Director, Defense

Arc; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 230,000 - 310,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

Parental leave

Generous time off

Life and disability insurance

Retirement savings

Water fund

Professional development

PPE safety reimbursement

Captain training

Office lunches

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Arc, headquartered in Los Angeles, is seeking a Director of Defense to stand up its Defense organization. You will own strategy, team, and external presence to position Arc with the U.S. military and allies, shaping defense engagements across programs for the next decade.

This on-site role reports to the CTO, requires building a team, and partnering with engineering, product, and operations to translate warfighter needs into the product roadmap, while navigating ITAR and compliance requirements.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in defense/aerospace/maritime hardware with 4+ years leading teams.
• Proven track record in defense programs including capture leadership on programs of record or OTAs.
• Existing relationships across Navy/USMC/USCG/SOCOM and primes.
• Deep knowledge of defense acquisition and procurement pathways from SBIR to programs of record.
• Executive presence to represent Arc to flag officers and officials.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity and building a function from zero.
• Bachelor's degree; MBA/advanced technical degree or military background a plus.
• U.S. Person for ITAR compliance; export controls knowledge.
• Willingness to travel 30-40% including DC, Norfolk, San Diego.

Responsibilities

• Define and own Arc's Defense strategy across service branches with a multi-year roadmap.
• Build, hire, and lead the Defense organization including sales, BD, and TPM.
• Establish operating cadence, forecasting, and pipeline discipline for defense business.
• Serve as Arc's external face to DoD, service branches, primes, and allies.
• Lead capture strategy and execution for priority defense pursuits.
• Map programs and contract vehicles to Arc's powertrain capabilities.
• Partner with Engineering, Product, and Operations to translate warfighter needs.
• Guide company strategy with market intelligence and industry forums.
• Establish ITAR/compliance infrastructure for scaling defense business.

Skills

Defense leadership

Team leadership

Executive presence

Strategic planning

Government relations

Procurement knowledge

Export controls ITAR

Travel flexibility

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA or advanced degree

Military service background

Job description

What we're building

The marine industry supports recreation, global commerce, and national defense. And yet it runs on technology that hasn't meaningfully changed in fifty years. Until now.

Arc is on a mission to electrify the marine industry. We're rethinking powertrains, software, and vessel designs from first principles. And we're already executing. We started with consumer to develop and harden our core technology. We're now scaling production of our flagship model with new models and sectors on the horizon. Now we're extending our platform to commercial applications, starting with tugs, ferries, and defense, with years worth of signed contracts and a pipeline that spans every vessel type on the water.

The technology is proven, the momentum is building, and the opportunity is enormous. The marine industry is going electric and Arc is building the platform that powers it.

Who we're looking for

We're looking for a builder who's fired up by our mission and ready to stand up Arc's Defense organization from the ground up. As Director of Defense, you'll own the strategy, team, and external presence that establish Arc as a serious partner to the U.S. military, allied governments, and the defense industrial base. This is a high-visibility role where you'll shape how electric marine propulsion shows up across defense and unmanned maritime programs for the next decade.

This is a full-time, on-site role at our Los Angeles headquarters, reporting to our CTO. You'll build and lead a team, working closely with a lean, high-trust company where everyone's work matters.

What You'll Do

• Defining and owning Arc's Defense strategy across all service branches and adjacent government entities, with a clear multi-year roadmap tied to company objectives
• Building, hiring, and leading the Defense organization, including sales, business development, and technical program management
• Establishing the operating cadence, forecasting, and pipeline discipline for a durable defense business
• Serving as Arc's external face to the DoD, service branches, primes, and allied partners, building the executive-level relationships required to win programs of record
• Leading capture strategy and execution for priority pursuits across the full spectrum of defense procurement pathways
• Mapping relevant programs and contract vehicles to Arc's powertrain and power distribution capabilities, including emerging vehicles like Golden Fleet
• Partnering with Engineering, Product, and Operations to translate warfighter needs into the product roadmap
• Guiding company strategy with market intelligence, advisor networks, and a command of the competitive landscape, and represent Arc at industry forums, on the Hill, and with key stakeholders in all services
• Establishing the compliance and infrastructure foundation for a scaling defense business, including ITAR, CMMC, and clearance requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience across defense, aerospace, maritime, or dual-use hardware, with at least 4 years leading and building teams; prior experience standing up or scaling a defense function strongly preferred
• Demonstrated track record of winning and executing significant defense programs, including capture leadership on programs of record, OTAs, or major prime subcontracts
• Established relationships across the Navy, USMC, USCG, SOCOM, or relevant OSD offices, and credibility with the primes and non-traditional players in the maritime and unmanned domains
• Deep fluency in the Defense Industrial Base, defense acquisition, and the full range of procurement pathways from SBIR through programs of record
• Executive presence and communication skills, with the ability to represent Arc credibly to flag officers, senior acquisition officials, prime executives, and Congressional staff
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity, building a function from zero, and balancing near‑term revenue with long‑term positioning
• Bachelor's degree required; MBA, advanced technical degree, or military service background a plus
• This position may require access to export‑controlled information. To comply with U.S. export control laws, applicants must be a U.S. Person as defined by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) (22 CFR 120.15).
• Ability to travel 30–40%, including to D.C., Norfolk, San Diego, and other fleet concentration areas

Bonus Qualifications

• Experience working at an emerging technology defense contractor
• Experience in strategy consulting
• Experience in the maritime industry or with a government agency dealing with the marine domain
• Direct experience engaging with government program offices (e.g., PEO USC, PMS 406, NAVSEA)
• Familiarity with autonomy, robotics, and maritime systems
• Enthusiasm for boating and clean energy

What we offer

We don't think great work happens by accident. We invest in the people building Arc — because when you're supported, you do your best work.

• Salary: $270,000* + deal based eligibility
• This salary range reflects a California-based position and may be adjusted based on the candidate's geographic location

Additionally, Arc offers top‑tier benefits for full-time employees, including:

• Healthcare benefits — 99% employer‑paid medical, dental, and vision
• Parental leave — 14 weeks fully paid for birthing and non‑birthing parents
• Generous time off — Highly competitive PTO with an opportunity to earn more time with tenure
• Income protection — Life and disability insurance for all employees
• Retirement savings — Traditional and Roth 401(k) access
• Water fund — $500 for you to spend each year to get out on the water, however you choose
• Professional development — $500 annual reimbursement for professional development and a monthly AI stipend
• Safety Support — Annual reimbursement for PPE, ergonomic equipment and anything that ensures we keep our crew safe
• Captain training — Training and access to take Arcboats out with friends and family
• Office perks — Daily lunches, snacks, and good coffee while onsite
• Relocation assistance — Available depending on role eligibility.

At Arc, we encourage diversity and consider all qualified applicants equally for employment, regardless of background, identity, or status. You're always welcome to reach out even if you don't meet many of these qualifications. Passion and aptitude make up for a lot.

Our values

We move with urgency and build with care. We value these five things above all else:

• Ownership over both your work and the company's success
• Empathy for colleagues and for customers
• Humility in problem solving and collaboration
• Pragmatism for navigating ambiguity quickly and sensibly
• Inclusion of different backgrounds, opinions, cultures, and perspectives.

We want people who share and embody these values. It is vital that our values align - we'd be happy to elaborate on any or all of these during the interview process.