Description
US Growth Lead
Location: Washington, DC (primary) or New York City. Hybrid.
Role type: Full-time employee.
Compensation: $200,000 to $300,000 base, depending on experience, plus substantial equity.
Clearance: Clearability required. Active TS/SCI preferred.
About the Client
Our client is a frontier AI lab building systems that reason about the physical world, with a particular focus on national security. Founded by researchers and engineers from leading AI labs and quantitative finance, they build architectures that reason across complex sensor data in real time. The company is US based with a growing international presence. Client name disclosed upon mutual interest.
About the Role
We are looking for a US Growth Lead to serve as our client's primary ambassador and trusted advisor to the United States defense and intelligence communities. In this role, you will leverage your deep networks and operational experience to initiate high-level conversations, shape programmatic requirements, and align frontier AI capabilities with mission-critical government needs.
This is a high-trust, relationship-driven role that requires exceptional credibility within the national security ecosystem. You will partner with executive leadership to hone and execute the existing go-to-market strategy. Operating as the strategic tip of the spear, you will open doors and build the foundational trust required for the sales and capture teams to execute and scale high-value defense contracts.
Responsibilities
- Partner with executive leadership to hone and execute the company's US defense go-to-market strategy, identifying and prioritizing high-impact opportunities across the DoW, IC, and broader national security ecosystem.
- Build and sustain substantive relationships with senior public officials, military leaders, and policy stakeholders (e.g., SASC, NSC, IC) to position the company as a trusted technology partner.
- Act as the strategic door-opener: educate mission owners on the company's capabilities, shape future programmatic requirements, and pave the way for the sales and capture teams to close deals.
- Translate complex AI capabilities, technical constraints, and cyber risks into practical operational relevance across the technical spectrum of defense leaders.
- Partner closely with internal engineering, product, and policy teams to ensure the product roadmap continually aligns with the evolving strategic priorities of the national security community.
- Serve as a voice of the US defense customer internally, anticipating mission requirements and strategic shifts in the defense landscape.
Requirements
Must-Haves
- 10+ years of experience operating within the US national security community (e.g., Active Duty Military, National Security Council, Intelligence Community, or Senate Armed Services Committee).
- Clearability (active TS/SCI preferred).
- Demonstrated track record of navigating the national security landscape, shaping acquisition and/or operational priorities, and building consensus among senior defense leaders.
- Exceptional executive presence and the ability to engage credibly with senior public officials and flag officers as a trusted advisor on emerging technology.
- Deep understanding of how the USG identifies capability gaps and formulates requirements, with the ability to strategically position novel technologies within those frameworks.
- Comfort operating independently in a fast-paced startup environment.
Nice-to-Haves
- Previous experience in a senior growth or government affairs role at a high-growth defense technology or frontier AI company.
- Deep familiarity with the AI evaluation, safety, and regulatory frameworks emerging within the US federal government.
Compensation & Benefits
- $200,000 to $300,000 base salary, depending on experience.
- Substantial equity.
Similar jobs
Est. 157,500 USD
Forward Deployed Data Scientist Location: Arlington, VA; Pittsburgh, PA; or Remote Travel: Up to 75% Role Type: Full-time$140-$175K + up to 30% bonus + Equity About the Client We are a defense technology firm focused on…
Est. 144,000 USD
Company Description Air is the leader in Enterprise Readiness. Our mission is to establish readiness as a real-time condition that is continuously achieved. Today, a dangerous Readiness Gap exists between what the front…
Est. 132,500 USD
Deployment Strategist - Ground Force Operations Arlington, VA Compensation: $120,000–$145,000 Base + 15–30% Bonus + Equity About the Client We are a fast-growing technology company supporting the U.S. national security c…
Est. 118,000 USD
Company Description Air is the leader in Enterprise Readiness. Our mission is to establish readiness as a real-time condition that is continuously achieved. Today, a dangerous Readiness Gap exists between what the front…
Est. 175,000 USD
C3 AI (NYSE: AI), is the Enterprise AI application software company. C3 AI delivers a family of fully integrated products including the C3 Agentic AI Platform, an end-to-end platform for developing, deploying, and operat…
Est. 180,000 USD
Deployment Strategist (TS/SCI Clearance Required) Early-stage defense AI company. Arlington, Virginia. Location: Arlington, Virginia. On client site 80 to 100% of the time. Not eligible for remote or hybrid work.Role typ…
Est. 132,500 USD
Deployment Strategist - Naval Strategic Programs Arlington, VA Compensation: $120,000–$145,000 Base + 15–30% Bonus + Equity About the Client We are a fast-growing technology company supporting the U.S. national security…
Est. 180,000 USD
Deployment Strategist, Intel (TS/SCI with CI Polygraph Required) Early-stage defense AI company. Northern Virginia. Location: Northern Virginia. On client site 80 to 100% of the time. Not eligible for remote or hybrid wo…
Est. 205,000 USD
C3 AI (NYSE: AI), is the Enterprise AI application software company. C3 AI delivers a family of fully integrated products including the C3 Agentic AI Platform, an end-to-end platform for developing, deploying, and operat…
Est. 185,000 USD
Company Description Air is the leader in Enterprise Readiness. Our mission is to establish readiness as a real-time condition that is continuously achieved. Today, a dangerous Readiness Gap exists between what the front…
Est. 190,000 USD
Forward Deployed Engineer Location: DC Metro AreaWork Model: On-site with customer (50% travel)Compensation: $155,000–$225,000 base salary + 30% Bonus + Equity About the Client We are a defense technology company on a mi…
Est. 140,000 USD
Company Description Air is the leader in Enterprise Readiness. Our mission is to establish readiness as a real-time condition that is continuously achieved. Today, a dangerous Readiness Gap exists between what the front…
Est. 190,000 USD
Engagement Manager Location: Arlington, VA (In-office, with up to 50% travel. Travel will be to Europe, INDOPACOM 50%+)Compensation: $180-200k + 100% potential bonus + equity About the Role We are one of the fastest grow…
Est. 200,000 USD
Company Description Air is the leader in Enterprise Readiness. Our mission is to establish readiness as a real-time condition that is continuously achieved. Today, a dangerous Readiness Gap exists between what the front…
Est. 215,000 USD
Engagement Manager - Air Force Accounts Location: Arlington, VA (In-office, with up to 50% travel)Compensation: $200k-$230k + 30% bonus + Equity About the Role We are one of the fastest growing defense technology compani…
Est. 222,500 USD
The future of defense will be decided by those who field intelligent machines at scale. At Scout AI, we’re developing Fury, the first robotic foundation model for defense, to give U.S. forces overwhelming, adaptable, and…
Est. 255,000 USD
Dark Wolf constructs and deploys data management and analytics solutions for the defense and intelligence communities. We’re proud to boast a world-class engineering team that thrives on rolling up their sleeves to solve…
Est. 205,000 USD
Director of Business Development, Homeland Security Company: Defense-technology company (name shared under NDA)Reports To: Business Development leadershipFunction: Growth – Business DevelopmentLocation: Tysons, VA prefer…
Est. 267,500 USD
Space is a warfighting domain. True Anomaly seeks those with the talent and ambition to build the technology that secures it. OUR MISSION True Anomaly delivers decisive capabilities for space superiority. We build autono…
Est. 205,000 USD
Director of Business Development, Marine Corps Company: Defense-technology company (name shared under NDA)Reports To: Business Development leadershipFunction: Growth – Business DevelopmentLocation: Tysons, VA preferred;…
Est. 187,700 USD
At Scale, we believe that AI will dramatically improve the world, and our mission is to accelerate the development of AI. As Scale continues to grow its Government Relations function, we are looking for a National Securi…
Est. 228,600 USD
Scale is building AI for the world’s most important decisions. From the front lines of national defense to the core of global enterprise, we provide the data engine and agentic infrastructure that powers the next generat…
Est. 277,500 USD
C3 AI (NYSE: AI), is the Enterprise AI application software company. C3 AI delivers a family of fully integrated products including the C3 Agentic AI Platform, an end-to-end platform for developing, deploying, and operat…
Est. 232,500 USD
Space is a warfighting domain. True Anomaly seeks those with the talent and ambition to build the technology that secures it. OUR MISSION True Anomaly delivers decisive capabilities for space superiority. We build autono…
Est. 140,000 USD
Vannevar is a defense technology company building AI to deter our adversaries. In the 21st century, conflict moves at algorithmic speed and foresight equals firepower. Our agentic AI is purpose-built to compete with Chin…
Est. 120,000 USD
Company Description Air is the leader in Enterprise Readiness. Our mission is to establish readiness as a real-time condition that is continuously achieved. Today, a dangerous Readiness Gap exists between what the front…
Est. 120,000 GBP
C3 AI (NYSE: AI), is the Enterprise AI application software company. C3 AI delivers a family of fully integrated products including the C3 Agentic AI Platform, an end-to-end platform for developing, deploying, and operat…
Est. 175,000 USD
Scout AI is the frontier AI lab for war. The future of defense will be decided by those who field intelligent machines at scale. At Scout, we’re developing Fury, the first robotic foundation model for defense, to give U.…
Est. 207,700 USD
Scale's public sector business is providing the best of American commercial technology and innovation to protect the homeland and meet the moment. As a member of our public sector delivery team, you will own relationship…
Est. 130,000 USD
About Us AGE Solutions is a premier technology and professional services company, providing in-depth consulting, advanced technology solutions, and essential services throughout the U.S. government, defense, and intellig…