Growth Strategist

Job description

Who we are Picogrid is a leading venture-backed defense technology company founded to bridge the decades-long gap between modern technology and the critical demands of national security. Today, we're building the essential infrastructure to unify sensors, autonomy, and operators with our technology deployed in active operations around the world. Our mission is to deliver an operational advantage to secure the United States and its allies. ABOUT THE ROLE As a Growth Strategist at Picogrid, you will drive the company’s growth across the U.S. Department of War and broader national security ecosystem. Sitting at the intersection of strategy, capture, customer engagement, and technical storytelling, you will identify emerging mission needs, shape opportunities, and translate complex technologies into compelling operational value for customers and partners. You will work closely with company leadership, engineers, partners, customers, and the broader Growth team to build go-to-market strategies, lead capture efforts, and deliver high-impact communications–including proposals, white papers, presentations, and strategic briefs. If you thrive at the intersection of research, strategy, and written and verbal storytelling, you'll love this role. The role is ideal for candidates who thrive in fast-paced environments, enjoy solving ambiguous problems, and are motivated to advance cutting-edge defense capabilities into real-world operations. Picogrid’s system integration technology supports a wide range of warfighting missions, creating an exceptionally broad addressable market. A key part of this role will involve helping the company prioritize opportunities, focus capture efforts, and allocate resources toward the highest-leverage missions and programs. RESPONSIBILITIES - Conduct market intelligence and strategic analysis, including assessment of customer priorities, defense budget trends, and partnership opportunities. - Identify, qualify, and shape strategic opportunities across the Department of War, Intelligence Community, and other U.S. Government and partner nation customers. - Develop and execute capture strategies, including stakeholder engagement plans, teaming approaches, pricing strategies, and win themes. - Represent Picogrid at industry days, conferences, and pitches to strengthen customer relationships and expand partnerships. - Build compelling presentations and customer-facing materials, including executive briefings, read-ahead decks, and opportunity-specific pitch materials. - Lead the development of high-quality proposals, white papers, and other written communications. - Help build and scale Picogrid’s growth and proposal infrastructure, incorporating best practices from leading defense technology companies and the commercial sector. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS - A Bachelor's Degree in a technical, analytical, policy, or business-related field. - 3+ years of experience in defense growth, capture, technical communications, think tank, management consulting, or similar fields. - Strong analytical and communications skills, including the ability to synthesize complex technical and operational concepts into compelling written and verbal narratives. - Demonstrated ability to operate independently in fast-paced, ambiguous environments with high ownership and accountability. - Familiarity with the U.S. Department of War, defense acquisition ecosystem, or national security technology landscape. - Experience developing customer-facing materials such as proposals, presentations, strategic briefs, or executive communications. - Ability to travel (<50%) to customer locations, including Washington, DC; Huntsville, AL; Colorado Springs, CO; and Tampa, FL. - Active or eligibility to obtain a US Government Security Clearance, noting that such clearances are only granted to US citizens. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS - Experience supporting or leading capture efforts and proposals for defense products. - Demonstrated success transitioning SBIR/STTR contracts into programs of record. - Experience leveraging modern tools and AI to enhance productivity and workflow efficiency. - Domain knowledge within the Defense and Intelligence sectors, including command and control (C2), tactical communications, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), or distributed systems. - Experience engaging directly with military operators, acquisition stakeholders, or senior government leaders. - Strong understanding of U.S. Government budgeting, defense acquisition processes, and emerging procurement pathways. - Active U.S. Secret or Top Secret security clearance. COMPENSATION & BENEFITS - Base salary range: $115,000-$185,000 based on level + 15-30% Performance Incentive - Significant stock options with a high potential upside as an early-stage company - 401(k) with employer matching - Full health coverage (medical, dental, and vision insurance) - Relocation assistance provided (if applicable) - Unlimited PTO (two-week minimum) and 11 paid holidays per year - Paid parental leave for both parents - Lunch provided when working in-office and a fully stocked kitchenette - Free EV charging at the HQ - Unique office in El Segundo, CA stocked with quality coffee, snacks, and craft beer 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. #LI-DNP Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Picogrid is committed to providing a professional work environment free from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. We are an equal opportunity employer and make all employment decisions based on merit, qualifications, and business needs.