Technical Strategy & Business Engineer

Job description

[https://app.ashbyhq.com/api/images/user-content/bdefb51d-7670-4c8c-9bae-c12592fbf204/cc5ceb76-e72c-48bb-a022-b5a9d56c5891/Wordmark_Oligo_v2.png] Oligo is building a manufacturing-in-the-loop foundation model to automate spacecraft design and production worldwide. Our approach allows customers to focus entirely on their own technology and mission objectives, while we handle everything, from design and manufacturing to launch and operations. Leveraging cutting edge AI-driven generative design and automated manufacturing, our ex-MIT, Harvard, and NASA JPL team work to create the most advanced payload-specific spacecraft at scale in weeks over months. With world‑class advisors on our board, and fresh funding from top investors like Lux Capital, we’re always on the lookout for exceptional builders, fast learners, and ambitious engineers. Whether your passion lies in spacecraft systems, avionics, ML/AI, or advanced manufacturing, you’ll be collaborating across disciplines on real missions that fly, perform in orbit, and scale internationally. We pair world-class AI/ML talent with top-tier satellite engineers under one roof to reimagine how space systems are built, starting from first principles. No bureaucracy. No legacy thinking. If you think you’re a fit, we are extremely excited to meet you. ROLE OVERVIEW Oligo builds vertically integrated infrastructure for automated spacecraft design and manufacturing. Our AI software stack, Zenith, turns raw mission requirements into flight-ready spacecraft using a pipeline of agentic AI systems, embedded simulation, and hardware-in-the-loop validation. We’re hiring a Technical Strategy & Business Engineer to operate at the intersection of engineering, customer delivery, and company/commercial/government strategy. This is a founder-adjacent role for an exceptional early-career engineer who can both ship software, engineer systems and drive external outcomes like customer success, international relations, product definition, and investor-ready narratives. You’ll work closely with the Founder/CEO to build the tools that make the customer experience radically streamlined: onboarding automation, requirements-to-spec workflows, quoting/costing interfaces, and internal systems that convert customer intent into actionable engineering work. You’ll also lead go-to-market strategy by helping craft strategic materials, preparing demos, identifying new leads and representing the business in technical conversations with customers, partners, and investors. This is a hands-on, high-leverage position for someone who is technical at their core but energized by the business. If you want to build software that directly shapes how a spacecraft company wins, this is who we want in the role. WHAT YOU’LL DO BUILD CUSTOMER-FACING WORKFLOWS AND INTERNAL PLATFORMS - Build and iterate on customer-facing tools that streamline mission intake, requirements capture, configuration review, and program execution. - Develop internal software that improves throughput across quoting, scheduling, requirements traceability, and design review workflows. - Prototype quickly, then harden what works into durable systems used by customers and internal teams. TRANSLATE EXTERNAL NEEDS INTO TECHNICAL PRODUCT EXECUTION - Join customer calls to capture real constraints and convert them into actionable product requirements. - Own the loop from customer feedback → product changes → measurable improvement in adoption and satisfaction. - Produce clear technical artifacts (demos, prototypes, specs, docs) that reduce ambiguity and accelerate decisions. SUPPORT TECHNICAL GO-TO-MARKET AND BUSINESS STRATEGY - Help build the company’s external narrative through technically grounded decks, memos, and written materials. - Support BD execution: targeted research, outreach support, deal preparation, and follow-through on partner/customer threads. - Build automation and tooling that makes the go-to-market motion repeatable (demo environments, onboarding flows, CRM-like internal systems). OPERATE AS A HIGH-TRUST EXTENSION OF THE CEO - Take ownership of mission-critical projects that would otherwise sit with the Founder/CEO. - Represent Oligo in select meetings when technical credibility and clarity are required. - Drive cross-functional execution across engineering, product, and customer-facing workstreams. WHAT YOU’LL BRING MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - Bachelor’s/Master’s degree (or willing to take leave) in Computer Science, Engineering, AI/ML, Aerospace, or related technical field (or willing to leave existing program). - Strong software engineering ability: can ship end-to-end systems, not just coursework prototypes. - Proficiency in Python and/or TypeScript (or equivalent) and modern engineering tooling (APIs, databases, CI/CD, Docker). - High agency and ownership: you can take ambiguous problems, define a plan, and execute without heavy oversight. - Strong written and verbal communication skills and able to communicate with customers, engineers, and executives. - Interest in startups, strategy, and business execution alongside technical work. PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE - Experience building customer-facing products (dashboards, workflows, automation, integrations, internal tools). - Familiarity with AI/agent workflows (RAG, LLM tooling, evals, orchestration, prompt/program design) and pragmatic applied ML. - Exposure to aerospace, robotics, manufacturing, or other real-world hardware systems (academic, internship, club, or professional). - Comfort in customer-facing settings: can lead technical discussions, run follow-ups, and maintain momentum. - Strong taste for product: understands how to design workflows that feel sharp, reliable, and fast. PAY RANGE Salary range: $134,000 – $144,000 / per year (level dependent; early/mid-career targeted). This role is on-site in Hawthorne, CA. BENEFITS - Equity - Unlimited PTO - Medical (Platinum coverage), Vision, & Dental Insurance - Catering provided on-site everyday ADDITIONAL INFORMATION You may be eligible for our suite of benefits including medical, vision & dental coverage.