Hiring: Director of Business Development - Aerospace Company: GuideTech Location: Phoenix, AZ Job Posted Time: 2026-09-10 11:16:00 Employment Type: Contract Target Skills & Keywords : AI, Aerospace Engineering, Security Clearance About the job Experience: •5+ years of experience in business development, technical sales, strategic partnerships, account management, or revenue generation. Required Skills: •GuideTech, a subsidiary of Palladyne AI (NASDAQ: PYDN), develops advanced avionics, autonomous flight software, artificial intelligence, and mission systems that enable the next generation of aerospace and defense platforms. •GuideTech is seeking a Director of Business Development to drive commercial growth across our portfolio of engineering services, intelligent software, avionics, and autonomous aerospace products. •This position reports to the President of GuideTech and partners closely with engineering, product development, marketing, and executive leadership to drive commercial strategy and long term growth. •Develop and execute business development strategies across aerospace, defense, autonomy, and government markets. •Build and manage a healthy sales pipeline through prospecting, cold calling, networking, customer visits, referrals, strategic partnerships, and industry events. •Identify and pursue opportunities with defense prime contractors, government agencies, commercial aerospace companies, original equipment manufacturers, defense integrators, and autonomy technology companies. •Lead opportunities from initial customer engagement through proposal development, pricing, negotiation, contract award, and successful program transition. •Develop trusted relationships with executives, engineering leaders, program managers, procurement professionals, and other key stakeholders. Qualifications: •Demonstrated success building pipeline through outbound prospecting and winning new business. •Proven ability to manage complex sales opportunities from initial outreach through contract award. •Demonstrated capacity to quickly develop a strong understanding of complex aerospace and defense technologies and confidently communicate their value to engineers, program managers, procurement teams, executive decision makers, and other customer stakeholders. •Strong commercial judgment in pricing, proposals, negotiations, forecasting, and account planning. •Excellent communication, organization, follow through, and relationship management skills. •Demonstrated capacity to collaborate effectively with engineering, product, operations, finance, legal, marketing, procurement, and executive leadership. •Willingness to travel for customer meetings, demonstrations, conferences, and industry events. •Operational familiarity with unmanned aircraft systems, autonomous systems, avionics, mission systems, artificial intelligence, robotics, aerospace engineering, or related defense technologies. •Existing professional relationships within the aerospace, defense, or autonomous systems industry. Compensation: •Competitive benefits and rewards package •Comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance Interested candidates, please apply directly through the job posting on company's career page or try via AI auto apply on this platform. Don't miss this opportunity to join a forward-thinking team!