Director, Business Development

Fusion Energy Base; Toronto; On-site; CAD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Equity ownership

Job summary

Daedal Systems in Toronto is seeking a Director of Business Development to own government relations and the commercial strategy. You will secure non-dilutive funding, shape partnerships, lead marketing to fusion clients and investors, and manage regulatory compliance while collaborating closely with the CEO on sales and fundraising.

You will join as the first commercial hire, shaping the company’s global fusion diagnostics business with autonomy and high impact, including building out the

Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to build relationships with diverse stakeholders across government, customers, and partners.
• Ability to operate effectively in a highly technical domain and understand fusion/plasma diagnostics.
• Experience in startup or early-stage environments, with fundraising-adjacent or commercial exposure.

Responsibilities

• Manage government relations and non-dilutive funding initiatives.
• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with public and private sector actors.
• Lead marketing efforts toward fusion companies, investors and policy leaders.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and export controls across programs.
• Oversee technical sales, commercial contracting and fundraising activities.

Skills

Stakeholder relations

Technical domain awareness

Startup experience

Industry network

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering/physics

Job description

About Daedal Systems Daedal Systems is a plasma diagnostic company for the fusion energy industry. Today, every fusion company needs the same R&D plasma diagnostics, but each company builds them themselves in-house, despite them not being core IP. Daedal Systems is building a platform for industrialized plasma diagnostics, which will enable us to deploy suites of plasma diagnostics on fusion devices across the industry. Ultimately, we will provide the operating infrastructure for every fusion power plant. We are seeking talented individuals spanning plasma diagnosticians, engineers and operators to join us in this mission to accelerate fusion energy with industrialized plasma diagnostics. We are building the measurement infrastructure layer upon which fusion will be realized.

The RoleDaedal Systems is looking for a Director, Business Development to be accountable for the company's government relations and commercial strategy. Reporting to the CEO, you will be accountable for non-dilutive funding efforts, strategic partnerships, marketing, and regulatory compliance, while working closely with the CEO on technical sales, commercial contracting, and fundraising efforts.

Areas of Responsibility Government Relations & Non-Dilutive FundingYou will build relationships and secure non-dilutive funding through several vehicles in Canada, including the Centre for Fusion Energy, FedDev, NSERC and others. Strategic PartnershipsMost plasma diagnostic expertise sits in the public sector, while the most advanced machines are now being built in the private sector. PhD/post-doc timelines don't match private, VC-backed timelines. Daedal is the bridge: serving fusion companies on a business model that works for them, while drawing on public-sector partnerships to capture that expertise into the systems we build. You will be responsible for building and maintaining relationships with public sector partners and setting up large-scope collaborations and partnerships. MarketingYou will lead marketing, focused on our core stakeholders: fusion company clients, technical talent, investors and public sector leaders. Regulatory ComplianceDaedal must abide by export control and other regulations. You will lead all regulatory compliance. Technical Sales & Commercial ContractingPlasma diagnostic contracts are complex: they require integration with a client's physical machine, data, and control systems, sometimes throughout the client's own machine design process. Contracts are complex and require careful consideration of risk, milestones, etc. You will support the technical sales process, commercial contracting and customer success. FundraisingYou will support Daedal’s future dilutive fundraising efforts.

Education Bachelor's degree or higher, or equivalent practical experience. A degree in engineering, physics or a related field is preferred.

• Demonstrated ability to build relationships with stakeholders across several domains (e.g. government, customers, public sector partners), set up and execute on large-scope partnerships.
• Ability to operate effectively in a highly technical domain and able get up to speed quickly on fusion and plasma diagnostics.
• Ability to operate independently and build a function from the ground up with minimal supervisory structure, including managing a small team.
• Based in Toronto or willing to relocate—relocation support will be provided.
• Comfortable with domestic and international travel to support government relations, client, and partnership meetings.

• In government relations at the Federal and Provincial level in Canada, ideally regarding deep tech, energy, or defense.
• Negotiating and structuring complex, technical commercial contracts, including milestone-based and risk-sharing payment terms.
• Prior experience in a startup or early-stage deep-tech business, particularly in a fundraising-adjacent or commercial role.
• Existing network within the fusion energy, nuclear, or broader deep-tech and energy investor and policy ecosystem.

What You Can ExpectYou will join as Daedal's first commercial hire, and be accountable for building out the company’s commercial and government relations strategy. This is a high-responsibility, high-autonomy and high-impact role that will shape Daedal’s role in the global fusion industry. You will work closely with the CEO, and eventually manage Daedal’s commercial team.

What We Offer

• Annual Salary Range: 130k-180k CAD
• Compensation range shown is indicative; final salary and total compensation will be tailored to the candidate's experience and fit.
• Significant equity ownership in an early start-up
• Opportunity to build Daedal's commercial and government relations strategy from the ground up.
• Health benefits

Health benefits

Daedal Systems is committed to an accessible and inclusive recruitment process. Accommodation is available upon request for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment, assessment and selection process. Please let us know if you require accommodation, and we will work with you to meet your needs.