Government Ops Lead: Defense & Federal Programs Architect

Pilgrim; United States; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Pilgrim seeks a Government Ops Lead to own engagement with the federal government and turn opportunities into pilots, contracts, and long-term partnerships. You will produce briefs, proposals, and customer materials, meeting operators, acquisition officials, and program leaders with a proactive, self-starter approach.

The role requires travel to military installations and government sites, with a focus on translating mission needs into concrete action across Pilgrim’s products and engineering

Qualifications

• Track record in defense business development, acquisition, or government contracting.
• Operational experience in combat casualty care, tactical medicine, CBRN response, or force protection.
• Working knowledge of DoD or intelligence community acquisition pathways, funding sources, and contracting vehicles.
• Ability to research complex technical and operational topics and turn findings into clear briefs, proposals, and presentations.
• Experience briefing and engaging military operators, acquisition officials, program leaders, or agency decision-makers, adapting the message to their priorities and securing concrete next steps.
• Must be a U.S. Person.

Responsibilities

• Map defense, intelligence, and federal health agencies to understand offices, units, programs, decision-makers, funding sources, contracting vehicles, and acquisition pathways relevant to Pilgrim.
• Build account and capture strategies for priority government customers, including who to engage, what problem to lead with, what funding path to pursue, and what steps are needed to advance the opportunity.
• Drive business development from initial research and outreach through meetings, proposals, pilots, funded programs, and contracts.
• Create briefing decks, diagrams, stakeholder maps, and other visual materials using Figma, PowerPoint, or similar tools.
• Track relevant programs, solicitations, budget activity, policy priorities, agency initiatives, and competitive dynamics.
• Turn customer conversations, mission requirements, and market research into clear recommendations for Pilgrim’s product, engineering, and leadership teams.
• Represent Pilgrim in government meetings, field visits, conferences, exercises, demonstrations, and partner engagements, traveling frequently to military installations, government sites, and operational units.
• Support sensitive or classified government programs where discretion, professionalism, and sound judgment are required.

Skills

Defense BD

Acquisition knowledge

DoD engagement

Briefings & proposals

Government contracting

Operational military experience

U.S. Person

Job description

Pilgrim seeks a Government Ops Lead to own engagement with the federal government and turn opportunities into pilots, contracts, and long-term partnerships. You will produce briefs, proposals, and customer materials, meeting operators, acquisition officials, and program leaders with a proactive, self-starter approach.

The role requires travel to military installations and government sites, with a focus on translating mission needs into concrete action across Pilgrim’s products and engineering