Business Development Associate

etc.; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 28,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Exploration Technology Corp. is seeking a driven Business Development Associate to support growth at our SF HQ. You will bridge technology and strategy, helping identify opportunities, support proposals, and translate complex concepts into compelling business cases for government and commercial customers.

You’ll work at the intersection of hardware and software for DoD missions and NASA programs, coordinating with engineering and leadership to drive pipeline and win strategies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 1–3 years inBusiness Admin, Economics, Political Science, Finance, Intl Relations, or related fields.
• Strong interest and foundational knowledge in aerospace, defense acquisition, market analysis, or startups.
• Self-motivated with a passion for exploration and tech innovation.
• Highly organized with ability to manage several deadlines across proposals, events, and orders.
• Willingness to travel for conferences and customer meetings.
• Experience with project management (Airtable, Linear) or CRM software (Excel pipelines, Hubspot) is a plus.
• Familiarity with technical writing, government solicitations, or financial modeling is desirable.
• Familiarity with export controls (ITAR/EAR) or hardware sales processes (quotes, PO) is a plus.
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and teamwork skills.

Responsibilities

• Proposal Support: Draft, edit, and organize white papers, grants, SBIR/STTR proposals, and RFIs; manage calendars and submissions.
• Customer Discovery: Build relationships with stakeholders; prepare briefing decks and meeting memos.
• CRM and Pipeline Management: Maintain CRM; track leads and deal flow; produce pipeline reports.
• Market Intelligence: Research DoD/NASA priorities, forecasts, and emerging space markets.
• Opportunity Identification: Monitor SAM.gov and SBIR/STTR for funding opportunities.
• Competitive Analysis: Track competitor activities and tech advancements.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work with engineering to translate specs into business language.
• Commercial and Government Sales: Generate leads, run sales calls, attend conferences.
• Flight Hardware Sales: Organize quotes, lead times, NDAs, purchase orders, and delivery updates.
• Conference/Event Coordination: Manage conferences/tradeshows logistics and follow up on leads.

Skills

Aerospace knowledge

Organizational skills

Project management tools

CRM proficiency

Technical writing familiarity

Export controls familiarity

Communication and teamwork

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Airtable

Linear

Hubspot

Excel pipelines

Job description

We design, build, and deliver practical, reliable solutions to empower the next generation of warfighters and explorers to meet the demands of their missions. Exploration Technology Corp. is a technology hardware startup founded in 2024 by a team of techno-optimists, motivated by the challenge of solving tough engineering problems, committed to creating sustainable change, and driven by a curiosity to explore and understand both our world and the universe. For decades, the tools and technologies developed for spaceflight, defense, and exploration have not only helped us expand our understanding of the universe but have also supported human advancement here on Earth. We carry this legacy forward, knowing that innovation in these areas can lead to solutions that help people everywhere.

At etc., we are actively developing cutting-edge exploration and defense missions. If you join the team, you will have the opportunity to work on hardware and software for US Department of Defense missions, NASA programs, and much more.

About the role

• We are seeking a driven and strategic Business Development Associate to support our growth. This role provides a unique opportunity to gain hands‑on experience in the business of aerospace and defense. You will work at the intersection of technology and strategy, helping to identify new opportunities, support proposal efforts, and translate complex technical concepts into compelling business cases.

What you’ll do

• Proposal Support: Assist in the drafting, editing, and organization of white papers, grant proposals, SBIR/STTR proposals, and responses to Requests for Information (RFIs). Help manage proposal calendars, compliance checklists, and submission deadlines.
• Customer Discovery: Support the team in building relationships with key stakeholders by preparing briefing decks and meeting memos.
• CRM and Pipeline Management: Maintain and update the customer relationship management database to track leads and deal flow, and prepare regular pipeline reports and forecasts for leadership.
• Market Intelligence: Conduct deep-dive research into DoD and NASA priorities, solicitation forecasts, and emerging commercial space markets.
• Opportunity Identification: Monitor government solicitation portals (e.g., SAM.gov, SBIR/STTR) to identify funding opportunities that align with etc.’s technical roadmap.
• Competitive Analysis: Track competitor activities and technological advancements to help refine etc.’s value proposition.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with the engineering team to understand technical specifications and translate them into non-technical language for customers and investors.
• Commercial and Government Sales: Generate leads, organize and run sales calls, and attend conferences and events to build relationships with prospective customers and partners.
• Flight Hardware Sales: Help organize sales of flight hardware by coordinating quotes and lead times with engineering, tracking NDAs, purchase orders, and export-control paperwork, and keeping customers updated from order through delivery.
• Conference and Event Coordination: Coordinate and organize etc.’s presence at conferences and trade shows, including registration, booth logistics, travel, collateral, and demo hardware. Book meetings ahead of each event and follow up on leads afterward.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree and 1-3 years of experience in Business Administration, Economics, Political Science, Finance, International Relations, or related fields (engineering students with a strong interest in business strategy are encouraged to apply).
• Strong interest and foundational knowledge in the aerospace industry, defense acquisition, market analysis, or startups.
• Self‑motivated with a passion for exploration and technological innovation.
• Highly organized, with the ability to manage several deadlines at once across proposals, events, and customer orders.
• Willingness to travel for conferences and customer meetings.
• Skills:
• Experience with project management (Airtable, Linear) or CRM software (Excel pipelines, Hubspot) is a plus.
• Familiarity with technical writing, government solicitations, or financial modeling is desirable.
• Familiarity with export controls (ITAR/EAR) or hardware sales processes (quotes, purchase orders) is a plus.
• Excellent problem‑solving, communication, and teamwork skills.

The pay range for this role is:

20-40 USD per hour (SF HQ)

Exploration Technology Corp. is an equal opportunity employer.