Business Development Systems & AI Specialist (Aerospace and Defense)
Remote · Travel up to 50% to sites in TX, AZ, MD, and ID · Full Time, Exempt
About the Company
A growing defense and aerospace manufacturer headquartered in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, with manufacturing, coating, and integration sites across Texas, Arizona, Maryland, and Idaho. The company builds specialized metal parts, containers, and integrated systems for the major defense primes, and runs a quick-turn special projects group for programs that move on short timelines.
It's a lean, fast-moving business development organization. People here wear more than one hat, and the tools and processes are being built from the ground up rather than inherited.
Position Summary
The Business Development Systems & AI Specialist owns the company's internally built business intelligence and capture-management platform, along with the other AI-enabled applications the BD team relies on. The platform tracks capture packages through a gated review process, routes approvals based on deal size and contract type, and automatically generates the slide decks used in recurring gate reviews. It was built with AI-assisted development tools and now runs in a secure on-premises environment that supports CUI.
You’ll be the business-side owner of that platform. That means working with BD leadership, Capture Managers, and Proposal Managers to figure out what they need, building and testing prototypes using AI-assisted platforms like Replit, and working with the Chief AI Engineer to move approved solutions into the secure environment. The goal is practical: tools that save time, improve compliance, and help leadership make better pursuit decisions.
Secondary duties include proposal development support, estimating support, CRM data governance, and administering the team's AI-enabled proposal software. Traditional programming experience is not required, but hands‑on experience with AI-assisted development and building prototypes on your own is a strong plus.
Key Responsibilities
BI Platform Ownership & AI-Assisted Development
- Serve as the primary administrator and functional owner of the company's internally developed business intelligence platform and related BD applications.
- Use Replit and comparable AI-assisted development platforms to create, modify, and improve working application prototypes.
- Develop and refine prototypes through natural-language prompting, iterative testing, and AI-assisted development (often called "vibe coding").
- Work directly with BD leadership, Capture Managers, Proposal Managers, and end users to identify requirements and opportunities for technology-enabled improvement.
- Translate business processes, operational challenges, and user feedback into practical features, workflows, and enhancements.
- Coordinate with the Chief AI Engineer to transition approved prototypes into the company's secure internal server environment.
- Conduct functional testing and user acceptance testing with the Chief AI Engineer before applications or enhancements go into everyday use.
- Support ongoing improvements to the platform, including capture management, strategic accounts, opportunity tracking, past performance, reporting, and executive dashboards.
- Identify and troubleshoot functional issues, document errors, and coordinate technical fixes.
- Maintain application documentation, user instructions, enhancement requests, and development priorities.
- Coordinate user onboarding, training, and ongoing support for internally developed applications.
- Gather and evaluate end-user feedback to drive continuous improvement.
- Find opportunities to automate repetitive tasks, improve data access, simplify workflows, and reduce administrative burden.
- Support the integration and use of approved AI capabilities across BD operations.
Proposal AI Software & BD Systems
- Support administration and use of the company's AI-enabled proposal development and CRM platform (GovDash).
- Help users with AI-assisted solicitation analysis, proposal development workflows, content management, and compliance review.
- Maintain reusable proposal content, knowledge libraries, and application workflows.
- Support CRM data quality, reporting, and consistency across authorized BD platforms.
- Coordinate system issues, enhancement requests, and user support with the right technical resources.
- Identify ways to improve proposal development and capture processes through automation and AI-enabled tools.
- Support Proposal Managers during solicitation reviews, proposal development, and submission.
- Help prepare compliance matrices, proposal outlines, schedules, and supporting documentation.
- Support smaller proposal efforts and RFIs as assigned.
- Assist with industrial quotation coordination and estimating support when needed.
- Provide backup support to proposal teams during periods of heavy workload.
Qualifications
Required
- Minimum two years of experience in business operations, business development, process improvement, systems administration, or a related field.
- Familiarity with AI-assisted development platforms such as Replit, and an understanding of how natural-language prompting can be used to build or modify working applications.
- Demonstrated ability to understand business processes, spot inefficiencies, and turn requirements into practical solutions.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to evaluate how an application works and where it can be improved.
- Experience with business applications, CRM systems, reporting tools, or comparable enterprise platforms.
- Ability to work effectively with technical staff while communicating business requirements and functional expectations.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities independently and collaborate with cross-functional teams.
Preferred
- At least one year of hands‑on experience using Replit or similar AI-assisted platforms to build working applications or prototypes.
- Experience using "vibe coding" methods to develop or enhance business applications without traditional programming.
- Experience identifying and implementing business process automation.
- Familiarity with generative AI tools, prompt engineering, and AI-enabled business workflows.
- Experience with BI dashboards, reporting platforms, or capture management systems.
- Experience gathering user requirements, building prototypes, and running functional testing.
- Experience supporting user training, application adoption, and continuous improvement efforts.
- Background in aerospace, defense, government contracting, or federal business development.
- Understanding of proposal development, capture management, or government solicitation processes.
- Experience administering AI-enabled proposal management or content platforms. GovDash experience is a plus.