Full-Time

Director of Government Solutions

Space Force

Picogrid

Picogrid

51-200 employees

Unified defense platform for autonomous systems

Compensation Overview

$180k - $220k/yr

+ Stock Options + Performance Incentive

Washington, DC, USA + 1 more

More locations: El Segundo, CA, USA

In Person

Category
Business & Strategy (1)
Requirements
  • 10+ years of professional experience in military service, government solutions, or related roles, with significant exposure to space or aerospace domains.
  • Proven track record of securing and managing complex government contracts, preferably involving emerging technologies and national security missions.
  • Ability to thrive in an autonomous, fast-paced, and demanding startup environment.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate technical capabilities into compelling, mission-relevant narratives.
  • Active TS/SCI U.S. security clearance, or eligibility to obtain one.
  • Export Control 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.
Responsibilities
  • Lead efforts to secure contracts, cooperative agreements, and funding opportunities with the U.S. Space Force, Space Operations Command (SpOC), Space Systems Command (SSC), and related entities by preparing proposals, presentations, and strategic plans.
  • Develop and execute a government solutions strategy aligned with Picogrid’s mission and objectives, specifically tailored to the space domain and supporting joint operations.
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders across the U.S. Space Force, the broader Department of Defense, and federal contractors active in space and aerospace sectors.
  • Work closely with Capture Managers, Deployment Strategists, and identify, shape, qualify, capture, and win high-value strategic opportunities in the space and multi-domain C2 ecosystem.
  • Provide leadership and mentorship to a growing team of professionals focused on government business development and solution delivery.
  • Monitor and analyze policy, acquisition, and technology trends affecting the national security space enterprise to inform business strategy.
  • Represent Picogrid at space industry conferences, defense forums, and government-industry partnership events to enhance our visibility and reputation in the Space Force and space security communities.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience supporting or working directly with the U.S. Space Force, Space Systems Command (SSC), or Space Operations Command (SpOC).
  • Deep understanding of space acquisition processes, operational requirements, and DoD enterprise sales cycles.
  • Knowledge of unmanned systems, C5ISR, space situational awareness (SSA), or related technologies for space and multi-domain operations.
  • Strong network within the national security space ecosystem, including senior government, contractor, and policymaker relationships.
  • Experience working with or scaling an early-stage government technology company into a growth-stage enterprise.

Picogrid builds a unified platform that connects and remotely controls autonomous defense systems, creating an open ecosystem where sensors, drones, command interfaces, and other defense tech suppliers can work together. Its product enables interoperability by linking fragmented systems into a single management layer, while its flagship sensor platform Lander and other sensors can be manufactured and deployed via secured cloud infrastructure, including AWS GovCloud. The company differentiates itself by offering an open, interoperable ecosystem and end-to-end integration across multiple vendors and platforms, backed by large federal contracts with the U.S. Army and other defense agencies. Picogrid’s goal is to enable scalable, secure, and quickly deployable defense operations by providing a unified platform for autonomous systems and expanding its manufacturing capability to support ongoing operations.

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

Seed

Total Funding

$12M

Headquarters

El Segundo, California

Founded

2020

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • $9.3M Air Force SBIR Phase III contract awarded February 2026 expands Legion.
  • $12M seed funding from Initialized Capital raised March 2024 fuels growth.
  • New 2025 factory boosts Lander manufacturing under $950M contract.

What critics are saying

  • Anduril's Lattice dominates DoD contracts, eroding Picogrid's counter-UAS share.
  • 2026 JADC2 MOSA policy disqualifies proprietary Legion from primes by Q4.
  • Ukraine MoD drops Picogrid post-2025 for ATAK after 2024 failures.

What makes Picogrid unique

  • Legion API unifies sensors, drones, and C2 across vendors without replacement.
  • Lander, Helios, Portal hardware enable stationary, mobile, backpack deployments.
  • AI-written translators integrate counter-drone systems in under one day.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401(k) Company Match

Unlimited Paid Time Off

Paid Vacation

Remote Work Options

Stock Options

Professional Development Budget

Home Office Stipend

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

-5%

1 year growth

-3%

2 year growth

-5%
PR Newswire
Mar 26th, 2024
Defense Startup Picogrid Raises $12M To Connect Defense Systems

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., March 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Picogrid , a defense technology startup, announces a $12 million seed round led by Initialized Capital with participation by Starburst Ventures, Credo Ventures, Giant Step Capital, Domino Ventures, and Alumni Ventures. Picogrid builds a unified platform for autonomous systems, creating an open ecosystem of defense technology suppliers. The company's technology helps connect and remotely control sensors, drones, command interfaces, and other notoriously fragmented defense systems.Founders Zane Mountcastle and Martin Slosarik began building defense technology over a decade ago, developing autonomous systems first in their dorm rooms and then as contractors for the U.S. Army.Founders Zane Mountcastle and Martin Slosarik began building defense technology over a decade ago, developing autonomous systems first in their dorm rooms and then as contractors for the U.S. Army. Zane recalls, "It was a gut punch as an engineer trained in modern software

Mayday.ai GmbH
Feb 21st, 2022
Mayday partners with Picogrid

Mayday.ai a provider of real-time risk and disaster intelligence from Germany, formed a partnership with Picogrid, a California-based computer perception company solving physical security for large-scale infrastructure.