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Business Development Startup Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

Merlin Labs

Director, Business Development

Washington, DC · On-site +1

$220K - $290K/yr

Minimum 30% travel Qualifications: * 8-10+ years of experience in business development or ... Merlin Labs offers an innovative, entrepreneurial, and team-focused startup environment. We also ...

Merlin Labs

Director, Business Development

Washington, DC · Remote

$220K - $290K/yr

Minimum 30% travel Qualifications: * 8-10+ years of experience in business development or ... Merlin Labs offers an innovative, entrepreneurial, and team-focused startup environment. We also ...

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Business Development Startup information

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How much do business development startup jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 15, 2026, the average yearly pay for business development startup in Washington is $96,953.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $69,100.00 and $113,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What kinds of challenges might I face working in business development at a startup, and how can I prepare for them?

Business Development roles in startups often involve navigating uncertainty, adapting to rapidly changing markets, and prioritizing multiple growth initiatives with limited resources. You may encounter challenges such as establishing brand presence, building new partnerships from scratch, and frequently shifting strategies to respond to feedback or market conditions. To prepare, it's helpful to embrace flexibility, seek continuous learning, and proactively communicate with both internal teams and external stakeholders. Successful candidates often thrive in fast-paced environments and are comfortable taking calculated risks to drive company expansion.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in business development at a startup?

To succeed in a Business Development Startup role, you need strong analytical abilities, market research skills, sales acumen, and ideally a background in business or entrepreneurship. Familiarity with CRM software, data analysis tools like Excel or Tableau, and project management platforms is common, though formal certifications are less emphasized than demonstrated results. Exceptional networking, adaptability, and persuasive communication are standout soft skills for building client relationships and navigating dynamic startup environments. These capabilities enable individuals to identify new opportunities, drive growth, and help startups achieve scalability in competitive markets.

What is a business development startup?

A Business Development Startup job focuses on identifying growth opportunities, building partnerships, and driving revenue for a new or early-stage company. Professionals in this role analyze market trends, create sales strategies, and develop relationships with clients, investors, or other stakeholders. They often work closely with product, marketing, and leadership teams to scale the business. The role requires strong communication, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills.

What are popular job titles related to Business Development Startup jobs in Washington?

For Business Development Startup jobs in Washington, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Business Development Startup jobs in Washington look for?

The top searched job categories for Business Development Startup jobs in Washington are:

What cities in Washington are hiring for Business Development Startup jobs?

Cities in Washington with the most Business Development Startup job openings:

Business Development Startup jobs near you
Infographic showing various Business Development Startup job openings in Washington as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 81% Full Time, 16% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 91% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $96,953 per year, or $46.6 per hour.

Director, Business Development

Merlin Labs

Washington, DC • On-site, Remote

$220K - $290K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 16 days ago

Job description

About Merlin:
Merlin (NASDAQ: MRLN) is a publicly traded aerospace and defense company building a non-human pilot to deliver full-stack autonomy for any aircraft from takeoff to touchdown. The Merlin Pilot autonomy system powers a growing range of aircraft and mission profiles and has been proven through hundreds of autonomous flights from Merlin's global flight test facilities, including Kerikeri, New Zealand; Quonset Point, Rhode Island; and soon, Bedford, Massachusetts. Headquartered in Boston, Merlin is expanding its organization to accelerate the development and deployment of its autonomy platform, helping customers solve some of aviation's most pressing challenges, from pilot shortages to improving flight safety. Backed by some of the world's leading investors prior to its public listing, Merlin continues to advance the certification and commercialization of autonomous flight across commercial and defense aviation.
About you:
You are an accomplished, roll-up-your-sleeves, innovative and technical expert capable of developing new business at aviation, autonomy or crew workload reduction technologies. You can collaborate, lead and follow in partnership with other key functional partners including product development, engineering, program management, contracts, and others to build business pipelines and strategic relationships.
You are comfortable operating as a peer to senior military and commercial leaders while also acting as a force multiplier for the General Manager, Mobility and SOF. You translate customer needs into program execution. You are highly collaborative, data-driven, and focused on driving engagement and growth for the organization.
Responsibilities:
  • Develop, execute a detailed engagement and growth strategy for Merlin Labs to capture government business in the Mobility and SOF pipeline
  • Build and maintain senior-level relationships across U.S. government agencies, including defense, aviation, and related stakeholders
  • Connect current and be able to influence future needs/requirements for Mobility and SOF customers with Merlin's products, programs, technologies and capabilities
  • Provide quarterly updates/reviews to Merlin Labs senior leadership
  • Drive early processes for new pursuits by collaborating with internal and external customers on strategic planning, including traditional and non-traditional acquisition pathways
  • Build compelling proposals to win government business
  • Accurately determine budgets and procurement intentions to set realistic Price to Win targets
  • Achieve a set KPI's to expand and convert Pipeline to align with internal priorities
  • Minimum 30% travel

Qualifications:
  • 8-10+ years of experience in business development or government relations, preferably with customer-facing experience
  • Strong understanding of U.S. government structure, procurement processes and funding mechanisms
  • Experience engaging with DoD, FAA, DHS or related agencies
  • Proven ability to build relationships that lead to programmatic outcomes and revenue generation
  • Strong understanding of mission-driven technologies, ideally in aerospace, aviation or defense
  • Strong experience writing proposals that win government business
  • Experience operating in complex, regulated environments
  • Exceptional communicator-comfortable presenting to executives, leading live demos, and authoring polished written materials. Ability to influence senior leaders internally and externally
  • Demonstrated experience with Salesforce, including ownership of pipeline, forecasting, and reporting

Nice to Have
  • Experience with autonomous systems, aviation, or advanced air mobility
  • Familiarity with non-traditional acquisition pathways
  • Background in military service, government leadership, or senior advisory roles - experience working in or with Air Mobility Command or Special Operations Command a plus
  • Experience work in or with venture-backed or high-growth technology companies

$220,000 - $290,000 a year
The compensation range provided is a good-faith estimate based on a wide range of factors, inclusive of base salary only. The actual offer will be determined by a variety of factors including the candidate's qualifications, skills, experience, education, and training. Highly competitive equity grants are considered part of Merlin's total compensation package. Additionally, Merlin offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees.
Merlin Labs offers an innovative, entrepreneurial, and team-focused startup environment. We also offer a top-notch benefits package (health, dental, life, unlimited vacation, and 401k with match) and work/life integration. Being part of the Merlin team allows you to become part of a small team that supports professional development while working together to achieve our mission.
Merlin Labs is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, military service or obligation or disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law. All job offers are contingent upon the candidate passing background and reference checks.
At this time, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship or consider candidates who require visa transfers. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship now or in the future.
In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.
If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to: [email protected]
Merlin Labs does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from candidates.

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