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Rainmaker is developing a modern precipitation enhancement cloud seeding system to address water scarcity using radar validation, weather-resistant unmanned aircraft systems, and numerical weather modeling.
As Director of Agricultural Development, you will lead Rainmaker's engagement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the broader agricultural community in Washington, D.C. You will own the full spectrum of federal agricultural relationships and strategy, from USDA headquarters through regional and local offices, to Congressional committees and agricultural stakeholders.
Key responsibilities include:
• USDA Engagement: Build and maintain durable relationships across USDA agencies (NRCS, FSA, RMA, ARS, ERS, NIFA) at national, regional, and local levels. Understand decision authority distribution between Washington and state offices.
• Conservation Program Development: Identify and secure USDA funding vehicles for precipitation enhancement as a conservation practice. Lead proposal development, submission, and follow-through. Pursue longer-term work to establish cloud seeding within USDA's conservation practice architecture.
• Farm Bill & Legislative Strategy: Own Rainmaker's Farm Bill strategy, including tracking and shaping conservation and research titles, developing legislative proposals and appropriations language, and understanding authorization-appropriations interactions.
• Congressional Engagement: Develop and maintain relationships with House and Senate Agriculture Committees, Agriculture appropriations subcommittees, and Western delegations. Prepare briefing materials for members and staff on precipitation enhancement as agricultural water supply.
• State & Federal Alignment: Partner closely with Rainmaker's State Government Affairs team to understand state and basin priorities, then identify federal authorities, funding, and relationships that advance them.
• Agricultural Coalition Building: Represent Rainmaker across Washington's agricultural community and identify positive-sum opportunities on water policy.
• Regional & Producer-Facing Work: Build relationships with state conservationists, technical committees, extension services, and producer groups. Translate producer needs into actionable terms for federal program managers and vice versa.
• Field Demonstrations: Organize site visits for USDA leadership, Congressional staff, state officials, and stakeholders to build understanding of the technology and its role in agricultural water systems.
Requirements:
• 10+ years in agricultural policy, conservation policy, or agricultural government relations (USDA, Congressional agriculture/appropriations roles, commodity/producer organizations, conservation NGOs, or comparable government affairs experience)
• Thorough working knowledge of USDA operations at national and state/regional levels
• In-depth command of USDA conservation and water programs and producer access mechanisms
• Demonstrated command of Farm Bill mechanics: writing, reauthorization, funding, and interaction between conservation/research titles and annual appropriations
• Track record of developing programs and securing federal funding (grant, cooperative agreement, cost-share processes)
• Current relationships across USDA, Congressional agriculture committees, and Washington agricultural community
• Substantive understanding of western water policy and agricultural water landscape
• Ability to operate as both strategist and hands-on operator in fast-paced startup environment
• Must be based in Washington, D.C. with willingness and ability to travel domestically for Hill engagement, agency meetings, state/regional visits, coalition work, and project site demonstrations
• Direct agricultural or ranching background is a bonus
