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Salary: USD 180,000 - 230,000 / annual
Lodestar Space is building autonomous AI-driven intelligence systems designed to operate independently in orbit, capable of detecting, classifying, and responding to orbital threats. The company combines machine vision, edge computing, and effects architecture to deliver space superiority capabilities for warfighters and expand the commercial space market.
As Head of Business Development, you will own the pre-solicitation phase of Lodestar's government pipeline, reporting directly to the VP of Commercial and Federal. This is a high-autonomy role with significant strategic and tactical responsibility. You will build working-level relationships with government stakeholders, shape requirements before solicitations are released, pursue non-traditional acquisition pathways, and position Lodestar's capabilities into the language of upcoming opportunities.
Key responsibilities include:
1. Shape requirements before they are written by engaging program offices, contracting shops, operational end users, and innovation organizations to position capabilities into upcoming solicitations and capability statements.
2. Pursue non-traditional acquisition pathways including no-cost CRADAs, OTA consortium memberships, SpaceWERX and DIU topic requests, and prototype budget carve-outs.
3. Build and own the pipeline by identifying, qualifying, and tracking opportunities across USSF, AFRL, DIU, Space RCO, SDA, NASA, and the IC before they hit SAM.gov. Maintain CRM accuracy and deliver weekly pipeline reports.
4. Own the working-level relationship layer with program analysts, contracting specialists, and innovation office staff who write requirements and decide access before formal competitions.
5. Represent Lodestar in the ecosystem by attending industry days, technical forums, classified engagements, and innovation events. Surface competitive intelligence through trip reports.
6. Support the proposal machine by coordinating teaming partner inputs, managing data calls, tracking deadlines, and ensuring proposal teams have necessary resources.
Requirements:
- 5 to 10 years of business development, capture, or program management experience in the national security space domain
- Real network in the ecosystem with direct relationships to program analysts and innovation office leads at SSC, AFRL, DIU, Space RCO, or SDA
- Deep knowledge of the pre-solicitation phase, including how requirements are written, contracts structured, and budgets negotiated
- Technical fluency in space domain awareness, RPO, autonomous systems, orbital mechanics, or directed energy; ability to hold credible conversations without engineering support
- Federal Acquisition literacy including FAR, PPBE cycle, contracting vehicles, color of money, and their mechanics and timelines
- Operational discipline with pipeline hygiene, CRM accuracy, and consistent follow-through
- Eligibility and willingness to obtain a Secret clearance (active clearance is a plus)
Preferred experience includes prior work inside government innovation organizations (SpaceWERX, AFWERX, DIU, NavalX), venture-backed defense tech startup business development at founder level, familiarity with space control/domain awareness/RPO-D/missile defense/directed energy, and experience with SBIR Phase II to Phase III transitions.
