Head of Federal

Austin Sensing Company•Austin, TX

About The Position

Austin Sensing Company builds radar, acoustic, and RF sensors for defense, public safety, critical infrastructure, and autonomous systems. The company designs and manufactures its hardware in Austin, Texas. The Head of Federal leads defense sales in the United States and internationally. This hands-on sales leadership role owns the defense pipeline, builds relationships with military customers, and turns operational interest into funded programs and signed contracts. The role works directly with the founders, engineers, and deployment engineers to present and demonstrate products, advance opportunities through procurement, and oversee pursuits from the initial conversation through contract award and expansion. Domestic and international travel is required.

Requirements

At least 7 years of relevant experience in defense sales, business development, or capture, with direct responsibility for winning business.
A record of closing defense contracts and growing customer accounts.
Strong knowledge of U.S. defense procurement, funding cycles, and acquisition processes.
Experience selling internationally to allied defense customers or working with partners to pursue those opportunities.
Established relationships with military operators, acquisition professionals, or defense industry partners.
Ability to distinguish customer interest from a funded opportunity and develop a realistic plan to close.
Experience selling technical hardware or systems and working closely with engineering teams.
Strong negotiation skills and clear communication.
Willingness to travel frequently within the United States and overseas for customer meetings, demonstrations, and field evaluations.

Nice To Haves

Experience selling radar, sensing systems, counter-UAS technology, or related defense products.
Experience taking a product from an initial military evaluation to repeat orders or a larger program.
Familiarity with both direct commercial sales and government-to-government pathways for international defense purchases.
Experience working with prime contractors and integrating products into larger defense systems.
Experience building a defense sales function at an early-stage company.

Responsibilities

Own defense sales strategy and pipeline across U.S. and international markets.
Build relationships with military units, program offices, acquisition teams, and allied defense customers.
Identify operational needs that the company's radar, acoustic, and RF sensors can address and determine whether there is a credible path to funding.
Develop account and capture plans covering decision-makers, requirements, budgets, procurement routes, and next steps.
Lead customer conversations, product presentations, proposals, negotiations, and contract pursuits.
Work with deployment engineers to plan demonstrations and evaluations at military bases, training sites, and customer locations.
Convert successful evaluations into purchases, follow-on orders, and broader adoption.
Develop relationships with prime contractors, integrators, and international partners to reach customers and win business.
Bring customer requirements and field feedback to engineering and help prioritize product improvements.
Coordinate with counsel and internal teams on export requirements and international sales.
Build and lead the defense sales team as the business grows.