Business Development - UAS (Flight Control & Autonomy)

Responsibilities

• Success in this role is defined by the ability to convert early technical engagements and SBIR-funded efforts into sustained government and commercial programs , including Phase III contracts, follow-on development, and productized offerings.
• Drive new UAS business centered on flight control, autopilot, and autonomy software and hardware development .
• Lead the transition of existing SBIR/STTR-funded autonomy and flight control technologies into Phase III and non-SBIR contract vehicles , including sole-source awards, IDIQs, OTAs, BOAs, and FAR-based contracts.
• Identify and pursue commercial product, licensing, and recurring revenue opportunities for UAS flight control and autonomy solutions.
• Identify key strategic and ecosystem partners to facilitate our go-to-market strategy.
• Shape customer requirements and concepts of operations into executable development programs and product roadmaps.
• Responsible for developing and maintaining sales pipeline for products and service offerings relating to flight control and autonomy solutions, demonstrating pipeline growth and conversions.
• Build and maintain relationships with DoD program offices, autonomy leads, primes, integrators, and commercial UAS manufacturers.
• Lead capture activities, including solution shaping, teaming strategy, pricing inputs, and proposal development.
• Partner closely with STI technical leadership to ensure development efforts are aligned with productization, scalability, and long-term reuse.
• Represent STI at UAS-focused conferences, industry days, and technical forums.
• What you Need:
• 5+ years of business development, capture, or program growth experience in UAS, defense, or aerospace markets.
• Existing contacts and relationships with government staff including program officers who can engage with STI on R&D and technology transfer projects.
• Demonstrated success transitioning early-stage development efforts (including SBIR/STTR) into Phase III, follow-on, or non-SBIR contract vehicles .
• Proven ability to drive funded development programs and commercial product opportunities through customer engagement, capture strategy, and contracting execution.
• Strong customer-facing skills, including executive-level briefings, relationship management, and negotiation.
• Experience working with DoD program offices, primes, integrators, and/or commercial UAS manufacturers.
• Ability to partner effectively with highly technical engineering teams without requiring hands-on technical expertise.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Active Secret security clearance (minimum).
• Bonus Qualifications:
• Pilot, instructor, or operational aviation experience.
• Experience in UAS, optionally piloted vehicles, eVTOL, AAM, or UAM markets.
• Experience working with small, growth‑oriented, employee‑owned companies.
• Desire to contribute directly to aggressive growth targets and long‑term company value creation.
• Compensation And Benefits:
• Systems Technology Inc. offers all employees competitive pay along with a benefits package encompassing the following and more:
• STI offers a competitive, performance-aligned total rewards package designed to drive long-term growth and accountability:
• Base Salary: $150,000 - $185,000 (negotiable based on experience)
• Variable Compensation: Performance-based incentives and/or commission tied directly to transitioned non-SBIR government contracts (e.g., Phase III, IDIQ task orders, sole-source awards) and commercial UAS product revenue . SBIR Phase I/II awards alone are not considered success metrics.
• Total On-Target Earnings (OTE): $190,000 - $240,000+, with upside driven by transitioned re

Benefits

Additional Information

Systems Technology Inc. (STI) is a private, 100% employee-owned (ESOP) engineering consulting and product development company with a 60+ year legacy of delivering safety critical solutions to government and commercial customers. We combine the agility and culture of a startup with the stability and credibility of a longstanding aerospace innovator. Our growth plans are ambitious, and every employee plays a direct role in shaping our future. At STI, we look for true business partners-people who value transparency, collaboration, technical excellence, ownership, and accountability. If you enjoy solving complex, real - world problems and want your work to have visible impact, you will thrive here.

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