Aether · 1 month ago
European Business Development Lead
Menlo Park, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$95K/yr - $185K/yr
8+ years expAether Biomachines is building the future of protein engineering with AI and is seeking an experienced European Business Development Lead. This role involves developing partnerships within the aerospace, defense, and industrial sectors across Europe, focusing on strategic planning, technical sales, and government engagement.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)Machine LearningMedical
Responsibilities
Develop a strategic plan to expand Aether’s presence in European aerospace, defense, and industrial markets
Map the EU ecosystem: primes, Tier 1/Tier 2 suppliers, additive manufacturing OEMs, service bureaus, research agencies, defense innovation units, industrial conglomerates
Identify early commercial pathways where Aether’s materials capabilities drive step-change performance
Lead partner engagements with A&D and industrial organizations across R&D, advanced materials groups, CTO offices, innovation labs, and engineering teams
Navigate long procurement cycles, qualification processes, and multi-layered stakeholder environments
Structure collaborations, pilot projects, PoCs, joint development agreements, and multi-year technical partnerships
Work closely with Aether’s scientists to define technical workstreams and project scopes
Translate customer engineering challenges into internal problem statements
Assess feasibility, risks, and potential paths from prototype > qualification > deployment
Engage with EU and national agencies (ESA, DLR, CNES, ONERA, UK DSTL, Fraunhofer, etc.) to identify strategic partnership opportunities
Represent Aether in dual-use and advanced materials consortiums and industry events
Track funding mechanisms, pilot programs, and government-backed innovation pathways
Build and manage a robust pipeline across priority verticals
Provide structured feedback to leadership to inform product roadmap and technical investment areas
Be the on-the-ground extension of the US BD team - operating independently but collaboratively
Qualification
Required
Experience in business development, strategic partnerships, or commercial roles selling into aerospace, defense, advanced manufacturing, industrial and specialty chemicals
Ability to develop partnerships with companies operating in aerospace, defense, advanced manufacturing, transportation, industrial and specialty chemicals, and government innovation bodies
Experience in navigating complex industrial procurement cycles and building trust with conservative technical buyers
Ability to develop a strategic plan to expand presence in European aerospace, defense, and industrial markets
Experience in mapping the EU ecosystem including primes, Tier 1/Tier 2 suppliers, additive manufacturing OEMs, service bureaus, research agencies, defense innovation units, industrial conglomerates
Ability to identify early commercial pathways where materials capabilities drive step-change performance
Experience in leading partner engagements with A&D and industrial organizations across R&D, advanced materials groups, CTO offices, innovation labs, and engineering teams
Ability to navigate long procurement cycles, qualification processes, and multi-layered stakeholder environments
Experience in structuring collaborations, pilot projects, PoCs, joint development agreements, and multi-year technical partnerships
Ability to work closely with scientists to define technical workstreams and project scopes
Ability to translate customer engineering challenges into internal problem statements
Experience in assessing feasibility, risks, and potential paths from prototype to qualification to deployment
Experience in engaging with EU and national agencies to identify strategic partnership opportunities
Ability to represent the company in dual-use and advanced materials consortiums and industry events
Experience in tracking funding mechanisms, pilot programs, and government-backed innovation pathways
Ability to build and manage a robust pipeline across priority verticals
Ability to provide structured feedback to leadership to inform product roadmap and technical investment areas
Ability to operate independently but collaboratively as an extension of the US BD team
Preferred
8-12+ years in business development, strategic partnerships, or commercial roles selling into: Aerospace (commercial or defense), Defense primes or subcontractors, Dual-use or national security technology, Advanced manufacturing (AM, composites, high-performance materials), Industrial / specialty chemicals or engineered systems
Demonstrated success in complex, multi-stakeholder technical sales (12-36+ month cycles)
Strong familiarity with the EU aerospace/defense procurement and supplier ecosystem
Ability to credibly engage with engineering teams, R&D leadership, CTO offices, and technical program managers
Proven ability to build a market from zero and operate with high autonomy
Experience operating in regulated or security-conscious environments with high expectations around rigor, documentation, and risk mitigation
Background in materials science, chemical engineering, aerospace engineering, industrial biotech, or related applied sciences (degree helpful but not required)
Experience with EU government R&D or innovation programs (Horizon, ESA, DLR, BMVg/AID, etc.)
Multilingual (English, German, French, Dutch, or Nordic languages)
Experience at deeptech startups or dual-use technology companies
Company
Aether
Aether Biomachines is an American artificial intelligence company that discovers proteins with high-impact, real-world applications.
11-50 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageTotal Funding
$64.41MKey Investors
Tribe CapitalArtis Ventures
2025-12-03Series Unknown· $15M
2025-09-22Series Unknown· $0.32M
2023-08-16Series A· $49M
Leadership Team
Jay Zaveri
Co-Founder & President
Recent News
alleywatch.com
2025-12-09
Business Wire
2025-12-05
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