hiring decisions. All candidate evaluations and hiring decisions are performed by humans. If an interview will be recorded, you will be notified in advance and may opt out at any time with no impact on your candidacy. Candidate data processed through these tools is subject to the same protections described in our Privacy Policy.Hadrian Is An Equal Opportunity EmployerIt is the Company’s policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. The Company does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race inclusive of traits historically associated with race (including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles, such as braids, locks and twists), color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, national origin (including, in California, possession of a drivers license), ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, height or weight, medical condition, family care status, military or veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, exercise of reproductive rights, any other basis protected by local, state, or federal laws, or any combination of the above characteristics. When necessary, the Company also makes reasonable accommodations for disabled candidates and employees, including for candidates or employees who are disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.Compensation Range: $135K - $175KLocationLos Angeles, CAEmployment TypeFull timeLocation TypeOn-siteDepartmentGo-To-Market (GTM)Compensation$135K – $175K • Offers Equity