Market Development Specialist- AI and Incubation Team

Aptiv; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Flexible time off

401k plan

Paid holidays

Job summary

Wind River seeks a Market Development Specialist to drive EDGE AI adoption across multiple verticals and build Wind River’s new AI incubator business with Aptiv as the parent company. You will identify opportunities, lead capture efforts, and coordinate with product, legal, contracts, and finance to craft compelling proposals.

Travel is required as you build strategic partnerships, develop market strategies, and engage with senior leadership to guide the business from inception through contracts

Qualifications

• 12+ years in business development, capture management, or high-tech software sales.
• Bachelor’s in business, engineering, or related; MBA preferred.
• Ability to identify opportunities, manage partnerships, and craft client-focused solutions.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and leadership across levels.

Responsibilities

• Identify and pursue new business opportunities and strategic partnerships for EDGE AI adoption across multiple verticals.
• Develop and execute market growth strategies aligned with customer needs and Wind River capabilities.
• Lead capture efforts, proposal development, pricing strategy, and risk management.
• Coordinate with product, legal, contracts, finance to ensure timely capture execution.
• Create compelling, compliant proposals with cross-functional input and client-focused value.
• Build relationships with clients and industry partners; attend events to generate leads.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Negotiation

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Market analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business/engineering

MBA preferred

Tools

RTOS

Linux

Simulation tools

Development tools

Middleware

Job description

Market Development Specialist - AI and Incubation Team

ABOUT WIND RIVER

Wind River is a global leader in delivering software for mission-critical intelligent systems. For more than four decades, the company has been an innovator and pioneer, powering billions of systems that require the highest levels of security, safety, and reliability. The company has received industry recognition for its technology innovation and leadership, and for its workplace culture, including global Great Place to Work certification and being named a \"Top Workplace\" for ten consecutive years.

Wind River helps customers across automotive, aerospace, defense, industrial, medical, and telecommunications industries solve complex technology challenges on their journey toward the new intelligent machine economy. The company's software powers generation after generation of the safest, most secure systems in the world. Examples include playing a key role in NASA space missions such as Artemis I, the James Webb Space Telescope, and multiple Mars rovers. We've achieved recent 5G milestones including the world's first successful 5G data session with Verizon and building one of the largest Open RAN networks in the world with Vodafone.

Wind River is looking for top talent to discover, create vision and build our next generation of products within its AI and Incubation team. We have a strong foundation of products within the embedded and cloud software space to build on and take to the next level of technology with AI at the EDGE. This is your chance to get in on the ground floor of that journey and to build a business within Wind River and Aptiv (our parent company). If you want to be part of a unique culture where the lived experience is based on our cultural attributes of growth mindset, customer-focus, and respect for individuals, come join us and help advance the future software defined world.

YOUR ROLE

Wind River seeks an outstanding Market Development Specialist to join our new elite AI and Incubation team. This is a pivotal role and demands a rare blend of strategic/business insight, technical knowledge, exceptional communication and negotiation skills. The ideal candidate will drive the adoption of EDGE AI in multiple business verticals, identify/create commercial value to Wind River, and help build this business from the ground up. You will report directly to the Vice President of AI and Incubation and work closely with the rest of the Product Management team in building this business. You will be supported by technical sales, eco-system partnerships, and dedicated product engineering. Travel will be required.

The Business Development / Capture Manager will be responsible for leading and driving the business development lifecycle from business opportunity identification to proposal submission and contract award. This individual will develop and execute strategic capture plans, identify and qualify new business opportunities, and ensure the successful pursuit of key contracts, including coordinating internal cross-functional teams and external partners (as required) and guiding commercial proposals.

In your daily job you will:

• Identify and assess new business opportunities, emerging markets, and strategic partnerships within multiple verticals for the adoption of our EDGE AI portfolio.
• Develop, maintain and implement strategies to drive market growth, including identifying key customer needs and aligning company EDGE AI solutions with those needs.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients and industry partners.
• Conduct market research and competitive analysis to identify trends, risks, and opportunities in the EDGE AI domain.
• Engage in networking, attend industry events, and represent the company at conferences and trade shows to build brand awareness and generate new leads.
• Develop and present business development and capture plans and recommendations to senior leadership, aligning strategies with the company's goals.
• Lead capture efforts for strategic opportunities, guiding the team through the full lifecycle of the pursuit process, including qualification, proposal development, pricing strategy, and risk management.
• Work closely with proposal teams to create comprehensive, compelling, and compliant proposals that align with client requirements and showcase the company's value proposition.
• Coordinate and communicate with internal departments (e.g., product, legal, contracts, finance) to ensure timely and accurate capture execution.
• Manage proposal timelines, resources, and deliverables, ensuring alignment with the opportunity's schedule and submission requirements.
• Conduct win/loss analyses for capture activities to refine strategies and improve future pursuits.
• Work with product development teams to tailor solutions based on customer feedback and market analysis.

HOW YOU WILL CONTRIBUTE

Key skills and competencies for succeeding in this role are:

• Minimum of 12 years of experience in business development, capture management, or sales within a high‑tech software environment.
• PREFERRED Experience: strategic business development or capture management in key areas such as AI, EDGE AI, embedded software or cloud software.
• Bachelor's degree in business administration, engineering, or a related field. MBA or equivalent advanced degree preferred.
• Ability to identify and assess new business opportunities, manage strategic partnerships, and develop client‑focused solutions.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence decision‑makers and build relationships across all levels.
• Proven track record of leading and managing complex capture efforts for commercial contracts.
• Experience developing and executing market strategies to support long‑term business growth.
• Demonstrated experience managing cross‑functional teams and engaging with senior leadership in strategic decision‑making.
• Experience in embedded systems and cloud software consisting of real time operating systems (RTOS), industry‑specific software (linux), simulation technology, development tools and middleware is a plus
• Ability to think strategically and develop actionable plans that align with business objectives.
• Strong problem‑solving and analytical skills, particularly in evaluating business opportunities and risks.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• US Citizen Or Canadian Citizen required
• Additionally, will consider San Diego, Walnut Creek, or Austin, TX area (brick and mortar location will be leased soon)

Compensation

The annual base salary range for this role's listed grade level is currently $170,000 to $200,000 plus bonus for residents in the states of Colorado,New Yorkand New Jersey; and $180,000 to $230,000 plus bonus for residents in the states of California and Washington, and the NYC area. Salary ranges are determined through interviews and a review of education, experience, knowledge, skills, location and abilities of the applicant, and equity with other team members. Employees in this role are also eligible for the following benefits in accordance with the terms of the Company's plans: health, dental, vision insurance, life insurance, flex time off, eligibility to enroll in 401k, 12 paid holidays.

\"Aptiv is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law\"

Privacy Notice - Active Candidates:https://www.aptiv.com/privacy-notice-active-candidates

Aptiv is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

Privacy Notice - Active Candidates: https://www.aptiv.com/privacy-notice-active-candidates

Aptiv is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.