Director of Business Development

Socket.dev; Huntsville (TN); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with company match

Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)

Comprehensive health insurance

Paid leave and disability

Job summary

CFD Research in Huntsville, AL is seeking a Director of Business Development to drive government and commercial opportunities across defense, aerospace, energy, and biomedical markets. You will shape proposals, manage external collaborations, and lead the internal capture team to win high-value contracts.

The role requires a strong network in government labs and industry, experience with DoD contracting, and the ability to communicate complex technologies clearly.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Physical Sciences, or Business (Advanced degree preferred).
• 8+ years of proven business development and customer-facing experience in defense, aerospace, or advanced technology sectors.
• Ability to learn quickly and understand CFD Research portfolio and communicate capabilities to customers.
• Proven ability to win work and develop customer relationships.
• Strong existing network of contacts within Government research labs, PEOs, or industry prime contractors.
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills.
• Candidate must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DoD Secret (or top Secret) clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead customer engagement strategies during pre-RFP phases to influence requirements and maximize win probability (Pwin).
• Orchestrate external strategy for major proposal efforts, ensuring customer insights and value propositions are integrated into volumes.
• Lead the internal Proposal Development Team and guide on pipeline metrics.

Job description

About CFD Research: Since its inception in 1987, CFD Research has delivered innovative technology solutions within the Aerospace & Defense, Biomedical & Life Sciences, Intelligence & Sensing, and Energy & Materials industries. CFD Research has earned multiple national awards for successful application and commercialization of innovative component/system technology prototypes, multi-physics simulation software, multi-disciplinary analyses, and expert support services. Based in Huntsville, Alabama where laboratory facilities and headquarters are located, CFD Research also has office and laboratory facilities in Dayton, Ohio, prototyping test and evaluation facilities in Hollywood, Alabama, and office facilities in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. CFD Research is an ISO9001:AS9100D registered company and is appraised at CMMI Level II for Services. CFD Research is a 100% ESOP (employee-owned company) recognized in Inc. Magazine's Inc5000 as a top growing company for four of the last five years. Learn more at www.cfd-research.com

CFD Research is looking to hire a full-time Director of Business Development to provide broad support to pursue CFD Research business opportunities. This role will support business development across all five of CFD Research’s divisions. The person who fills this role will participate in corporate capture activities including developing customer relationships, shaping opportunities, managing opportunities within the corporate pipeline, and managing the proposal process. The ideal candidate will have excellent communication skills, experience with Government Contracting and FAR regulations, and sufficient technical expertise to understand new technologies and present them to potential new customers. Below are more details on some of the key expectations for this role.

Customer Relationship and Market Knowledge

• Act as the primary external liaison to build, expand, and maintain high-trust relationships with key stakeholders across Government agencies (DoD, DIA, NASA, DHHS) and industry partners.
• Actively shape the market by interfacing directly with prospective clients to identify emerging operational gaps and align CFD Research’s technological capabilities with incoming requirements.
• Represent CFD Research at industry conferences, agency symposiums, customer visits, and technical workshops to enhance brand visibility and establish strategic partnerships.
• Gather customer intelligence and feedback to inform market positioning and identify white-space opportunities for collaborative R&D and commercialization.

Opportunity Identification and Pipeline Growth

• Lead proactive identification, qualification, and strategic shaping of new business opportunities across defense, intelligence, energy, and biomedical markets.
• Build and maintain a robust, multi-year pipeline of Government and commercial opportunities aligned with core technical competencies.
• Map customer missions and pain points to CFD Research's advanced modeling, simulation, and experimental capabilities to deliver high-value solution concepts.

External Collaboration and Teaming

• Identify, negotiate, and establish strategic teaming agreements, subcontracts, and joint ventures with prime contractors, mid-tier partners, and research institutions.
• Serve as the principal point of contact for external collaborators to build competitive proposal teams and foster long-term joint technology initiatives.

Proposal Shaping and Capture

• Lead customer engagement strategies during pre-RFP phases to influence requirements and maximize win probability (Pwin).
• Orchestrate external strategy for major proposal efforts, ensuring customer insights and value propositions are effectively integrated into technical and management volumes.

Lead the CFD Business Development Team

• Provide leadership for the internal proposal development team including guidance on pipeline metrics and management.
• Serve as a resource for divisional capture activities and captures managers throughout the company

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Physical Sciences, or Business (Advanced degree preferred) with 8+ years of proven business development and customer-facing experience in defense, aerospace, or advanced technology sectors.
• Ability to learn quickly and understand CFD Research portfolio including the ability to communicate CFD Research capabilities to customers and partners
• Proven ability to win work and develop customer relationships
• Strong existing network of contacts within Government research labs, PEOs, or industry prime contractors.
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills
• Candidate must be a U.S. Citizen
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DoD Secret (or top Secret) clearance.
• Location: Our preference is for this role to be based at CFD Research Corporate headquarters, in the Huntsville, AL area, and 100% onsite. Other locations can be considered for the right candidate. There will be occasional travel required for conferences, customer visits, and to other CFD Research sites.

Location:

Location: This role is based in the Huntsville, ALarea, and is 100% onsite.

Benefits: CFD Research offers competitive salaries and excellent employee benefits, including an employer matching 401(k) and Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). CFD Research offers our Full-Time, permanent employee-owners a highly competitive insurance package, including medical, vision, and dental insurance. Additionally, we offer company paid leave, compensation time, parental leave, long-term and short-term disability, accidental death and dismemberment, and life insurance. Part-Time and Temporary employee-owners may receive partial or reduced benefits and leave time based on their employment status level. Performance appraisals occur twice a year and annual pay increases are based upon corporate goals, personal development, performance, and outstanding achievements. In addition, group and individual bonuses are awarded for exceptional performance.

CFD Research is an EO employer - Veterans/Disabled and other protected categories