At Vast, our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. We are building artificial gravity space stations, allowing long-term stays in space without the adverse effects of zero-gravity. Our initial crewed space habitat will be Haven-1, scheduled to be the world’s first commercial space station when it launches into low earth orbit in August 2025. Our team is all-in, committed to executing our mission safely and on time. If you want to work with the most talented people on Earth furthering space exploration for humanity, come join us.
Vast is looking for a Director, Business Development - BioPharma, reporting to the SVP of Business & Product Development, to lead sales of Vast’s commercial space capabilities to lead our efforts in establishing and expanding partnerships within the biopharmaceutical industry. This role will be critical in positioning our space station as a premier platform for bio research and innovative solutions in a microgravity environment.
This will be an exempt role located in Long Beach.
Responsibilities:
- Develop and execute a comprehensive business development strategy targeting pharmaceutical companies, research institutions, and government agencies interested in microgravity research opportunities.
- Identify, negotiate, and secure strategic partnerships and collaborations that enhance the company's value proposition and drive revenue growth in bio pharma sales.
- Conduct thorough market research to identify trends, potential clients, and emerging opportunities in the biopharmaceutical sector, particularly regarding the unique advantages of microgravity.
- Oversee the sales pipeline, from lead generation to contract negotiation, ensuring that all sales targets and objectives are met or exceeded.
- Work closely with internal teams, including engineering , marketing, and operations, to align business development efforts with the company’s overall mission and capabilities.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders in the biopharmaceutical industry, representing the company at industry conferences, trade shows, and other networking events.
- Position the company as a thought leader in the biopharmaceutical space by sharing insights on the benefits of microgravity for drug development and conducting presentations to industry stakeholders.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in business, scientific, or engineering discipline.
- 5+ years of experience in microgravity-related research and/or business development with a focus on innovative technologies or research environments.
- 3+ years of experience in a leadership position.
- Proven track record of successfully developing and closing high-value partnerships.
- Strong understanding of biopharmaceutical research and development processes, as well as market dynamics.
Preferred Skills & Experience:
- Experience in microgravity research or space-related projects.
- Familiarity with regulatory frameworks and compliance in the biopharmaceutical industry.
- Established network of contacts within the biopharmaceutical sector.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex data.
- Experience with digital marketing and sales tools.
- Ability to think creatively and strategically to identify new business opportunities.
- Strong leadership skills, with experience managing and mentoring teams.
- Experience in communicating the benefits of microgravity to scientists and researchers in government and commercial industry.
Additional Requirements:
- Willingness to travel as required to meet with domestic and international customers (20%-50%).
- Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends as needed.
Salary Range: California
$190,000—$225,000 USD
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
Base salary will vary depending on job-related knowledge, education, skills, experience, business needs, and market demand. Salary is just one component of our comprehensive compensation package. Full-time employees also receive company equity, as well as access to a full suite of compelling benefits and perks, including: 100% medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents, flexible paid time off for exempt staff and up to 10 days of vacation for non-exempt staff, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, free catered meals and snacks and beverages, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, One Medical membership, ClassPass credits, personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health, and other discounts and perks.
U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS
The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. This status includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
Vast is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Vast is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
What We Do
Founded in 2021 by Jed McCaleb, Vast is developing humanity’s next-generation space stations and pioneering the path to long-term living and thriving in space. Haven-1, scheduled to be the world’s first commercial space station, is currently in development and is expected to launch in 2025. Vast is also developing Haven-2, the proposed successor to the International Space Station (ISS), designed to serve NASA’s Commercial LEO Destinations (CLD) program as a micro-gravity laboratory in space. Vast’s long-term ambition is to create artificial gravity habitations that enable humans to live in space, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring a spacefaring future for all.
Why Work With Us
We're developing artificial gravity space stations to expand humanity across the solar system in order to enable large populations to live and work in space. Not only is what we're working on groundbreaking, but the team prides itself on living by our values of respect, curiosity, action, and excellence making it a lot more fun to achieve our goal.
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