Product Data Collection Specialist
About Cartesian
Cartesian is building spatial intelligence for indoor environments to drive operational efficiency. We’re tackling one of the biggest challenges in the $35T global retail industry: in-store inventory visibility. Our platform delivers accurate indoor positioning and actionable product location insights, helping retailers streamline operations, optimize workflows, and reduce inefficiencies. By fusing wireless signals and mobile computer vision, we provide a uniquely scalable, infrastructure-free solution already deployed by international fashion brands.
Founded by an MIT engineering professor and alumni behind award-winning, patented core technologies, Cartesian spun out in 2023. Originally backed by a U.S. National Science Foundation SBIR Award, we’ve bootstrapped to a live product now deployed in multiple countries and are scaling aggressively.
About the Role
We are looking for a Product Data Collection Specialist to join Cartesian at a pivotal moment in our growth. This is a hands-on, impact-driven role focused on product testing, field operations, and data collection. You will spend significant time in retail environments evaluating product performance, collecting and validating data, identifying issues, and helping ensure our technology performs reliably in real-world conditions.
Success in this role requires curiosity, attention to detail, and a strong sense of ownership. You should enjoy investigating problems, working directly with customers and retail environments, and collaborating closely with engineering, product, and operations teams to improve both our product and our processes.
Location: In-person in Kendall Square, Cambridge, with regular travel to retail stores throughout the Boston area and occasional regional travel. Salary: $65,000 - $80,000 annually
What You’ll Do
Conduct product testing and data collection in retail store environments
Travel to customer sites to evaluate system performance under real-world conditions
Collect, validate, and analyze datasets used to improve product accuracy and reliability
Test new product features, mobile applications, and workflows before deployment
Investigate bugs, edge cases, and unexpected behavior, providing detailed feedback to engineering teams
Perform basic scripting, troubleshooting, and debugging to support testing activities
Improve and document testing and data collection processes to increase quality, consistency, and efficiency
Assist with map edits, data quality reviews, and operational support activities
Collaborate closely with engineering, product, and operations teams to prioritize issues and drive improvements
Become a product expert and help represent customer and field perspectives within the organization
Qualifications
1+ years of experience in a technical, operational, support, research, testing, or related role
Strong attention to detail and ability to execute rigorous, repeatable testing processes
Experience running scripts and working with technical tools
Basic Python programming or scripting experience
Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work independently in ambiguous environments
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Professional, customer-facing demeanor
Ability and willingness to travel regularly to retail locations
Reliable, accountable, and highly organized
Associate's or Bachelor's degree in a technical field or equivalent practical experience
Nice to Have
Experience with product testing, field testing, QA, or beta testing
Experience collecting, validating, or analyzing data
Experience in retail, customer support, customer success, field operations, or deployment roles
Familiarity with Python, SQL, or data analysis tools
Experience supporting data pipelines, data quality monitoring, or operational tooling
Spanish language proficiency
Startup or early-stage company experience
Why Cartesian
Work on hard, real-world problems with immediate and visible impact
Join a small, highly technical team with significant ownership and autonomy
Build systems that are deployed and used globally
Collaborative, thoughtful, low-ego culture focused on learning and execution
Opportunity to become a product expert and grow into roles across operations, deployment, testing, and product
In-person team culture in the heart of Kendall Square, Cambridge
If You’re Not Sure You’re a Perfect Fit
We know that no one checks every box—and we don’t expect you to. If this role sounds exciting to you, and you think you could contribute to Cartesian’s mission, we encourage you to apply even if your experience doesn’t perfectly match the description. We care deeply about people who are curious, thoughtful, and motivated to learn, and we believe strong teams are built from a diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
Interview Process
Introductory conversation focused on motivation, background, and fit
Technical exercise involving testing, analysis, and basic coding/problem-solving
Follow-up technical discussion focused on reasoning, troubleshooting, and decision-making
Final conversation with the hiring manager focused on ownership, communication, and culture fit
References and offer