U.S. Government Capture Lead - Defense Space Systems Hybrid - Los Angeles, CA

U.S. Government Capture Lead - Defense Space Systems

Full-time

Zenno develops the most powerful magnetic technologies for space. This is a new class of superconducting systems designed to power the next era of human expansion. Our belief is simple—stable and scalable infrastructure in space will rely on resources already present there.

Zenno is building that future by harnessing one of the fundamental forces of the universe, electromagnetism. Our superconducting technologies enable fuel-free spacecraft positioning, radiation shielding, and electromagnetic acceleration systems for defense, transportation, and industrial activity in space.

Zenno is hiring a hands-on U.S. Government Capture Lead to find, shape, and win defense and national-security-space funding.

This role exists to locate government funding, shape the requirement before it is fully formed, and personally drive capture through award. You will identify executable funding paths, build working-level customer relationships, own capture end-to-end, and convert opportunities into funded contracts. You will work directly with the CEO and engineering team to align customer needs with Zenno's technical capabilities and lead each pursuit from first contact through submission and award.

Zenno has a lean team. This is an individual contributor role: you write the material, run the capture, and close. There is no proposal staff, capture team, or government-affairs layer behind you. This is not a classical sales role and not a people-management role. Near‑term opportunities start around $500k and should scale into the single‑digit or tens of millions. We are not hiring someone to chase improbable $100M awards, work only at flag/SES level, or “manage a pipeline”.

• Identify, shape, and capture U.S. government and national‑security‑space funding for Zenno’s superconducting space systems.
• Find and qualify funding vehicles (BAAs, CSOs, OTAs, SBIR/STTR, IDIQ/task orders, rapid‑acquisition paths, program‑office budget routes, and prime/sub paths).
• Personally own capture: pre‑solicitation shaping, writing/assembling submissions, teaming, follow‑up, negotiation, and award conversion.
• Engage working‑level stakeholders – program managers, contracting officers, requirements owners, and technical leads – not only senior introducers.
• Work with engineering to produce customer‑facing technical material.

• Map the priority program offices, funding vehicles, and working level stakeholders.
• Open or reactivate direct relationships with relevant PMs, KOs, requirements owners, and technical leads.
• Identify 5-10 executable opportunities in the $500k-$10M range, each with a named funding path.
• Develop an initial capture plan the CEO and engineering can run.

• Open direct working‑level engagement with at least one relevant program office or prime capture team.
• Submit a first customer‑facing package with engineering (white paper, RFI, BAA/CSO/SBIR, or teaming input).
• Establish a credible path to a first funded action in the $500k-$5M range.
• Define the follow‑on route into larger development or production work.

• Demonstrated success personally capturing and converting U.S. government funding for spacecraft space systems, or complex defense hardware.
• Recent, usable working-level relationships with defense or national‑security‑space customers (program managers, contracting officers, requirements owners, or technical leads).
• Proven ability to convert early customer discussions into funded contracts.
• Hands‑on experience using government funding pathways – BAAs, CSOs, OTAs, SBIR/STTR, IDIQ/task orders, rapid‑acquisition, and/or program‑office budget routes.
• Ability to…