Director, Business Development - Space & Defense

NorthStar Earth & Space; Montreal (administrative region); On-site; CAD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

NorthStar Earth & Space is seeking an experienced business development and strategic growth leader with a strong technical background in defence, intelligence, aerospace, space systems or advanced technologies.

You will develop trusted relationships with government, defence, and industry stakeholders to identify emerging needs where advanced SDA services deliver mission value aligned with national priorities.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in the Canadian space or national security space ecosystem.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s in engineering, physics, astronomy, math, or related field.
• Canadian citizenship and TS/SCI clearance.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to customers.
• Experience developing solution architectures or mission narratives.
• Proven proposal development experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop trusted relationships across national and allied defence organizations and industrial partners.
• Engage directly with operators, technical specialists and mission architects to understand priorities.
• Advance customer adoption of NorthStar’s services into operational environments.
• Articulate future operational concepts, mission architectures, and capability roadmaps.
• Collaborate with customers, partners, engineering teams, and senior leadership on market engagement and growth initiatives.

Skills

Systems engineering

Customer engagement

Proposal development

Strategic partnerships

Government procurement

Security clearance

Education

Engineering/Physics/Math degree

Job description

Location: Montreal, QC or Ottawa, ON

Security clearance: Canadian Citizen, Active or prior Top Secret/SCI clearance (or eligible) is preferred.

Position Summary

NorthStar is seeking an experienced business development and strategic growth leader with a strong technical background in defence, intelligence, aerospace, space systems or advanced technologies. This position is responsible for developing trusted relationships with government, defence, and industry stakeholders while helping to identify emerging operational needs and opportunities where advanced commercial space domain awareness (SDA) services can deliver mission value aligned with national government priorities.

What you will do

• Develop trusted relationships across national and allied defence organizations and industrial partners, including DND, CAF, CSA, DRDC, NATO.
• Engage directly with operators, technical specialists and mission architects to understand emerging priorities.
• Advance customer adoption of NorthStar’s services into operational environments.
• Articulate future operational concepts, mission architectures, and capability roadmaps that leverage commercial innovation and guide Internal Research and Development (IRAD).
• Work closely with customers, partners, engineering teams, and senior leadership to support market engagement, opportunity development, strategic partnerships, and long‑term growth initiatives.

Additional Responsibilities

• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams.
• Analyse industry trends and competitor activities to inform strategic planning.
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulations, policies, and procedures.

Important Role Characteristics

• This role is not a large‑team management or staff‑oversight position.
• Success in this role requires personal initiative and execution, including leading proposal development and direct technical customer engagement.
• The role is for an individual who enjoys building new capabilities from first principles and engaging deeply with technical customers.

What you bring to the table

Required Qualifications

• Background in systems engineering, space systems, mission operations, or technical space program leadership, with subsequent experience in customer‑facing or commercialisation roles.
• Demonstrated ability to directly communicate complex technical concepts to customers and partners.
• Experience developing solution architectures, or system‑level narratives in response to mission needs.
• Hands‑on experience contributing to and co‑authoring proposals, white papers, concept notes, or technical responses.
• Understanding government acquisition processes and common contracting vehicles (e.g., FFP, IDIQ, T&M).
• Minimum 10 years' experience in the Canadian space or national security space ecosystem.
• Canadian citizenship; active or eligible TS/SCI clearance.
• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in engineering, physics, astronomy, mathematics, or a related technical field; Advanced degree preferred.
• Motivated by solving hard, real‑world mission problems that lack clean or mature solutions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with SDA
• Experience in orbit dynamics, mission design, and mission operations.
• Established relationships within the IC or National Security Space ecosystem.
• Experience transitioning capabilities from R&D into operational use.

Compensation & Benefits

NorthStar offers a competitive compensation package, including base salary, performance incentives, comprehensive health benefits, retirement plans, paid time off, and opportunities for professional development. Salary range and benefits are commensurate with experience and market standards.

About NorthStar

NorthStar is a global leader in space-based data and analytics, specializing in Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and Space Domain Awareness (SDA) for government and commercial clients. Operating across North America, Europe, and allied markets, NorthStar delivers advanced space surveillance and analytics capabilities that support national security, operational resilience, and the safe and sustainable use of space. With a truly global footprint, NorthStar delivers first-in‑class space surveillance capabilities, validated by leading defense agencies such as DARPA, and directly supporting the security, resilience, and sustainability objectives of NATO, the US, Canada, the EU, and allied partners.

NorthStar is an equal opportunity employer. We provide equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment and do not and will not discriminate against employees or applicants on the basis of any category protected under local, state or federal law.