Director, Business Development - Air & Strike Warfare

Zone 5 Technologies • Fort Walton Beach, FL

6d • $138,000 - $178,000

About The Position

Zone 5 Technologies is seeking a technically grounded Director of Business Development to lead its precision deep strike weapons business, anchored by the RUSTY DAGGER (AGM-188) product line. The role is intended for a USAF or USN strike warfare professional with operational, test, acquisition, or engineering experience involving air-launched weapons and the ability to discuss engagement envelopes, carriage and release integration, mission planning, kill-chain integration, and program-of-record pathways. Experience employing weapons in combat or large-force exercises is strongly desired.

The Director owns the domestic precision deep strike weapons pursuit portfolio and pipeline, engaging with USAF and USN requirements owners, program offices, operational and test organizations, and government-funded R&D organizations. The Director is the senior technical sales authority and accountable customer-facing representative for this portfolio, using operational and engineering credibility to guide capture strategy and produce accurate, persuasive technical narratives. The position requires sustained coordination across portfolio, engineering, marketing, proposal, and international sales teams.

The Director sets probability-of-win and probability-of-go assessments, recommends bid/no-bid decisions to executive leadership, and leads captures with direction over assigned proposal and technical staff. Within 24 months, the Director is expected to advance at least one RUSTY DAGGER pursuit to a funded program-of-record transition or production contract with the USAF or USN and secure Zone 5 Technologies' participation in at least one service-led affordable-mass or stand-off-strike experimentation campaign. The role also supports international partner-nation engagements and technical positioning of RUSTY DAGGER. Travel of 25–50% is required. The position is eligible for variable performance bonuses in addition to base salary.

Requirements

• Prior USAF or USN service, uniformed or civilian, in a strike warfare role, such as strike, fighter, or bomber aviator; WSO or NFO; WTI, USAFWS, or TOPGUN graduate; TPS graduate or operational/developmental test squadron veteran; or weapons acquisition, test and evaluation, or systems engineering directly tied to air-launched weapons.
• Deep technical understanding of mission effects relevant to USAF and USN audiences, including strategic attack, air interdiction, OCA, SEAD/DEAD, maritime strike and ASuW, CAS, dynamic targeting, and long-range stand-off strike, based on operational and engineering experience rather than solely sales experience.
• Working knowledge of air-launched weapons integration and certification, including MIL-STD-1760, MIL-STD-1553, MIL-STD-3014 UAI, MIL-STD-8591, MIL-STD-1316, MIL-STD-2105, MIL-STD-882, MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-461, MIL-HDBK-244, SEEK EAGLE certification, mission planning, carriage and release constraints, and platform OFP cycles.
• Ability to communicate credibly with engineers, program managers, and operators about system performance, integration, and employment, and to brief general officers, flag officers, and SES audiences.
• Exceptional writing ability, including clear, precise, persuasive technical prose for proposals, white papers, capability statements, and senior-leader correspondence with minimal editing; writing samples will be requested.
• Experience leading or writing technical content for proposals, capture efforts, or government-facing technical documentation.
• Familiarity with OTA, MTA, and traditional FAR and DFARS acquisition pathways.
• Ability to travel 25–50% domestically and internationally to support customer engagement, demonstrations, and industry events.
• Active U.S. Secret clearance required.

Nice To Haves

• Operational experience employing weapons in combat or large-force exercises.
• Top Secret/SCI clearance.
• Direct engineering, test, or operational experience with air-launched precision strike effectors such as JASSM/LRASM, JSOW, Harpoon/SLAM-ER, JDAM/JDAM-ER, StormBreaker, Hellfire/JAGM, HACM, ARRW, or extended-range loitering munition and one-way attack systems.
• Graduate of USAFWS, TOPGUN, the Strike Fighter Weapons and Tactics program, MAWTS-1 WTI, USAF TPS, USN TPS, or the U.S. Army Experimental Test Pilot program.
• Prior experience engaging government-funded R&D organizations, service laboratories, FFRDCs, or UARCs on emerging weapons requirements.
• Experience supporting international or FMS engagements alongside a business development team.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, systems, or physical science; advanced degree is a plus.
• Previous employment with DIU or DARPA.
• Previous employment in USAF operational flying, operational test, developmental test, or rapid acquisition organizations, including the 53rd Wing, 96th Test Wing/AFTC, AFOTEC, AFRCO, AATC, AFRL/RW, AFLCMC/EB, USAFWS, or Big Safari.
• Previous employment in USN operational strike fighter, carrier air wing, naval aviation test, tactics, or acquisition organizations, including NAWDC, TOPGUN, NAWCWD, NAWCAD, VX-9, VX-23, VX-31, COMOPTEVFOR, PMA-201, PMA-242, PMA-280, or OPNAV N98/N96.
• USSOCOM SOF AT&L, PEO Fixed Wing, or AFSOC weapons and tactics experience.

Responsibilities

• Own the precision deep strike weapons opportunity pipeline and set probability-of-win and probability-of-go assessments, pursuit priorities, capture strategies, and bid/no-bid recommendations.
• Serve as the subject matter expert on air-launched precision deep strike weapons and translate RUSTY DAGGER capabilities into terms relevant to service requirements, concepts of operations, tactics, platforms, and program-of-record pathways.
• Engage USAF requirements, acquisition, test, operational, and research stakeholders, including relevant commands, program offices, laboratories, test organizations, and operational units.
• Engage USN requirements, acquisition, test, and operational stakeholders, including OPNAV, NAVAIR, PEO and PMA offices, warfare centers, test squadrons, and operational test organizations.
• Engage USMC aviation and joint stakeholders, USSOCOM, DIU, DARPA, service laboratories, FFRDCs, UARCs, and other government-funded R&D organizations to identify requirements and shape opportunities.
• Build and sustain relationships that position Zone 5 Technologies as a credible partner to operational, technical, and program stakeholders.
• Track and interpret adversary threats, doctrine, force design, and acquisition strategies related to long-range and stand-off strike, affordable mass, and munitions industrial base priorities.
• Provide senior technical sales expertise to international business development, supporting partner-nation engagements involving LOR, RFP, and integration discussions, including unique concepts of operations or non-U.S. launch platforms.
• Tailor RUSTY DAGGER technical positioning to partner-nation air force and naval aviation requirements, threat environments, and export considerations.
• Lead technical volume development, proposal win themes, and discriminator articulation across domestic and international pursuits.
• Lead capture efforts and direct proposal writers and technical contributors to ensure technical accuracy, credibility, and consistency in proposals, white papers, RFIs, and RFP responses.
• Lead technical exchange meetings, capability briefings, and government demonstrations, including captive-carry, separation, and live-fire events.
• Coordinate with portfolio and engineering leadership to align business development activity with product maturity, roadmap, and technical constraints.
• Partner with marketing to develop technically accurate capability collateral, briefing materials, and messaging for air and strike warfare audiences.
• Coordinate with international sales leadership to align technical engagement strategy with country-level pursuit plans and export posture.
• Advance at least one RUSTY DAGGER pursuit to a funded program-of-record transition or production contract with the USAF or USN within 24 months.
• Secure Zone 5 Technologies participation in at least one service-led affordable-mass or stand-off-strike experimentation campaign within 24 months.

Benefits

• Competitive total compensation package.
• Comprehensive benefit package options, including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Three weeks of paid time off each year.
• 40 hours of sick time.
• 12 annual company holidays.
• Opportunities for professional development and career advancement.
• Eligible for variable performance bonuses in addition to base salary.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed