How to connect to device via SSH over direct ethernet connection

I have a device that I need to connect to over SSH. The device is connected to my workstation via a direct ethernet connection. I’m attempting to assign the connected device an IP address somehow that I can SSH to, however all of the guides I’m finding have the user configure the IP from whatever device they’re working with (namely Raspberry Pi’s and so on). This is not something I can do with this device as I’ve no physical interface to work with.