Sr. Associate, Trade Advisory

Caspian is building the AI trade advisor for the modern era. Free trade as we knew it is over, and the tools built for that era can’t keep up with the pace of change. We help importers recover the duties they’ve overpaid to U.S. Customs -- starting with duty drawback, an underused, data-heavy program where 70–80% of an estimated $10B in annual refunds go unclaimed -- and we’re building the broader trade compliance platform alongside refund services. Caspian is a licensed customs broker, which lets us deliver both software and expert execution; we’re seed-stage, moving fast (80+ customers in production, revenue up 4x+ in six months, over $11M raised), and building the recurring services-and-software engine that comes next.

The role

The Trade Advisory Sr. Associate is the licensed, client-facing engine of our services business. Reporting to our VP Trade Advisory, Shannon Bryant, you'll own customer trade work end-to-end -- post-entry reviews, CBP inquiries, duty refund programs, and the data-driven advisory that surrounds this work. This is a revenue-generating seat: the services you run are client-facing, and the front line of Caspian’s reputation in a compliance-heavy domain where you'll have a real impact on your customers.

The job is not to do trade compliance work the way it’s always been done. It’s to rebuild it -- to take the repetitive, manual, broker-hours model that the industry runs on and replace it with AI-led workflows that allow one licensed advisor do the work of many. You bring customs experience and compliance judgment; you use Caspian’s platform and AI to scale your impact. This is a role for someone who wants to build the AI trade system of the future.

What you’ll own

• Customer trade programs -- run drawback claims and advisory engagements end-to-end so customers see recovered dollars fast and keep coming back.
• Compliance & the CBP interface -- own CF28/CF29 responses, Full Desk Reviews, protests, and post-entry work; be the licensed auditor that maintains quality of filings.
• AI-led consulting -- use and help build AI workflows on top of Caspian’s customs graph to automate the data management and document retention -- turning manual advisory into a repeatable, software-assisted service.
• Revenue & throughput -- deliver billable services and grow the dollars recovered per customer; increase the number of accounts and claims one advisor can carry as automation compounds.
• The playbook -- codify how Caspian does trade advisory so the next advisors can ramp on the process you’ve defined.

Who you are

• 4+ yrs XP in trade compliance and customs
• Licensed & operational -- you hold a Customs Broker License (LCB) -- required -- and can own compliance decisions that carry real consequences.
• A builder who automates -- you don’t accept repetitive work as a given; you reach for the AI workflow or script that removes it.
• Fluent with AI -- you use AI to ramp on new problems and multiply your output, and it shows in what you ship.
• Strong with messy data & ambiguity -- you turn fragmented trade data into a defensible number and a clear client recommendation.
• Sharp communicator -- you’re client-facing and translate technical customs results into clear, persuasive guidance for non-expert buyers.
• Owner’s mindset -- you set your own priorities, follow through dependably, and thrive in an early-stage, high-trust environment.

Nice to have

Drawback, customs, or brokerage experience (brokerages with trade tech are a plus); a track record of automating trade or compliance workflows; a client-facing or operational role at an early-stage startup. None beyond the license are required -- curiosity and speed matter more.

You’ll work day to day with the founders, the delivery team, and engineering, with a clear path to build and lead the trade advisory function as our services and software scale.

Location: Remote, with monthly travel. Option to be in-person in San Francisco with our leadership and technology teams, who are in office 3-4 days/week.