Business Development Lead

At Heart Aerospace, we are developing the ES-30, a regional hybrid-electric airplane capable of carrying 30 passengers, boasting an electric zero-emission range of 125 mi and a hybrid range of 500 mi. Heart is targeting type certification of the ES-30 by the end of the decade.

As we scale our aircraft program, we are also building a component business around core aircraft systems we develop in-house, including flight control actuation and energy systems. These products reflect the same philosophy as our aircraft: software-defined, and designed for performance, reliability, and cost.

Your mission:

We are seeking a Business Development Lead - Actuation to build and lead the commercialization of Heart’s flight control actuator technology. This role spans market definition, go-to-market strategy, and direct customer engagement, turning a high-performance internal system into a standalone product line serving aerospace and adjacent markets.

You will define where we play, how we win, and then go execute, working directly with OEMs, startups, and industrial partners to land early programs and scale into a meaningful revenue stream. This is a high-impact, zero-to-one role suited for someone who can move fluidly between technical, commercial, and strategic work.

Key responsibilities include but are not limited to: 

• Define and validate the market for Heart’s actuation products: sizing TAM, segmenting customers (AAM, defense, UAV, agile incumbents), and identifying priority entry points 
• Develop and execute go-to-market strategy, including pricing, value proposition, channel strategy, and launch roadmap 
• Lead customer development and business development efforts: originating, structuring, and closing early customer programs (NRE and production) 
• Represent Heart externally at trade shows, industry events, and customer engagements, serving as the commercial face of the actuation business 
• Translate engineering performance into customer-ready narratives, proposals, and technical-commercial materials 
• Work cross-functionally with engineering, program management, and leadership to align product development with market demand 
• Build and manage a pipeline of opportunities, including forecasting, deal tracking, and partnership development 
• Identify opportunities to expand from component sales into higher-value systems and integrated solutions 

Skills & Requirements:

You'll Bring These Qualifications for the Business Development Lead position:

• 5+ years of experience in business development, product strategy, or technical sales within aerospace, defense, or advanced manufacturing
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Experience selling or supporting complex hardware systems into OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, or government customers
• Strong technical fluency, with the ability to engage credibly with engineering teams and customers on system-level topics
• Demonstrated ability to build new markets or product lines from early-stage concepts through initial revenue
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills across technical and executive stakeholders
• Willingness to travel for customer meetings, trade shows, and industry engagement

These Qualifications Would Be Nice to Have:

• Experience with actuation systems, flight controls, or adjacent aerospace subsystems
• Familiarity with certification environments (Part 23/25, DO-178, DO-254, DO-160)
• Background in early-stage or high-growth companies, particularly in AAM or electrified aviation
• Experience structuring NRE agreements, long-cycle hardware deals, or strategic partnerships