C

CesiumAstro

Designs satellite communications hardware and software

Vice President of Business Development - Commercial

Full-Time
$303.5k - $370.9k/yr+ Stock options
Expert
Bachelor's, Master's, MBA, PhD
El Segundo, CA, USA
In Person
Sales & Account ManagementBusiness Development & Partnerships
No H1B Sponsorship

About the job

Requirements
  • A bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Engineering, Communications, Finance, Political Science, or a related field with 20 or more years of related experience, a master's degree with 18 or more years of related experience, or a PhD with 14 or more years of related experience in business development, sales, revenue strategy, government contracting, aerospace, defense, or a related discipline.
  • At least 10 years of leadership or management experience leading revenue, business development, sales, customer growth, or strategic growth organizations.
  • In-depth knowledge of market analytics, technology planning, and commercialization.
  • Experience leading opportunity captures, including developing overall win strategies, shaping deals with customers, developing teaming strategies, identifying and closing with teammates, understanding pricing, and assisting in developing winning proposals.
  • A demonstrated background in solution selling and developing new markets, with proven leadership from the inception of a strategic campaign through successful engagement.
  • Knowledge of government contracting, current acquisition trends, and customer buying behaviors.
  • Prior experience developing business with government and Department of Defense customers.
  • Proven ability to develop and execute business plans.
  • Strong oral and written communication skills.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
  • Strong interpersonal and professional skills.
  • Effective presentation skills and experience leading customer meetings.
  • Ability to obtain a U.S. Government security clearance.
Responsibilities
  • Direct and support new business development opportunities to improve the company's business portfolio, including marketing and customer call plans.
  • Develop and continuously update commercial and Department of Defense aerospace telecommunication electronics market potential and trends.
  • Identify business opportunities.
  • Write and submit requests for information and requests for proposals.
  • Visit existing and potential customers.
  • Interface with engineering and product development staff to articulate market gaps and demands.
  • Assist in the company's strategic and research and development roadmaps.
  • Lead top-line revenue growth for the company.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience with the New Space industry.
  • Experience with the aerospace telecommunications industry.
  • Experience with startups.

About the company

CesiumAstro develops end-to-end space and airborne communications systems, including active phased array antennas, software-defined radios, and complete payloads. Its technology enables electronically steered beams for inter-satellite links, high-rate downlinks, lunar and deep-space communication, and 5G/NTN networks. It ships plug‑and‑play, commercially manufactured hardware and SDR software as a full-stack solution, reducing development time and cost. The company targets both government programs (NASA, DoD) and commercial space ventures, aiming to make space-based connectivity more accessible and adaptable.

Company Size

501-1,000

Company Stage

Debt Financing

Total Funding

$780M

Headquarters

Bee Cave, Texas

Founded

2017

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • EXIM and J.P. Morgan backed $300 million financing funds the Bee Cave factory and Texas hiring.
  • April 21, 2026 Missile Defense Agency work validates Skylark for national-security modernization.
  • The $470 million Series C gives CesiumAstro cash to industrialize manufacturing and scale deliveries through 2027.

What critics are saying

  • Three 2026 acquisitions create integration drag and culture clashes before 2027 product revenue lands.
  • CesiumAstro still depends on U.S. defense buyers, EXIM financing, and Bee Cave buildout finishing on time.
  • L3Harris, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, and Lockheed can crush margins on phased-array programs; CesiumAstro loses share fast.

What makes CesiumAstro unique

  • CesiumAstro vertically integrates antennas, radios, semiconductors, and mission software under one roof.
  • Its 2026 Jariet, Vidrovr, and 1Aardvark buys deepen full-stack space-defense autonomy.
  • Skylark and Element target software-defined, mobile-ready links across missiles, satellites, and airborne platforms.

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Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
  • Life Insurance
  • Disability Insurance
  • Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan
  • Stock Options

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

-2%

2 year growth

1%
SBIR.gov
Sep 13th, 2026
Awards | SBIR

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Aviation Week
Sep 10th, 2026
CesiumAstro secures $300M EXIM credit to consolidate US manufacturing in new 270,000-ft facility

The Export-Import Bank of the United States has signed a $300 million credit agreement with CesiumAstro, an Austin-based space and defence connectivity specialist. The agreement, announced on 9 September, aims to consolidate the company's design, manufacturing, assembly and test operations into a single 270,000-square-foot US facility currently under construction. The financing includes a $20 million revolving credit facility from JP Morgan, making it EXIM's largest loan approval under its "Make More in America" initiative. CesiumAstro is the only company to receive a second credit agreement under the programme. EXIM previously approved $185 million in financing to CesiumAstro in January 2026, later increased to $280 million. Founded in 2017, CesiumAstro recently secured a $470 million Series C funding round.

GovCon Wire
Aug 26th, 2026
CesiumAstro buys 1Aardvark to add mission software for defense space.

CesiumAstro buys 1Aardvark to add mission software for defense space. * 1Aardvark is a service-disabled veteran-owned and HUBZone-certified business in Manassas, Virginia * Its work covers missile defense and missile tracking programs * The deal follows CesiumAstro's purchases of Vidrovr and Jariet Technologies this year CesiumAstro has acquired 1Aardvark, adding mission software and systems engineering to a portfolio built around satellites and communications payloads. CesiumAstro announced the deal Tuesday. 1Aardvark, based in Manassas, Virginia, builds software, algorithms and systems engineering for national defense programs. It holds service-disabled veteran-owned small business and HUBZone certifications. What does 1Aardvark bring to CesiumAstro? 1Aardvark's software supports missile defense and missile tracking work. The company builds systems that enable distributed platforms to coordinate and execute missions in contested or disconnected environments. CesiumAstro expects the pairing to yield spacecraft that adjust to changing conditions and keep operating when connectivity degrades. Shey Sabripour, founder and CEO of CesiumAstro, said defense space systems increasingly require software that can adapt and make decisions. According to Ryan Kenward, president of 1Aardvark, joining CesiumAstro extends the company's work pushing mission capability to the edge. How does the deal fit CesiumAstro's acquisition strategy? The 1Aardvark deal lands days after CesiumAstro closed its purchase of Jariet Technologies, a semiconductor firm focused on millimeter-wave radio frequency system-on-chip designs. That deal gave the company in-house chip capability to pair with its phased-array antenna and payload work. The company also acquired Vidrovr in March, an AI firm specializing in real-time multimodal signal analysis. Vidrovr co-founder Joe Ellis oversees integration of machine learning tools into the CesiumAstro portfolio. CesiumAstro closed a $470 million Series C round in February and took $200 million in Export-Import Bank financing in January to acquire a 270,000-square-foot West Austin facility.

Noah Business Intelligence
Aug 25th, 2026
CesiumAstro's latest acquisition enhances resilience and integration for government space missions

CesiumAstro’s purchase of Virginia-based 1Aardvark advances its strategy to deliver more resilient, software-defined communications and onboard systems for government missions, strengthening its position in the defence...

BISinfotech
Aug 13th, 2026
CesiumAstro acquires Jariet Technologies for defense capabilities

CesiumAstro acquires Jariet Technologies, expanding semiconductor capabilities across SATCOM, electronic warfare, radar and space systems.