Aerial Combat Strategy Director (DoD Autonomy)

Decisive Point; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401k retirement benefits

Paid time off

Wellness stipend

Job summary

Applied Intuition is seeking a Mission Director for Aerial Combat to lead strategic opportunities in the drone stack campaign. You will engage senior government stakeholders, shape requirements, and position Applied Intuition as the autonomy software provider of choice for group 1-3 unmanned aerial systems.

Reporting to the Head of Growth, you will operate as a senior executive with deep domain knowledge, navigating DoD programs and budget cycles, and translating warfighter needs into actionable

Qualifications

• 15–25 years of experience in or around DoD aerial combat operations and acquisition.
• Executive-level knowledge of PPBE cycle, POM process, and congressional funding dynamics.
• Warm relationships within US Air Force PEO ISR SOF, NAVAIR, SOCOM, or Army PM UAS.

Responsibilities

• Cultivate senior-level trust-based relationships with DoD program offices and CTO offices.
• Shape opportunities 12–18 months in advance by influencing requirements and program structures.
• Lead strategic customer discovery across budgets and political dynamics in aerial combat.
• Translate warfighter problems into technology requirements that drive program shaping.
• Maintain backchannel sources and establish escalation paths for strategic deals.
• Collaborate with Account Executives and Engineers to convert shaping into pipelines.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Executive stakeholder engagement

DoD acquisition knowledge

Security clearance

Job description

Applied Intuition is seeking a Mission Director for Aerial Combat to lead strategic opportunities in the drone stack campaign. You will engage senior government stakeholders, shape requirements, and position Applied Intuition as the autonomy software provider of choice for group 1-3 unmanned aerial systems.

Reporting to the Head of Growth, you will operate as a senior executive with deep domain knowledge, navigating DoD programs and budget cycles, and translating warfighter needs into actionable