Government Ops

Job description

About Pilgrim: Pilgrim develops and deploys advanced biotechnology for defense and national security. Our primary platform, ARGUS, is a fully autonomous system for detecting biological threats in near real time, from naturally occurring pathogens to engineered agents. Pilgrim is not a research institute or academic lab - we engineer hardware for biology, turning breakthrough science into fielded capabilities. Pilgrim is backed by Peter Thiel, Dylan Field, Conviction, Cantos, and Refactor. Located in Redwood City, our team pairs mechanical and electrical engineering with chemistry and biology to bring critical technologies out of the lab and into the hands of operators in the field. About the Role: We are looking for a Government Ops lead at Pilgrim to own our engagement across the federal government and ensure our solutions reach the warfighter. You will identify where Pilgrim's capabilities can solve urgent mission needs and understand how defense and federal agencies evaluate, fund, and adopt new technology. Your job is to turn that understanding into contracts, pilots, and long-term government partnerships. You will carry the work both in writing and in person: producing clear briefs, memos, proposals, and customer-facing materials, and meeting directly with operators, acquisition officials, program leaders, and agency stakeholders. The right person is a self-starter who finds the path to an outcome and walks it. Responsibilities - Map defense, intelligence, and federal health agencies to understand the offices, units, programs, decision-makers, funding sources, contracting vehicles, and acquisition pathways relevant to Pilgrim. - Build account and capture strategies for priority government customers, including who to engage, what problem to lead with, what funding path to pursue, and what steps are needed to advance the opportunity. - Drive business development from initial research and outreach through meetings, proposals, pilots, funded programs, and contracts. - Create briefing decks, diagrams, stakeholder maps, and other visual materials using Figma, PowerPoint, or similar tools. - Track relevant programs, solicitations, budget activity, policy priorities, agency initiatives, and competitive dynamics. - Turn customer conversations, mission requirements, and market research into clear recommendations for Pilgrim's product, engineering, and leadership teams. - Represent Pilgrim in government meetings, field visits, conferences, exercises, demonstrations, and partner engagements, traveling frequently to military installations, government sites, and operational units. - Support sensitive or classified government programs where discretion, professionalism, and sound judgment are required. Qualifications - Experience in combat casualty care, tactical medicine, or CBRN response, including familiarity with battlefield triage, prolonged field care, or force protection in contested environments. - Defense business development, acquisition strategy, or government contracting experience, with a track record of navigating DoD or IC landscapes, identifying key stakeholders, and securing funding for emerging technologies. - Strong writing, research, and communication skills, with the ability to distill complex material into clear, persuasive narratives. - Skilled at engaging decision-makers, adapting to different audiences, and operating in high-stakes settings. - Highly autonomous, able to work through ambiguity, build strategy, and execute under pressure.