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Nominal builds software that lets hardware teams test, iterate, and deploy as fast as software teams.
The Role
Drive expansion across U.S. Government markets by managing customer relationships, developing strategies, and executing deals in defense accounts.
Summary Generated by Built In
About Nominal
Nominal is building the connected test and operations platform powering the world's most advanced hardware systems, from spacecraft and autonomous vehicles to next-generation defense programs. Our platform gives hardware engineering teams a single place to ingest data, analyze performance, automate test execution, and collaborate across every phase of development, so they can move faster without sacrificing safety or precision. We're a fast-moving team that owns problems end-to-end, works across disciplines, and thrives at the intersection of hardware and software.
We serve top-tier commercial and defense customers, from autonomy leaders like Anduril and Shield AI to next-generation aerospace teams like Hermeus and REGENT, and performance engineering teams like Pratt Miller Motorsports, alongside mission partners within the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force on programs where failure isn’t an option. We’re backed by Sequoia, General Catalyst, Founders Fund, Lux Capital, and Lightspeed. Our team draws from SpaceX, Palantir, Anduril, Applied Intuition, and other leading companies, united by a common mission: giving hardware engineers the tools to build the future with speed, safety, and confidence.
As part of Nominal’s Federal Business Development team, you will drive how we expand across the U.S. Government—owning pipeline creation, customer engagement, and deal execution across key defense accounts. This is a highly strategic, externally-facing role focused on shaping and closing complex opportunities across the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, and the broader test enterprise. This role partners closely with Capture Strategy, which owns capture strategy and win positioning, while this role owns customer relationships and deal execution. You will work at the intersection of mission, product, and growth—translating customer needs into enduring programs and positioning Nominal as foundational infrastructure for test and operations.
💼 About the Role
- Apply a strong understanding of customer priorities, mission environments, and acquisition dynamics to shape and close strategic opportunities by aligning customer mission needs with Nominal’s platform and long-term roadmap
- Identify, shape, negotiate, and close new market opportunities, aligning account growth with overall business objectives
- Develop and maintain relationships with key stakeholders across customer organizations, generating buy-in and alignment with end users, program managers, acquisition officials, technical leaders, and industry partners
- Provide insight into customer priorities, funding dynamics, acquisition pathways, and requirements to inform Nominal’s Federal growth strategy
- Own the process of qualifying, cultivating, and capturing opportunities in close partnership with growth, mission, legal, and operations teammates
- Identify and develop strategic partnerships to expand reach and strengthen positioning in key programs
- Grow early engagements into enduring, impactful programs and set the conditions for Nominal to become foundational digital infrastructure for test data management, analysis, and operations
- Represent Nominal at customer meetings, industry days, conferences
🚀 We’re looking for someone with
- 5+ years of experience in business development, growth, capture, program strategy, or related roles supporting or serving U.S. military and civilian organizations, particularly the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, and the Test enterprise
- Deep understanding of U.S. Federal / Defense organizational structures and priorities and experience developing, shaping, or executing complex technical opportunities
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to tailor messaging across technical and non-technical audiences
- Keen awareness of when and how to pull in the right teammates to build targeted demos, perform technical discovery, identify capability gaps, understand integration and deployability options, share compliance and infosec guidance, and more
- A strong sense of urgency and ownership, with the ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments and drive outcomes in ambiguous settings
- Experience managing pipelines, forecasting, and consistently hitting growth targets
- Technical background or degree: Background in computer science, mechanical engineering, or other heavy industry
- Willing to travel up to 50%
- Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret / Secure Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) clearance
🎯 Skills that supercharge us
- Experience delivering growth outcomes for defense or dual-use software products and proven success developing and executing go-to-market strategies for emerging defense technologies
- Familiarity with non-traditional acquisition pathways and commercial product acquisitions
- Established relationships across relevant U.S. Government stakeholders, prime contractors, and mission partners
- Background in data systems, data analysis, and/or hardware engineering is a plus
- Prior U.S. military or government experience is a plus
✨ Benefits/Perks
- 🏥 100% coverage of medical, dental, and vision insurance
- 🏖️ Unlimited PTO and sick leave
- 🍽️ Free lunch, snacks, and coffee
- 🚀 Professional Development Stipend
- ✈️ Annual company retreat
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.
ITAR Requirements
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.
Skills Required
- 5+ years of experience in business development, growth, capture, or program strategy
- Deep understanding of U.S. Federal / Defense organizational structures
- Excellent communication skills
- Technical background or degree in computer science, mechanical engineering, or other heavy industry
- Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance
- Willing to travel up to 50%
Nominal Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Nominal and has not been reviewed or approved by Nominal.
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Healthcare Strength — 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage is repeatedly described as covering both employees and dependents, indicating unusually strong healthcare provisioning. Additional mentions of “Platinum” coverage reinforce the sense of a high-tier plan offering.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Unlimited PTO and paid holidays/sick time are presented as part of the core package, suggesting broad time-off benefits on paper. Parental leave is also framed as fully paid in several places, reinforcing overall leave breadth.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — Wellness stipends, daily gourmet lunch (and sometimes dinner), and periodic retreats are consistently highlighted as meaningful lifestyle perks. Learning/development and other small stipends further round out a perks-heavy total rewards posture.
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The Company
What We Do
Nominal builds the essential software stack that enables hardware teams to test and iterate as rapidly as software teams. Nominal empowers engineers to continuously monitor, validate, and deploy innovations, transforming how mission-critical hardware is built and operated.
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