Chief of Staff Associate Intern
Paris · Full time · Posted 4MO AGO
About HyLight
Power lines, gas pipelines and railways are still inspected the way they were 50 years ago: by helicopter. Expensive, noisy, and up to a tonne of CO₂ per flight hour.
We built the alternative. The HyLighter is a 12-metre autonomous airship running on hydrogen. It flies for up to 10 hours, almost silently, and spots a 1 mm defect from 25 metres up.
But the airship is only half the story. Every flight brings back massive amounts of LiDAR, imagery and methane data, and that’s where the value is. Our AI turns it into what operators act on: 50+ types of defects detected automatically, and leaks pinpointed across their network.
It’s not a prototype. HyLighters already fly missions for France’s largest energy and rail operators and have flown over the Palace of Versailles. Backed by Y Combinator, we just raised €13M to go from 4 airships to 15.
Working at HyLight
We design, build and fly every HyLighter, and turn its data into insight, all under one roof on a former airbase. Which means:
You own it all the way. At a big aerospace company, you’d own a small piece of one subsystem. Here, you design it, test it, stand on the airfield when it flies, and see the client act on the data it brings back.
Weeks, not years. Ideas go from whiteboard to flight test in weeks.
Responsibility from day one. The founders’ average age is 27. Nobody here waits for permission.
We don’t care about titles or ticking every box. We care about what you build and the perspective you bring, so if your profile is different, apply anyway.
Job Summary:
This internship sits at the heart of the company.
The objective is to support the Chief of Staff in executing and structuring the company's most critical priorities as HyLight scales.
The intern will work across finance, operations, strategy and administration, helping transform ideas into concrete actions while ensuring smooth execution of day-to-day priorities.
This role is designed for highly versatile individuals who enjoy solving problems, bringing structure to ambiguity and taking ownership of a wide variety of topics.
The Mission:
Under the guidance of the Chief of Staff, you will contribute to the execution and structuring of key company initiatives.
Financial Planning & Analysis
Support financial planning, forecasting and budgeting activities
Maintain and improve business planning tools and dashboards
Assist in financing, fundraising and grant-related projects
Produce analyses to support decision-making
Structuring & Business Operations
Improve internal processes and organizational efficiency
Build and maintain reporting and management tools
Support cross-functional projects involving multiple teams
Contribute to the company's operational scaling
Executive Support & Special Projects
Prepare presentations for investors, customers, partners and institutions
Conduct research and analyses on strategic or operational topics
Coordinate administrative and operational tasks supporting the leadership team
Organize business trips, meetings and events
Take ownership of high-priority projects assigned by the CEO or Chief of Staff
Profile Sought:
Education:
Currently enrolled in a leading Engineering School, Business School or University program.
Relevant backgrounds include:
Engineering
Business & Management
Finance
Economics
Entrepreneurship
Innovation Management
Or similar disciplines
We care far more about your ability to learn quickly and execute effectively than your specific academic background.
The following list of skills is exhaustive, while you may not perfectly fit with the profile, we highly value personal growth and development. We see our interns as potential future team leads at HyLight.
Core Qualities
We are looking for a true Swiss-army knife profile.
Someone capable of rapidly understanding a topic, structuring it and moving it forward with limited supervision.
What matters most
Strong execution mindset
Structured thinking
Intellectual curiosity
High ownership
Ability to manage multiple priorities
Excellent communication skills
Comfort working in ambiguous environments
Strong attention to detail
Languages: English & French
Technical Skills
Excel / Google Sheets
PowerPoint / Google Slides
AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.)
Strong written communication
Bonus Qualities:
Previous experience in a startup
Experience in consulting, venture capital or finance
Interest in deeptech, aerospace or energy
Entrepreneurial mindset
Ability to automate workflows and improve processes
What We Offer:
Direct exposure to the CEO and leadership team
Significant autonomy and responsibility and visibility across all company functions
Opportunity to contribute to a high-growth deeptech startup
100% reimbursement of public transport pass (Navigo) or €800/year for sustainable commuting
Bike provided for commuting
Free lunch
Bi-annual offsite trips with the whole team
Excellent work environment: international team, team events, beautiful offices on a former airbase
Interview Process:
Introductory phone call (20 min)
Video interview with our CoS Erwan (40 min)
Technical test
On-site meeting with the team (40 min)
Location:
Office : Base 217, Brétigny-sur-Orge, accessible via RER C.
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