Mission Director - Aerial Combat

Applied Intuition•Arlington, VA

7d•$200,000 - $300,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Mission Director for Aerial Combat serves as the senior relationship and strategic shaping lead for Applied Intuition’s aerial combat portfolio, with particular focus on our Drone Stack campaign. Reporting to the Head of Growth, you will be responsible for identifying and shaping strategic opportunities within aerial combat mission areas, building deep credibility with senior government stakeholders, and positioning Applied Intuition as the autonomy software provider of choice for group 1-3 unmanned aerial systems. You will operate as an executive-level expert who understands the problem set, the capability gaps, and the decision makers across Air Force, Army, Combatant Commands, and SOCOM aerial combat portfolios.

Requirements

15–25 years of experience in or around DoD aerial combat operations and acquisition (Military O-5/O-6 with operational aviation background, GS-15/SES in acquisition or requirements, or senior Industry BD/strategic growth leadership)
Executive-level expertise in and knowledge of the PPBE cycle, the POM process, and how to navigate Congressional authorization/appropriation dynamics
Specific, warm relationships within US Air Force PEO ISR SOF, NAVAIR, SOCOM (particularly Defense Autonomous Warfare Group), or US Army PM UAS
Deep understanding of aerial combat capability gaps and force structure challenges and comfort operating at the “white space” stage of programs, identifying opportunities that don’t yet have formal names, budget lines, or acquisition strategies
Active Secret or Top Secret security clearance

Nice To Haves

Prior experience as a Program Manager at DARPA, DIU, AFWERX, Army Applications Lab, or SOFWERX
Deep familiarity with DoD autonomy programs or direct operational experience with group 1-3 unmanned aerial systems in combat or training environments
Track record of successfully positioning commercial technology for government adoption in the autonomy domain

Responsibilities

Cultivate senior-level trust-based relationships with PEOs, Program Managers (O-6+), requirements officers, and CTO offices within US Air Force PEO ISR SOF, NAVAIR, SOCOM (Defense Autonomous Warfare Group), and US Army PM UAS
Shape opportunities 12-18 months in advance by influencing requirements, acquisition strategies, and program structures well before they reach the public domain
Lead strategic customer discovery to understand long-term capability roadmaps, budget trajectories across PPBE cycles, and political dynamics within the aerial combat community
Open doors and build deep credibility as Applied Intuition’s senior voice on aerial combat autonomy, translating operational warfighter problems into technology requirements that drive program shaping
Maintain backchannel sources of information across the aerial combat community and weapons community; and establish senior-level escalation paths when strategic deals encounter political or programmatic obstacles
Make critical ‘pursue vs. walk away’ decisions and partner with Account Executives, Capture Managers, and Engineers to convert strategic shaping into a winning pipeline.