Operations Associate
Liquid Instruments builds next-generation test and measurement technology for engineers and scientists pushing the boundaries of discovery. Founded by scientists from the Australian National University, with research roots connected to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Liquid Instruments grew out of advanced physics and instrumentation research. Today, the company applies deep expertise in high-speed digital signal processing to deliver software-defined test and measurement platforms that replace racks of traditional lab equipment with a single, reconfigurable device—combining flexibility, performance, and cost efficiency through FPGA-based hardware and intuitive software. Liquid Instruments operates globally, with teams in San Diego, California and Canberra, Australia. We are a growing, venture-backed company with a collaborative, technically curious culture that values ownership, clarity, and impact across time zones.
About the role
We are recruiting an Operations Associate to keep our daily operations running smoothly while helping us build the systems that will support our growth. You will own core fulfillment tasks and support order and inventory management. You will also take on technical projects, from building HubSpot workflows and reports to automating manual processes and finding practical ways to use AI in our work. This role is ideal for someone who is reliable with day-to-day essentials and enjoys fixing the root cause of a problem rather than working around it. This role reports to the Operations Lead and is based on-site in our Del Mar office.
Responsibilities
- Fulfill domestic and international orders, including adding shipping and delivery confirmations to order records
- Maintain accurate inventory records, including daily stock updates and monthly inventory counts
- Acknowledge and respond to priority customer orders and inquiries promptly
- Manage software activation for customer, loaner, demo, and trial units, and track their movement to ensure units are returned or converted on time
- Maintain records in HubSpot and keep them accurate for Sales and Finance reporting
- Respond to internal operations requests and answer questions from the Finance team
- Support international shipping and export documentation as needed
- Build and maintain HubSpot properties, workflows, and reports that support operations
- Identify manual tasks that can be automated, and build or improve automations using tools such as Zapier
- Explore and implement practical uses of AI tools to improve operational workflows
- Document processes and procedures in Confluence so knowledge is shared across the team
Requirements
- 1-3+ years of operations experience in fulfillment, inventory, or supply chain
- Experience with an inventory management or ERP system
- Working knowledge of a CRM, ideally HubSpot
- Practical experience using AI tools to work more efficiently
- Professional written and verbal communication skills with customers, vendors, and internal teams
- Strong attention to detail, as accurate orders, shipping documents, and records are critical
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Information Systems, Supply Chain, or a related field
Qualifications
- Experience with automation tools such as Zapier
- Light scripting experience (Python or SQL)
- Familiarity with international shipping paperwork
- Reliable and consistent, with the ability to own daily responsibilities
- Adaptable and comfortable on a small operations team with shifting priorities
- Curious about why problems happen and motivated to fix them for good
- Ownership mindset, comfortable taking a project from idea to finished build
Benefits
- Comprehensive medical and dental insurance, with 100% of premiums paid for employees
- Equity position in Liquid Instruments
- 401(k) plan with company match
- Four weeks of paid vacation, sick time, and holidays
- Laptop for work use
- Experience at a venture-backed startup
Pay
$65,000 - $80,000 annually