Principal Business Development Lead (Unmanned Systems)

L3Harris Technologies; United States; Remote; GBP 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

L3Harris Technologies is seeking a Principal Business Development Lead for Unmanned Systems in Europe. The role focuses on identifying and growing strategic opportunities in UAV/UGV/USV and C-UAS markets, aligning with MCC sector needs, and expanding integration with leading UxS partners.

The successful candidate will shape requirements, drive product adoption, and lead cross-functional collaboration to advance platform certifications and joint development opportunities across international

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree with 12+ years related experience, or Graduate Degree with 10+ years.
• Unmanned systems experience, including familiarity with UxS platforms, payloads, sensors, and integration workflows.
• Strong customer-facing skills, including relationship development, requirements capture, and solution positioning.
• Ability to travel up to 50% international, including the United States.

Responsibilities

• Build, strengthen, and manage relationships with key international customers, platform providers, and other strategic accounts.
• Gather and translate customer requirements into actionable insights to guide product integration and differentiation strategies.
• Drive customer demand and product adoption through engagement, solution development, and value-based communication.
• Develop and expand relationships with major UxS platform manufacturers and technical leadership teams.
• Collaborate with internal engineering and product teams to support platform certifications, integration cycles, and joint development efforts.

Skills

Relationship management

Strategic thinking

Cross-functional leadership

Communication

Negotiation

Customer-facing

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Graduate Degree

Job description

L3Harris is dedicated to recruiting and developing high-performing talent who are passionate about what they do. Our employees are unified in a shared dedication to our customers’ mission and quest for professional growth. L3Harris provides an inclusive, engaging environment designed to empower employees and promote work-life success. Fundamental to our culture is an unwavering focus on values, dedication to our communities, and commitment to excellence in everything we do.

L3Harris is the Trusted Disruptor in defense tech. With customers’ mission-critical needs always in mind, our employees deliver end-to-end technology solutions connecting the space, air, land, sea and cyber domains in the interest of national security.

Job Title: PrincipalBusiness Development Lead (Unmanned Systems)

Job Location: Europe

Job Description

The Unmanned Systems Business Development Leader –will be responsible for identifying, developing, and growing strategic opportunities within the unmanned (UAV/ /UGV/USV/UxS) and Counter – Unmanned (C-UAS) market for the Mission Critical Communications (MCC) sector. This role combines technical knowledge, customer engagement, and strategic relationship-building to drive adoption of company products and technologies across key unmanned platforms and manufacturers. The successful candidate will shape customer requirements, expand integrations across leading UxS partners, and support innovation aligned with emerging market needs.

Essential Functions

• Build, strengthen, and manage relationships with key international customers, platform providers, and other strategic accounts.
• Gather and translate customer requirements into actionable insights to guide product integration and differentiation strategies.
• Drive customer demand and product adoption through consistent engagement, solution development, and value-based communication.
• Develop and expand relationships with major UxS platform manufacturers and technical leadership teams.
• Understand the Counter-UAS market, technologies, and industry partners and competitors.
• Drive product integrations into strategically important unmanned platforms and front‑runner technologies.
• Collaborate with internal engineering and product teams to support platform certifications, integration cycles, and joint development efforts.
• Enable benefits for international customers through expanded ecosystem partnerships.
• Provide input to internal product roadmaps based on vendor requirements, market trends, and integration opportunities.
• Support continuous innovation by identifying emerging unmanned capabilities, payload needs, and accessory opportunities.
• Maintain a strong understanding of unmanned industry developments to guide fast-paced, competitive product and technology decisions.
• Ensure business goals and Annual Operation Plan objectives are met.
• Direct and Cross-functional leadership position and skills required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree and a minimum of 12 years of prior related experience, or Graduate Degree with a minimum of 10 years of prior related experience
• In lieu of a degree, a minimum of 16 years of prior related experience
• Unmanned systems industry experience, including familiarity with UxS platforms, payloads, sensors, and integration workflows.
• Proven experience developing new international business (outside the USA), B2B (Primes and startups) and/or other key customers.
• Strong customer-facing skills, including relationship development, requirements capture, and solution positioning.
• Demonstrated Business-to-Business (B2B) experience; ability to drive partnerships and strategic engagements.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and cross-functional leadership skills.
• Ability to travel up to 50% international, including the United States.

Preferred Additional Skills

• Experience working with international militaries, government agencies, or international defense markets.
• Established network within the unmanned systems manufacturing ecosystem.
• Experience integrating hardware, sensors, or communications technologies onto UxS platforms.
• Experience in C-UAS technologies, markets, and companies.
• NATO Secret clearance preferred

Important to know

Due to the nature of our work many our roles require a UK nationality and the ability to obtain a security clearance. Applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment must meet the requirement of right to work in the UK and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information and will be subject to government security checks.

L3Harris Technologies is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to maintaining a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination and offers equal opportunities for all. Applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, and marriage and civil partnerships.