Director, Aviation Market Strategy & Growth

Front Door Defense

Washington (District of Columbia)

On-site

USD 200,000 - 220,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Equity grants

Excellent benefits

Job summary

Merlin Labs, based in Washington, DC, seeks a Director of Market Strategy to lead growth initiatives across defense and commercial aviation. You will evaluate markets, analyze opportunities, and present strategic options to senior leadership.

Responsibilities include building business cases, aligning with Business Development, Engineering, and Programs, and tracking evolving market assumptions. This role requires rigorous research, clear communication, and an ability to drive decisions in a

Qualifications

7+ years in market strategy or defense market analysis.
Experience researching complex government or regulated markets.
Ability to assess opportunities beyond headline market size.
Strong analytical judgment with actionable options.
Clear writing and presentation skills for senior leaders.
Ability to work credibly with technical, program, and commercial teams.

Responsibilities

Evaluate new markets, customers, and mission opportunities across gov and commercial aviation.
Research customer needs, budgets, policy developments, and procurement pathways.
Develop and compare strategic options including market size and investment.
Build concise recommendations and business cases with assumptions and open questions.
Run cadence for opportunity reviews and drive decisions to resolution.
Work with BD, Engineering, and Programs to test fit with capabilities.
Track assumptions behind major strategic decisions and update as needed.