The Mission
At GRAM, we believe the next great leap for humanity will be physical, not digital. What AGI is to bits, Self-Replication (SR) is to atoms. As an SR research and deployment company, our mission is to make humanity galactic by enabling physical exponential growth. To achieve this, we are conducting foundational research across general-purpose robotics, artificial intelligence, biology, and materials science to enable SR within our lifetimes.
Our first step is to challenge the consensus that robots should look like us. We believe true progress comes from optimizing for function over form. We are creating a new embodiment for intelligence, designed from first principles to build the future physical economy, on and off-world.
The Role
At GRAM, we believe that operational excellence is a core strategic advantage. Our ability to execute on an ambitious, multi-decade mission depends on a world-class foundation of operational and business systems. This role is for the leaders who build the machine that builds the machine, creating an environment where our scientists and engineers can do their best work.
You are a builder of companies, not just products. You will be responsible for creating the scalable, efficient, and robust systems that enable our team to move faster and achieve more. This is an opportunity to design a company's operating system from first principles, ensuring that our physical lab, our supply chain, and our business functions are as thoughtfully engineered as our robots.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead all business and lab operations for the company, including finance, HR, IT, and facilities management.
- Design and manage the procurement and supply chain strategy for our complex R&D and prototyping efforts, establishing relationships with key vendors.
- Oversee the build-out and day-to-day management of our research lab, ensuring a safe, efficient, and productive environment.
- Develop the foundational processes and systems that will allow the company to scale efficiently as it grows.
- Act as a strategic partner to the CEO on all operational matters, translating company goals into actionable execution plans.
About You
You are a first-principles thinker who is energized by solving problems that have no playbook. You are drawn to ambitious, long-term missions and want to build technology that fundamentally changes our physical capabilities. You thrive in a high-agency environment where you are given the ownership and resources to tackle core challenges.
Basic Qualifications:
- 5+ years of experience in an operations, general management, or related role, preferably within a deep-tech or hardware startup.
- A proven track record of building and managing operational systems in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
- A versatile, "roll-up-your-sleeves" mindset, with the ability to manage everything from strategic financial planning to lab safety protocols.
- Experience with supply chain management and vendor negotiation for technical hardware.
Preferred Qualifications:
- An MBA or other advanced degree in a relevant field.Experience taking a company through a significant growth phase (e.g., from seed to Series A/B).
- A deep understanding of the unique operational challenges of a company that builds physical products.
- A passion for creating high-performance environments that enable scientific and engineering breakthroughs.
Location
This is an on-site role at our research lab in El Segundo, California. We offer significant relocation assistance for exceptional candidates.
Interview Process
After submitting your application, we review your portfolio and any exceptional work you've shipped. If your application demonstrates the caliber we seek, you'll enter our interview process, which is designed for speed and substance. We aim to complete it within one week from start to finish.
Your total compensation reflects both the significance of early-stage equity and competitive market rates. The following is the general framework for all roles at GRAM.
- Company-Wide Base Salary Range: $75,000 - $300,000 USD, calibrated to your impact potential
- Equity: Substantial ownership stake befitting founding team members
- Benefits: Health, dental, and vision coverage; all meals are paid for; relocation assistance
GRAM is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate solely on capability and drive.
Why Join?
We are an early, focused team of scientists and engineers building the system that builds itself. GRAM is funded by leading investors and long-term visionaries. We operate without bureaucracy. Ownership and leadership flow to those who demonstrate exceptional capability, and every team member works directly on our core technology. We are based in El Segundo, the heart of America's industrial future, focused on solving one of the most important problems of our time.
What We Do
Humanity's birthright is to become galactic. GRAM is founded to serve this mission. We are a foundational AI and robotics startup birthing the machines and intelligence necessary to solve the physical labor bottleneck preventing space industrialization.
Our first product is a general-purpose insectoid designed for work in vast swarms for operation in extreme environments. Over the coming century, our systems will build the critical infrastructure needed for humanity's expansion across the Milky Way.
