- Job title
- Head of Government Business Development
- Job location
- El Segundo, CA
- Job description
- ## About the Role
General Astronautics is building autonomous dexterous robotic arms for orbital inspection, repair, and assembly. Our systems enable spacecraft to autonomously manipulate, replace, and upgrade hardware in microgravity, without astronaut intervention.
We're looking for a Head of Government Business Development to lead our government business as we scale our orbital robotic fleet. This role encompasses developing relationships across the Department of Defense and other federal agencies, identifying and shaping opportunities, and driving contracts from initial engagement through award.
This is a high-ownership, high-accountability role. You will work directly with the founders and engineering team to translate our technical capabilities into funded government programs. You will own the government business development pipeline and build the relationships, proposals, and processes that turn early customer interest into contracts. The programs you win will help put robots in space.
## Responsibilities
- Lead government business development across the Department of Defense, NASA, and other federal agencies
- Build relationships with government customers, program offices, contracting officers, and industry partners
- Identify customer needs and shape opportunities that align with our robotic capabilities and deployment plans
- Own the government pipeline, including opportunity qualification, capture strategy, bid/no-bid decisions, and forecasting
- Lead proposals and solicitation responses from initial customer engagement through submission, negotiation, and award
- Work with engineering to translate technical capabilities into clear proposals, statements of work, milestones, and budgets
- Pursue opportunities through SBIR/STTR programs, Other Transactions, BAAs, RFPs, and other federal acquisition pathways
- Develop teaming and partnership strategies with defense primes, neo-primes, and other aerospace companies
- Build the proposal templates, tracking systems, and processes needed to manage multiple pursuits as the company grows
## Basic Qualifications
- 5+ years of experience in government business development, capture, or federal acquisition in aerospace, defense, or a related technical field
- Demonstrated experience leading government pursuits from initial customer engagement through proposal submission and contract award
- Strong understanding of defense procurement, federal acquisition processes, and government funding pathways
- Ability to connect emerging technical capabilities to customer requirements, mission needs, and funded programs
- Strong writing and communication skills, with experience developing proposals alongside technical teams
- Experience working directly with government customers, program offices, and contracting officers
- Demonstrated ability to take ownership of complex pursuits and manage multiple opportunities and deadlines
## Preferred Skills and Experience
- Government business development experience at a defense prime or neo-prime
- Experience with U.S. Space Force, U.S. Air Force, NASA, DARPA, DIU, AFWERX, or SpaceWERX programs
- Experience transitioning early research or prototype efforts into larger development or operational programs
- Familiarity with FAR/DFARS requirements, contract negotiation, and government cost and pricing proposals
- Experience building a business development or capture function at an early-stage company
- Prior service in the U.S. Air Force or U.S. Space Force
- An active U.S. security clearance
## ITAR / Citizenship Requirements
- Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or eligible for authorization under U.S. export regulations.
