Business Operations Generalist Intern

Who we are:

Paradigm Robotics is an Austin, Texas based early-stage robotics startup building rugged, scalable robots for situational awareness in hazardous environments. We serve firefighting, emergency response, public safety, oil & gas, defense, and industrial markets. Our mission is to create a new paradigm of scalable, reliable, and useful robots for real-world hazardous operations - providing critical solutions to the most dangerous problems out there.

We've raised an oversubscribed round from top-tier venture firms. We’re working directly with over 80 of the largest fire departments, law enforcement agencies, industrial teams, and military units across the U.S., including the Air Force, Army, and SERDP. Our robots are built with and for firefighters, first responders, warfighters, and emergency crews.

Why this will be challenging, meaningful, and fun work

We are solving problems that matter. Building robots that operate in fire, heat, debris, water, and chaos is incredibly hard, and building them to scale is even harder. That is why we focus on engineering rigor, rapid iteration, and deep user feedback. We ship real robots into real fires for real customers, which means everyone on the team takes ownership, talks to users, and builds.

We value curiosity, autonomy, and low-ego collaboration, and we celebrate wins while owning mistakes. At the same time, we know how to have fun. From stargazing trips, go-kart races, and off-sites to Tulum, to goldfish pranks that turned into a full aquarium, we work hard and enjoy the ride together. This is a place where you can do your best work, learn a ton, build cool things, and make lifelong friends.

Role:

Business/Operations Generalist Intern / Co-Op

Fall 2025

Role Type:

Intern/Co-Op

Role Description:

As a Business/Operations Generalist Intern at Paradigm Robotics, you’ll work directly with the CEO and core team to help build and systematize the business side of the company. You’ll get a crash course in how an early-stage startup really operates — one day you might be helping coordinate a customer visit with a fire department, the next you might be organizing trade show logistics, building internal dashboards, or streamlining recruiting workflows.

This isn’t a coffee-run internship. You’ll be exposed to every facet of the business, expected to take ownership of real projects, and given the opportunity to learn how a robotics company scales from the inside. We’ll trust you to figure things out, ask good questions, and bring your own initiative to the table.

If you’re looking to see what it takes to build a company — and want a front-row seat to robotics, startups, and mission-driven execution — this is for you.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Founder Leverage & Execution
  • Support the CEO by tracking action items, helping prioritize, and assisting with special projects
  • Draft presentations, pitch decks, and customer-facing documents
  • Coordinate across engineering, BD, grants, and operations to keep the company moving
• Ops, Infra & Automation
  • Help maintain and improve internal systems (calendars, meetings, Notion, docs, project trackers)
  • Assist with workflows for grants, reporting deadlines, and customer programs
  • Research and suggest automation tools to simplify repetitive tasks
• Strategic Projects & Growth
  • Assist in planning demos, trade shows, customer trials, and field events
  • Track milestones and goals across the org and flag blockers
  • Help organize customer feedback into actionable insights
• Hiring & Culture
  • Support recruiting logistics, interview scheduling, and candidate communications
  • Help with team events, offsites, and internal communications
  • Contribute to building company culture through creative ideas and initiatives

Who we are looking for:

• A sharp, scrappy generalist who wants to learn how startups actually run
• Excited by ambiguity — you figure things out and get things done
• Clear communicator with strong writing and people skills
• Detail-oriented and organized — you keep deadlines moving
• Obsessed with productivity and tools that make teams better
• Energized by our mission: building robots that save lives in dangerous, real-world environments

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Business, Communications, Operations, Management, Finance, or related field
• Comfortable juggling multiple projects and working independently
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Proficiency in modern productivity tools (Google Workspace, Notion, Slack, Airtable, Zapier, HubSpot or similar)
• Bonus: experience in student startups, clubs, research labs, or projects where you’ve built/organized something from scratch

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Familiarity with CRMs, HR systems, or automation tools
• Exposure to grant writing, proposal coordination, or R&D funding processes (e.g. SBIR/STTR)
• Interest in robotics, hardware, or engineering

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Willing to work hard, especially during critical milestones
• Comfortable being proactive and figuring things out with imperfect information
• Excited to join team events, customer visits, and (yes) the occasional fire department demo

Work Environment:

Austin, Texas

In-Person

Monday - Friday/Saturday (5/6 days a week)

40-60+ hours a week

Compensation and Benefits:

$20-$40/hr (Depending on experience)

Flexible Schedule/Unlimited PTO

Free meals, swag, and more!

Exposure to top-tier founders, investors, customers, and real-world robotics deployments

Contact:

Please contact talent@paradigmrobotics.tech with any questions. Do not send an application through this email - it will not be screened.

At Paradigm Robotics, we believe the best ideas come from working side by side. We're an office-first team because building breakthrough tech that rolls into burning buildings takes tight feedback loops, fast iteration, and real-time collaboration. That said, we trust our team with autonomy. If you need to work from home once in a while, that's totally fine. What matters is that we deliver together.

We're building robots to keep first responders safe and change how emergency response works. To do that, we need a team with a range of perspectives, backgrounds, and lived experiences. We're proud to be an equal opportunity employer and committed to a culture where everyone feels ownership, respect, and belonging. If our mission resonates with you, we’d love to meet you.