Shipyard AI - Account Executive

BigBear.ai; Columbia (MD); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

BigBear.ai is seeking an Account Executive to sell Shipyard AI to shipyards in the United States and abroad. You will own accounts end to end—from identifying problems to closing contracts—while engaging with yard leadership, planners and engineers in technical conversations about generative AI and simulation.

This base plus commission role requires on-site presence across US shipyards, a deep understanding of operations, and the ability to translate complex production challenges into compelling

Qualifications

• 5+ years in shipyard operations, production or engineering.
• 5+ years in quota-bearing sales in shipbuilding or related industries.
• Ability to map yard workflows and spot time/labor/capacity losses.
• Track record with shipyard leadership from supervisors to executives.
• Knowledge of generative AI and its operational applications.
• Knowledge of simulation for planning decisions.
• Strong written and verbal communication; proposals and exec presentations.
• Engineering or Naval Architecture background.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• Willingness to travel to customer sites.

Responsibilities

• Build and manage a pipeline of shipyard accounts from first meeting to signed contract.
• On-site visits to learn yard operations and identify solvable problems.
• Translate problems into Shipyard AI engagements with clear business cases.
• Run discovery sessions, demos and working sessions with stakeholders.
• Explain AI and simulation applications in plain terms to yard leadership.
• Collaborate with delivery team to shape solutions and write proposals.
• Price work and manage engagements.
• Maintain relationships post-sale and grow accounts.
• Keep accurate forecast and CRM pipeline.
• Represent BigBear.ai at events and customer sites.

Skills

Shipyard operations knowledge

Account management

Sales in maritime/defense

Communication

Proposal writing

Forecasting pipeline

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor's degree

Engineering or Naval Architecture degree

Tools

Simulation tools

Generative AI tools

Job description

Residency

All applicants must currently reside in the United States

Overview

BigBear.ai builds AI and simulation software for defense, national security and critical industry. Shipyard AI is our planning, simulation and decision-support platform for shipbuilding and ship repair. It is in use at Tier 1 US shipyards and at all three of Canada's major shipbuilders, where yards use it to plan capacity, sequence work, and test facility and schedule decisions before committing money or labor to them.

The role:

We're hiring an Account Executive to sell Shipyard AI to shipbuilders and ship repair yards in the US and abroad. This is a seller who has worked in a shipyard. You've walked the waterfront, sat in the production meetings, and know why a schedule slips. Customers should see you as someone who understands their operation first and a salesperson second.

You'll own a set of accounts end to end: finding the problem, scoping the work, building the business case, and closing. You'll work alongside our delivery team and developers, and you'll be expected to carry a technical conversation about generative AI and simulation with yard leadership, planners and engineers.

This is a base + commission role (published salary range is base).

What you will do

• Build and work a pipeline of shipyard and ship repair accounts, from first meeting to signed contract
• Get on site, learn how each yard actually runs, and pin down the operational problems worth solving: capacity, labor loading, schedule, facility planning, rework
• Translate those problems into a scoped Shipyard AI engagement with a clear business case and measurable outcomes
• Run discovery sessions, demos and working sessions with production, planning, engineering and executive stakeholders
• Explain how generative AI and discrete-event simulation apply to a yard's real decisions, in plain terms, without overselling
• Work with our delivery team and developers to shape solutions, write proposals and price work
• Keep relationships going after the sale and grow accounts into follow-on work
• Keep an accurate forecast and pipeline in the CRM
• Represent BigBear.ai at industry events and customer sites

What you need to have

• 5+ years working in a shipyard, preferably in operations, production, planning or engineering
• 5+ years of quota-carrying sales in a relevant industry (shipbuilding, maritime, defense, heavy manufacturing, or industrial software) with a proven record of hitting or beating targets
• Process expertise: you can map how work flows through a yard and spot where time, labor and capacity are lost
• A track record of building credibility and rapport with shipyard leadership, from production supervisors to executives
• Working knowledge of generative AI and how it's applied in an operational setting
• Working knowledge of simulation (discrete-event or similar) and how it supports planning decisions
• Strong written and spoken communication, including proposals and executive presentations
• Engineering or Naval Architecture experience required
• Bachelor's degree, equivalent experience may be considered in lieu of a degree
• Ability to travel to customer sites

What we'd like you to have

• Experience in naval shipbuilding, ship repair or a naval maintenance availability environment
• Existing relationships with US or international shipyards
• Industrial engineering, naval architecture or marine engineering background
• Experience selling software, simulation or analytics into industrial customers
• Hands-on use of simulation tools or generative AI tools
• Experience with complex, multi-stakeholder sales cycles of six months or longer
• Ability to obtain a US security clearance

Pay transparency

Please note the targeted compensation range is provided as an estimate, and any actual compensation offer may vary depending on the needs of the company, or an applicant's skillset, competencies, experience, education, certifications, location, or other factors. The estimated range does not include the value of any benefits offered.

About BigBear.ai

BigBear.ai is a leading provider of AI-powered decision intelligence solutions for national security, supply chain management, and digital identity. Customers and partners rely on Bigbear.ai's predictive analytics capabilities in highly complex, distributed, mission-based operating environments. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, BigBear.ai is a public company traded on the NYSE under the symbol BBAI. For more information, visit https://bigbear.ai/ and follow BigBear.ai on LinkedIn: @BigBear.ai and X: @BigBearai.

BigBear.ai is an Equal opportunity employer all protected groups, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.