VP of Marketing

Zeno Power•Seattle, WA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Zeno Power is the leading developer of nuclear batteries – compact power systems that provide reliable, clean energy in frontier environments. By harnessing the heat from radioisotopes, Zeno’s batteries power critical missions on Earth, in space, and at sea. The company aims to bring this technology to market by 2027 and is seeking purpose-driven and innovative professionals comfortable in a startup environment. Team members will directly impact commercial and national security missions from the depths of our oceans, to the surface of the moon, and in austere environments here on Earth. Zeno Power is building the future of space and deep ocean nuclear power systems, technology that will enable humanity's next giant leap. As the company continues to scale in an increasingly competitive nuclear startup landscape, they need a brand leader who can build a world-class marketing function from strong fundamentals. This role involves translating complex hardware into compelling narratives, building credibility across defense and commercial audiences, and creating marketing infrastructure that evolves as the company grows. This is a rare opportunity to shape the public identity of a company working on technology that will power exploration of the deep sea and the solar system. The ideal candidate has built brands, led teams, and driven growth at hardware companies operating in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.

Requirements

10+ years of marketing and communications experience.
3–5+ years building brand strategy from the ground up at early-stage or high-growth companies.
Deep experience with hardware companies, including the unique challenges of marketing physical products with long development cycles.
Senior-level strategic thinking with a track record of measurable brand-building success.
Demonstrated experience translating complex technical concepts into compelling narratives for diverse audiences.
Proven track record of building, motivating, and developing high-performing teams.

Nice To Haves

Creative fearlessness — you've launched campaigns that made people talk, whether through humor, audacity, or emotional resonance.
Comfort with ambiguity and scrappiness — you can build something from nothing with limited resources.
Understanding of defense, aerospace, or deep tech ecosystems.
Native fluency in social media dynamics, particularly X culture.
Executive presence and coaching ability — you can work effectively with founders and C-suite leaders.
Genuine passion for the mission — accelerating humanity's expansion into new frontiers, from the seabed to the lunar surface.
Experience working with technical founders or scientists.
Background in community building or grassroots movement creation.
Track record of securing earned media in top-tier outlets.
Video production or content creation skills.
Experience in highly regulated or sensitive industries.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute comprehensive brand strategy that positions Zeno as the category leader in nuclear batteries
Define and evolve Zeno’s brand identity, voice, and narrative across all channels
Translate complex nuclear technology into clear, compelling storytelling
Develop and implement an integrated marketing strategy across PR, content, digital, events, and partnerships
Launch bold, unconventional marketing campaigns that generate organic attention and conversation
Lead product launches, major announcements, and partnership reveals that drive awareness, engagement, and qualified demand
Create the systems and processes required to scale marketing as the company grows
Develop go-to-market strategies for Zeno's nuclear batteries, ensuring tight alignment between the engineering, business development, and marketing teams
Translate highly technical engineering capabilities into compelling, accessible value propositions for investors, commercial customers, and government partners
Build the sales enablement toolkit—creating the high-impact decks, one-pagers and product positioning needed to close massive deals
Turn technical progress into high-quality content — across web, social, media, and long-form
Develop messaging frameworks and talking points that make complex technology accessible
Maintain message discipline across all external communications
Build Zeno’s presence in key industry, policy, and media conversations
Partner with CEO Tyler Bernstein to build his executive platform and thought leadership presence
Prepare executives for high-impact speaking and media opportunities
Mentor and grow a high-performing marketing team
Manage agencies and external partners
Set a high bar for execution, speed, and craft