Director, Business Development - Space & Defense

Northstar Earth and Space • McLean, VA

15h • Hybrid

About The Position

NorthStar is seeking an entrepreneurial leader to directly build, shape, and commercialize advanced Space
Domain Awareness (SDA) services and capabilities suited for U.S. government customers, with a focus on
the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community.
This is a hands‑on business development role that demands direct engagement and participation in the heavy
lifting of shaping and closing new business. You will have prior experience with target customers, be able to
identify mission pain points, develop solution concepts, write and shape proposals, and deliver technically
credible pitches to operators, engineers, and acquisition professionals.

The position is ideal for a candidate with systems engineering or technical program roots who has moved into
customer‑facing roles and is motivated by solving problems that are not yet easily solvable, including the
commercialization of near‑real‑time SDA capabilities.

You carry direct responsibility for commercialization outcomes, including pipeline development and new
business awards, while working closely with internal engineering, product, and R&D teams.

Requirements

• Background in systems engineering, space systems, mission operations, or technical program leadership, with subsequent experience in customer‑facing or commercialization roles.
• Demonstrated ability to directly communicate complex technical concepts to U.S. government customers.
• Experience developing solution architectures, CONOPS, or system‑level narratives in response to mission needs.
• Hands‑on experience contributing to proposals, white papers, or technical responses.
• Familiarity with SDA / SSA challenges and limitations, including latency, coverage, and data fusion.
• Understanding of DoD acquisition processes and common contracting vehicles (e.g., FFP, IDIQ, T&M).
• Minimum 10 years' experience in the U.S. space or national security space ecosystem.
• U.S. citizenship; active or eligible TS/SCI clearance.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, astronomy, mathematics, or a related technical field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in orbit dynamics, mission design, and mission operations.
• Established relationships within the DoD, Intelligence Community, or National Security Space ecosystem.
• Experience transitioning capabilities from R&D into operational use.

Responsibilities

• Directly identify, shape, and pursue U.S. government opportunities from early technical discussions through proposal submission and award.
• Conceive, write, co‑author, and directly contribute to proposals, white papers, concept notes, and technical responses.
• Lead technical and operational pitches to government engineers, mission operators, and acquisition teams.
• Engage customers to surface unarticulated or emerging mission pain points, particularly where existing SDA solutions fall short.
• Translate complex mission needs into credible, executable system‑level solution concepts.
• Build early partnerships where required, while remaining personally accountable for opportunity progression and outcomes.
• Represent NorthStar at industry events, government forums, and defense innovation engagements, including targeted technical forums and customer working sessions.
• Lead pipeline growth and capture plans for SDA products, with full accountability for new business awards and strategic market penetration.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (multiple disciplines in engineering, as well as operations, finance, legal).
• Analyze industry trends, competitor activities, and customer needs to inform strategic planning and pipeline prioritization.
• Contribute to technology investment decisions and advocate for Internal Research and Development (IRAD) funding to deliver cutting-edge solutions for emerging customer needs.
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulations, policies, and procedures during the capture process.

Benefits

• NorthStar offers a competitive compensation package, including base salary, performance incentives, comprehensive health benefits, retirement plans, paid time off, and opportunities for professional development. Salary range and benefits are commensurate with experience and market standards.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 1-10 employees