Strategic State Engagement Lead

Cantos Ventures; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock plan

Medical coverage (platinum levels)

One Medical memberships

Vision coverage

Dental coverage

Voluntary benefits (life, accident, H3

Parental leave (8 weeks)

Paid parental leave

Daily catered lunch

Flexible PTO

Job summary

Radiant, a fast-growing hard-tech company, seeks a State Engagement Director to own state and local government engagement. You will shape policy, enable deployment, and unlock sites where decisions impact our ability to deploy advanced nuclear microreactors.

The role requires coordinating with technical, legal, and operations teams and representing Radiant with policymakers, regulators, and partners. Based in Washington, DC, the position is highly hands-on, outcome-driven, and requires building

Qualifications

• 5+ years in state government affairs, public policy, regulatory engagement, or related roles in energy, defense, aerospace, or regulated industries.
• Proven ability to influence state-level policy or regulatory outcomes.
• Strong understanding of state legislative processes, regulatory bodies, and permitting environments.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity and fast-moving environments.
• Clear, confident communicator with policymakers and engineers.

Responsibilities

• Build and execute state and local engagement strategies to support deployment and operations.
• Influence state legislation, regulations, rulemakings, and executive actions affecting siting, permitting, grid interconnection, and critical infrastructure.
• Lead company engagement with state regulators and public utility commissions; represent the company in hearings, meetings, and industry forums.
• Hire, manage, and coordinate external lobbyists and advisors in key states; align with company goals.
• Partner on site selection and site-specific strategies with state and local governments and economic development groups.
• Work cross-functionally with engineering, legal, policy, communications, and operations to translate technical concepts into policy positions.
• Track and shape state-level policy developments; provide actionable guidance to leadership.
• Ensure compliance with state ethics, lobbying, and disclosure requirements.

Skills

State government affairs

Policy influence

Regulatory engagement

Ambiguity tolerance

Policy communication

Job description

Radiant, a fast-growing hard-tech company, seeks a State Engagement Director to own state and local government engagement. You will shape policy, enable deployment, and unlock sites where decisions impact our ability to deploy advanced nuclear microreactors.

The role requires coordinating with technical, legal, and operations teams and representing Radiant with policymakers, regulators, and partners. Based in Washington, DC, the position is highly hands-on, outcome-driven, and requires building