Business Development Associate

DS creates systems that power the next generation of radio spectrum intelligence. We collect radio data from all over the world, train neural networks to decipher it, and run them on the smallest chips we can. We’re solving a new, technically hard problem where nothing from other fields works out of the box, and along the way, we’ve built our own stack from scratch, including entirely new embedding model architectures, custom GPU kernels, and much more.

This year we’ve done 8-figure revenue, tripled our headcount, and raised a $25M Series A led by Sarah Guo (Conviction), Akhil Iyer (Shield Capital), and Nat Friedman (NFDG). We’re using it to invest in new research and to grow our small, New York-based team across engineering, research, and product.

Joining DS means owning major parts of a fast-growing AI research organization, joining a collaborative, talent-dense team with decades of experience in probabilistic ML, accelerated computing, embedded systems, and signal theory, and growing your career in the areas that interest you. You’ll fit in if you want to come to work for the problem itself and don’t want to choose between technical rigor, business value, and real-world impact. We work with high ownership and trust, and we do it together in the office 5 days/week.

As a Business Development Associate, you’ll be a critical on-ramp into our Growth function, helping the team scale our go-to-market efforts and enabling strategic customer engagements. You’ll support BD operations, conduct market research, prepare materials, and help coordinate external and internal communications. This role provides an opportunity for early-career professionals, or individuals who are new to the defense sector, to get hands-on exposure to strategic BD activities, sales cycles, and organizational infrastructure.

What You’ll Do

• Support the Growth team’s operations, helping to organize internal workflows, meeting coordination, documentation, and infrastructure for BD initiatives.

• Create high-impact content, including PowerPoint decks, SharePoint or CRM updates, Salesforce entries, white papers, and briefing materials.

• Conduct research and analysis, covering markets, competitors, program landscapes, customer segments, and emerging RF sensing needs.

• Assist with client engagement, managing follow-ups, scheduling meetings, and helping maintain seamless communication both internally and externally.

• Gather and synthesize insights, such as synthesizing customer pain points or BD themes, which help inform strategy and prepare senior leadership for engagements.

Who We're Looking For

• 0–2 years of professional experience in defense, tech, consulting, or related fields (internships count!)

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail; you thrive behind the scenes supporting execution.

• Excellent written and verbal communication, and comfort crafting presentations and distilling complex information.

• Curious and research-oriented; passionate about learning market dynamics and aiding strategic decisions.

• Interest in RF sensing, edge AI, defense, or mission-critical technologies.

• Enthusiastic, proactive, and eager to contribute in a dynamic startup environment.

• Eligible for US security clearance

Nice to Have

• Exposure to defense or government workflows, acquisition programs, or national security markets.

• Familiarity with spectrum management, signal intelligence (SIGINT), or RF technologies.

Who Thrives at Distributed Spectrum

• Fast learners over specific backgrounds – We care more about how quickly you can pick up new skills than where you’ve worked before.

• Intellectual honesty – The right answer matters more than being right. You challenge assumptions, test ideas, and pivot when needed.

• Adaptability – We’re organized, but sometimes things change quickly. You find a way to make it work and balance short-term deliverables with long-term goals.

• Ownership of outcomes – You optimize your own time, focus on what matters to deliver quickly, and cut out inefficiencies.

• Not building in a vacuum – You stay connected to the rest of our teams and our customers to make sure all the pieces fit together.

What We Offer

• Above-market salary, equity, and benefits package.

• Early Series A Equity

• Excellent health, dental, and vision coverage

• 401(k) match - up to 4% of your salary

• Flexible PTO

• Daily office lunches in NYC