Head of Business Development

San Carlos, California, United States

About the company

At Swift Solar, our mission is to unlock the full potential of solar energy. We believe that solar energy has a vast, untapped potential to power our lives, fuel economies, and strengthen supply chains, while protecting planetary health in the face of global climate change. The reality is, today's solar technology is good, but it's not good enough. 

Swift Solar is making solar better with its breakthrough tandem technology that harnesses the power of perovskite materials to create solar solutions that are not only more efficient than traditional technology but also more versatile, enabling applications ranging from space solar to utility-scale power generation. 

Swift Solar is a mission-focused startup supported by the US government and backed by world-class investors.. It’s a long journey to bring a new clean energy technology to market, and we’re in it for the long haul, together. Join our extraordinary team who is building the cutting-edge solar technology that will shape the future of the global solar industry.

A day in the life

As Head of Business Development, you’ll get Swift commercial-ready by engaging strategic customers, developing partnerships, and securing purchase commitments. You’ll play a key role in scaling our perovskite solar technology as a strategic partner to our CEO, helping to develop and execute our commercialization strategy. 

On a typical day, you might meet with a key customer and structure a strategic partnership. You’ll represent Swift externally at industry events and customer discussions. You will drive negotiations and help close business deals that align with company objectives. Working closely with Swift’s technical team, you’ll develop and manage pilot projects with strategic customers. Part of the job will be conducting thorough market analysis and monitoring industry trends to identify business opportunities and support fundraising.

As an early hire, you’ll help craft Swift’s culture. In this role you’ll be contributing actively to company leadership and strategy discussions. You’ll be interacting with many parts of the company, which will naturally lead to opportunities to continue growing your own skills and responsibilities. We encourage you to take full advantage of these opportunities.

You might be a good fit if you... 

  • Have driven go-to-market (0 to 1) at a high-growth startup
  • Have a track record of success with customer discovery and development, ideally in hardtech
  • Have secured customer commitments (e.g., LOIs) prior to product launch
  • Bring a deep understanding of business strategy and strategic positioning
  • Understand solar PV industry economics and market landscape
  • Consider yourself to be extremely proactive and hands-on, a fast learner, technically competent, and a strong negotiator who is comfortable owning commercial legal contracts (e.g., pilot agreements, JDAs, LOIs)
  • Are strongly motivated to help stop climate change

A strong candidate might bring one or more of the following...

  • 10+ years of BD experience, including 4+ years at a deeptech startup
  • Top-notch writing and presentation skills
  • Strong design skills/instincts with experience developing marketing collateral for new materials and/or hardware products
  • Experience with government contracts
  • Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) in science or engineering, ideally EE, mechanical engineering, physics, chemistry, materials science, or related field
  • MBA or relevant advanced degree, with entrepreneurial focus

The logistics

  • Compensation: Competitive package including salary, equity, and benefits
    • Expected Salary Range: $200k-$250k+
  • Job type: Full-time
  • Location: San Carlos, CA (Swift Solar HQ)

What you’ll love about Swift

  • Work with purpose: Join our mission to unlock the full potential of solar energy and make a global impact. 
  • Lead with innovation: Be part of an extraordinary team building cutting-edge solar technology - growth mindset; culture
  • Thrive with benefits: Have 100% of your monthly premiums for HMO / PPO group healthcare plan options and 75% of your dental and vision insurance premiums covered by us. Employees also benefit from 401(k) matching, clean commuter benefits, and meaningful equity. 
  • Invest in your career: You’ll grow your skills, your network, and your perspective at Swift. We’ll support you in attending conferences and taking online courses, as long as you share your new insights with the team.

We acknowledge that candidates from underrepresented backgrounds often hesitate to apply if they don’t meet all the criteria. If you’re excited about this role and believe you can contribute to our team, we encourage you to apply—even if you don’t meet every qualification listed. We're eager to meet people from all backgrounds, and your unique skills and experiences could be exactly what we need.

If you believe in our mission, but this isn’t the right job for you, please check out other career opportunities on our website and email us at careers@swiftsolar.com with any questions. And if you have a friend who would be a perfect fit, send them this link. Thanks!

Swift is an equal opportunity employer. We value an inclusive work environment and welcome team members of all backgrounds and perspectives.

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