MISSION FOR YEAR 1Kunin operates at the center of active US critical-minerals policymaking: new defense sourcing mandates, stockpile rebuilds, federal financing programs, and state economic development. The founder currently does all government-facing work personally. You will institutionalize Kunin's own government relations across the agencies, the Hill, and the states, with a clear lead priority: the Department of Defense's Office of Strategic Capital and the federal financing programs it anchors. Beyond OSC, you will drive special government projects, including Tennessee (TNECD) and Texas state incentive programs supporting Kunin's facilities.
Within your first 12 months, we expect:
- A working OSC relationship and a credible position in its financing pipeline.
- State incentive engagements advanced with Tennessee and Texas economic development authorities.
- Working relationships established across the relevant committees, the Tennessee delegation, and the defense, energy, and commerce agencies that own critical-minerals programs.
- Same-day policy intelligence on rulemakings, export-control updates, and solicitation forecasts feeding commercial timing and founder strategy.
WHAT YOU'LL LEAD- The Office of Strategic Capital relationship and Kunin's positioning across federal financing programs for critical minerals.
- Special government projects: TNECD and Texas state incentives, site-linked programs, and directed federal opportunities.
- Executive branch engagement across defense industrial-base offices, strategic materials programs, energy and loan programs, and export-control agencies.
- Federal legislative relationships: armed services and appropriations committees, energy and natural resources, and the Tennessee delegation.
- Policy intelligence: the in-house read on rulemaking, export controls, and stockpile solicitations.
- Management of outside lobbyists and GR consultants, with advocacy compliance.
WHO YOU ARE- Bachelor's degree with 6+ years in government affairs touching the defense industrial base, critical minerals, energy, or advanced manufacturing.
- Policy operator with genuine substance: able to read a DFARS rule or an NDAA section and produce the "what it means for us" memo the same day.
- Experienced across the Hill, agency policy shops, or defense-industrial government affairs, with a record of moving report language or a provision.
- Skilled at briefing a member or senior official on 15 minutes' notice and writing tight one-pagers.
- Tennessee delegation relationships or state economic development experience a strong plus.
- Communicator who makes a first-of-kind company legible to policymakers and policymaking legible to the company.
COMPENSATIONThis role will pay $160,000 - $330,000, benefits, and equity.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS- Must be a U.S. citizen.
- Monthly travel to Chattanooga, TN and Oak Ridge, TN.
- Extended hours and weekends frequently required to support critical project milestones.
"The Whole World Is Ion-Exchange And The Rest Are Merely Details!"
Dr. Robert Kunin of Rohm and Haas, The Pioneer of the Ion-Exchange Industry, 1951
