Company: Thermeleon

About the job

Work directly with the founder on strategy, deals, and building a deep-tech company that accelerates the energy transition in greenhouse horticulture.
Thermeleon is developing an innovative thermal battery for high-tech greenhouses. The system temporarily stores heat and makes it strategically available – enabling growers to consume less natural gas and drastically reduce their CO₂ emissions.
Our technology is already running in one of the most advanced greenhouses in the Netherlands. With ongoing projects involving WUR, TNO, and multiple growers, among others, we are on the verge of scaling up.

Taken
As a Founder's Associate, you work directly with the founder on the company's key challenges.

You are neither an intern nor a traditional hire — you are an extension of the founder. Someone who brings structure, thinks ahead, and takes responsibility on multiple fronts simultaneously. You move continuously between strategy and execution.

Requirements

  • 0–4 years of experience (consulting, startup, engineering, investment, or similar)
  • University-level thinking with strong analytical and strategic skills
  • You pick up new subjects extremely quickly.
  • You are independent, but actively seek feedback.
  • You can switch between detail and the big picture.
  • You are structured and bring calm to complexity.
  • You want to build, not just analyze.

THIS IS / IS NOT FOR YOU
Yes, if you:

  • Want to be close to the action at a fast-growing deeptech startup
  • want to learn how to build a business quickly
  • want to make an impact on both strategy and execution

Not if you:

  • Only a clearly defined role seeks
  • need comfort in predictability
  • Does not like responsibility and pace

The candidate

Business Strategy & Growth

  • Contribute to and refine the corporate strategy
  • Translating strategy into concrete actions, priorities, and projects
  • Developing business cases (customers, markets, new propositions)
  • Identifying bottlenecks and actively proposing solutions

Founder support & decision-making

  • Preparing for important meetings (investors, growers, partners)
  • Structuring decisions and monitoring follow-up
  • Drafting presentations, memos, and analyses
  • Ensuring that the right things happen at the right time

HR & organizational structure

  • Contribute ideas regarding team structure and hiring roadmap
  • Assisting with the recruitment of key hires
  • Improving internal processes and collaboration
  • Building a strong, professional organization

Sales, partnerships & subsidies

  • Providing support with commercial processes with growers
  • Assisting with quotations, proposals, and deal structures
  • Coordinating collaborations (WUR, TNO, etc.)
  • Contributing to grant applications and project proposals

Technology & product (optional, depending on profile)

  • Contribute to thinking about product development and system choices
  • Translating technical insights into business impact
  • Liaising with engineering and performance teams
  • Contribute to analyses (e.g. performance, business cases, simulations)

Special projects (your domain)

  • Leading our own high-impact projects
  • For example: new market introduction, pilot with grower, internal structure improvement
  • From idea → analysis → execution → result

What we offer

  • Work directly with the founder and core team
  • Unique learning curve towards leadership / management
  • Broad insight: strategy, technology, sales, finance, HR
  • Great responsibility from day one
  • Advancement to the management team upon proven impact
  • Workplace in the iconic Van Nelle Factory, Rotterdam
  • Possibility of working partly from home and regular visits to greenhouses and partners

Experience level: Senior

How to apply: send your CV and motivation to liesanne@thermeleon.nl