Account Executive, Air Force

Scale AI • Colorado Springs, WA

21h

About The Position

Scale is hiring an Account Executive to lead its Air Force territory and convert proven AI offerings into funded, multi-year Air Force business. The role bridges AI research and mission-critical production, with a focus on deploying agentic AI—autonomous, reasoning systems—into operational workflows. This is an individual-contributor position with significant leadership responsibility and accountability for the customer relationship and commercial results.

The Account Executive owns the full sales lifecycle, including identifying opportunities, shaping requirements, securing funded awards, and expanding deployments. The role involves translating mission problems into technical requirements, co-designing agentic workflows with Solutions Engineers and operators, securing executive sponsorship and programmed funding, and moving prototypes into production capability. The Account Executive also leads proposal development, negotiates teaming and subcontracting arrangements with systems integrators and primes, and partners with delivery and cross-functional teams to manage customer health, risk, renewals, and growth.

The role is based in Washington, DC; Colorado Springs, CO; or Dayton, OH, and requires working on-site or with the customer three days per week and traveling at least 30% of the time. The position is full-time. The base salary range is $203,200–$254,000 USD for the listed locations. Eligible compensation packages may include equity and benefits.

Requirements

• At least 7 years of experience across Air Force operations, government acquisitions, complex enterprise IT sales, or defense business development; Air Force military or government civilian experience is valued.
• A proven record of closing and implementing multi-year deals and getting line items into budgets.
• Deep understanding of Air Force modernization priorities and applications of AI/ML, computer vision, and autonomy.
• Demonstrated ability to move technology from demonstration to deployed capability within a major PEO or program office.
• Existing relationships across HAF, AFLCMC, PEOs, DAF CDAO, major defense primes, and systems integrators.
• Active Secret clearance at minimum; active TS/SCI is strongly desired.
• Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree required.
• Ability to work on-site or with the customer three days per week in Washington, DC; Colorado Springs, CO; or Dayton, OH.
• Ability to travel at least 30% of the time.
• Executive presence and the ability to brief senior military leaders, along with stamina for extended proposal work in a SCIF.
• Ability to explain technical concepts such as RAG and agentic reasoning to technical evaluators.

Nice To Haves

• A technical degree or MBA.
• Active TS/SCI clearance.

Responsibilities

• Own the Air Force territory and annual bookings target, managing the full lifecycle from opportunity identification and requirement shaping through funded awards and expansion.
• Build and maintain a qualified pipeline of at least three times the territory target.
• Bring proven Scale offerings to new Air Force buying centers and qualify opportunities based on program expansion, connection to existing programs, or a clear funding path.
• Secure executive sponsorship and programmed funding, including POM, program-office, and production vehicles, to move prototypes into deployed capability.
• Personally draft white papers and OTA responses, lead complex proposal development, architect deal structures, and navigate defense acquisition.
• Own long-term Air Force account strategy, defend renewals, maintain executive relationships, identify use cases, and secure follow-on funding.
• Maintain the commercial relationship while staying close to mission outcomes and customer health; surface risks early in coordination with Engagement Managers, Technical PMs, Engineers, Product, and Customer Success.
• Work with Solutions Engineers and operators to co-design agentic AI workflows and translate mission problems into technical requirements.
• Negotiate with Tier 1 systems integrators and primes, including subcontracting and teaming agreements, to position Scale as the agentic AI engine within larger programs.
• Coordinate with Capture and peer Account Executives, deconflicting before engaging accounts owned by a peer.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health coverage
• Dental coverage
• Vision coverage
• Retirement benefits
• Learning and development stipend
• Generous paid time off
• Equity-based compensation for eligible roles, subject to Board of Director approval
• Potential commuter stipend

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior