Operations Engineer & Project Associate [AQ-13248]

About the role

Aquent is seeking an early-career professional to join its internal team as a strategic delivery partner. In this high-visibility, high-impact role, you will own and optimize key business initiatives, implement AI and automation solutions, and drive operational efficiency across critical functions like sales and talent acquisition. You will work directly alongside executive leadership, gaining autonomy to build systems that shape the organization’s growth.

Responsibilities

• Own and manage key business initiatives from start to finish, coordinating cross-functional resources, establishing clear timelines, and ensuring successful project delivery.
• Identify operational bottlenecks, then design, build, and deploy automated workflows and customized AI agents to eliminate manual tasks and increase staff bandwidth.
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative deep dives into data to assess the business impact of new initiatives; develop frameworks to test processes, analyze feedback, and recommend course corrections.
• Embed within internal teams to drive adoption of new systems, leveraging strong communication and interpersonal skills to manage behavioral and operational change.
• Proactively anticipate project roadblocks, keep leadership organized, and independently drive solutions forward with minimal guidance.

Requirements

• Strong Academic Achievement: Stellar academic track record demonstrating high cognitive ability, logical reasoning, and intellectual curiosity (backgrounds in Business Analysis, Engineering, Computer Science, Economics, or similar fields preferred).
• Demonstrated Leadership: Proven experience leading initiatives from start to finish, whether through professional projects, university/extracurricular activities, or organizing out-of-work initiatives.
• Hands-on AI & Automation Literacy: Proven capability in working with modern AI platforms, systems, and APIs; must demonstrate how you have built AI agents, prompts, or automated workflows to solve real problems.
• Communication, Influencing & Change Management: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; ability to articulate complex ideas, build rapport across teams, and influence behavior to drive adoption of new processes.
• Systems Thinking & Engineering Mindset: Natural ability to view businesses as interconnected systems, breaking down complex problems into structured, repeatable processes.
• Pragmatic & Analytical: Highly analytical with a business-first lens, extracting actionable insights to drive significant impact.
• Resourceful & Autonomous: Curious, tech-forward self-starter who proactively researches, tests, and builds solutions when faced with unfamiliar tools or vague problems.
• High Emotional Intelligence (EQ): Strong leadership and influencing skills to collaborate with diverse teams, build trust, and manage friction during operational shifts.
• Obsessively Organized: Methodical and detail-oriented, bringing order to chaos and keeping projects moving forward.

Nice-to-Have Qualifications

• Familiarity with the staffing, recruitment, or professional services industry.
• Experience in a Business Analyst, Operations Coordinator, or technical project management role.

About Aquent Talent

Aquent Talent connects top talent in marketing, creative, and design with the world’s biggest brands. Eligible talent gain access to benefits such as subsidized health, vision, and dental plans, paid sick leave, and retirement plans with a company match. Free online training is also available through Aquent Gymnasium.

Pay

Compensation range: $27 – $35 per hour. The actual amount may vary based on experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and location.