Administrative Assistant - Proposals & Business Operations

ABOUT FATHOM ROBOTICS

Fathom Robotics provides operations, maintenance, training, and applied engineering services for uncrewed maritime systems supporting U.S. Government and commercial defense programs. We have multiple active projects across a variety of government and commercial clients and are actively fielding systems in operational environments.

ROLE OVERVIEW

Fathom Robotics is hiring a part-time Administrative Assistant to support our Chief Administrative Officer across proposals, pricing, and broader business operations. We submit government proposals on a near-weekly cadence, and this role is central to keeping that pipeline organized and on schedule. Beyond proposals, you will provide supporting-level help across HR, payroll, compliance, and contracts administration — handling the organizing, tracking, and paperwork so the Chief Administrative Officer can focus on the higher-level decisions.

Location: Remote (Washington, D.C. / Northern VA / MD area preferred)

Work-Type: Part-Time (15–20 hours/week)

Clearance: U.S. Person Required

**This position will require an in-person interview**

A DAY IN THE LIFE

Morning: Check the proposal tracker for what's due this week, confirm which volumes still need content, and follow up with contributors who owe inputs.

Mid-morning: Build out a Basis of Estimate for a labor category on an active pricing volume, cross-checking hours and rates against the solicitation and prior submissions.

Midday: Clean up a technical volume — formatting, compliance matrix check, figures and page counts — ahead of an internal review with the Chief Administrative Officer.

Afternoon: Handle general administrative support: organizing files, scheduling meetings, updating trackers, and helping prep materials the Chief Administrative Officer needs for the CEO.

Then something else comes up: Enter timesheets in the ERP, pull together offer letter and new-hire paperwork for an incoming employee, or track down a signed NDA before a call — whatever the Chief Administrative Officer needs help moving forward that day.

Across all of it: Keep proposal deadlines, pricing inputs, and admin tasks moving on a schedule the Chief Administrative Officer and proposal contributors can count on.

PROGRAM CONDITIONS

This is a part-time, remote role (15–20 hours/week) supporting a small, fast-moving business operations function. Candidates based in the Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia, or Maryland area are preferred for occasional in-person coordination and alignment with government and customer schedules. Proposal deadlines are frequent and firm, so weekly hours will fluctuate within that range — expect heavier weeks ahead of proposal due dates and lighter weeks in between.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Proposals & Pricing

• Support preparation of government proposals on a weekly-to-biweekly cadence, including formatting, compliance checks, and assembly of technical and pricing volumes
• Build and maintain Basis of Estimate (BOE) pricing inputs, including labor hours, rates, and other direct costs, in coordination with the Chief Administrative Officer
• Track proposal deadlines, contributor inputs, and open action items, flagging risks to on-time submission
• Maintain proposal templates, boilerplate content, and past performance references for reuse across submissions
• Clean up and format proposal documents, presentations, and capability materials, including swapping in graphics and tightening layout

Business Operations Support

This role supports the Chief Administrative Officer across the broader business — handling organization, tracking, and paperwork rather than owning these functions outright.

• Hiring & onboarding: help coordinate recruiting for open roles — posting jobs, screening applicants, scheduling interviews — then assemble offer letter and new-hire paperwork, track benefits enrollment steps, and coordinate system access requests
• Payroll & invoicing: organize timesheets and receipts, and help prepare invoice backup against active contracts
• HR administration: maintain records in ADP or similar systems, and support benefits and multi-state compliance documentation
• Finance support: assist with organizing AP/AR documentation and reconciliation backup
• Compliance coordination: organize and track documentation supporting CMMC, ITAR, DCAA, and SAM.gov requirements
• Contracts & legal support: route documents through DocuSign, track NDA and insurance renewals, and maintain corporate records
• ERP support: assist with data entry and upkeep of the timekeeping and accounting platform
• Provide general administrative support to the Chief Administrative Officer, including scheduling, file organization, and document preparation
• Assist with basic business development research and organization of customer and teaming information as needed

Requirements

Required Qualifications:

• 2+ years of experience supporting government proposals, ideally with exposure to pricing or Basis of Estimate (BOE) development
• Familiarity with government proposal structure, compliance matrices, and volume organization
• Comfortable working with pricing spreadsheets and basic cost/labor build-ups
• Strong written and organizational skills, with close attention to formatting and detail
• Working proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) or equivalent tools
• Able to manage multiple deadlines independently and follow through without being chased
• Comfortable picking up light HR, payroll, or finance administrative tasks alongside proposal work
• US Person status required (defense program context)
• Comfortable working in a small team supporting classified or sensitive government programs

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience as a proposal coordinator, proposal writer, or pricing/cost analyst at a defense contractor or GovCon company
• Exposure to government contract types (FFP, T&M, cost-reimbursement) and how they shape pricing
• Experience with GovCon ERP or accounting platforms (e.g., Unanet, Deltek, or similar)
• Prior administrative or executive support experience in a defense or government contracting environment
• Experience with SAM.gov, DocuSign, or similar business operations tools

Benefits

Benefits

This is a part-time position and is not eligible for health benefits. 

Compensation: $30 to $45 per hour, commensurate with experience