Full-time position | Hybrid - San Mateo, CA + Field
Note: In accordance with export control regulations, this position requires candidates to qualify as a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined under 8 U.S.C. a7 1324b(a)(3)). For engagements with cleared customers, an active or obtainable U.S. security clearance is preferred but not required.
YOUR IMPACTAs an Enterprise AE for Aerospace & Defense, you are Luminary's primary revenue driver into aerospace OEMs, eVTOL/UAM companies, space launch providers, propulsion manufacturers, and defense prime contractors. You own the full sales cycle - from prospecting and executive relationship development through commercial close - and partner tightly with the Lead Delivery Engineer to ensure seamless GTM-to-delivery handoff. You are equally comfortable in a room with a chief engineer debugging a simulation workflow and in a room with a CFO walking a multi-year program roadmap.
WHAT YOU'LL DO- Own a territory across Aerospace & Defense - prospecting, qualifying, and closing net new logos while expanding existing accounts.
- Drive complex, multi-stakeholder enterprise sales cycles from first conversation to signed SOW, navigating technical buyers (chief engineers, simulation leads, program managers), economic buyers, and procurement.
- Partner with the Solution Engineer to align on use case scoping, SOW structure, and delivery capacity before and during the sales cycle - maintaining continuity through GTM-to-delivery handoff.
- Lead commercial conversations with technical credibility: hold a substantive conversation with engineering teams about simulation workflows, AI-driven analysis, and where Physics AI creates competitive leverage.
- Build and maintain executive relationships across engineering and program leadership - VP Engineering, Chief Engineers, Directors of Simulation and Analysis, and Program Managers - at target accounts.
- Develop account plans and territory strategy; manage pipeline in CRM with rigor and forecast accurately.
- Represent Luminary at industry conferences, customer on-sites, and events (AIAA, AIA, AUVSI, SpaceTech, NDIA, etc.).
- Navigate ITAR/EAR and government acquisition considerations in commercial dialogue with defense accounts.
- Bring market and customer signal back to Product and GTM leadership - you are a primary sensor for competitive dynamics, buyer pain, and emerging use cases in the vertical.
WHAT YOU BRING- 5-10 years of enterprise B2B sales experience, with a demonstrated track record of closing six- and seven-figure deals in a complex, long-cycle environment.
- Domain fluency in aerospace or defense engineering - enough to earn credibility with simulation engineers, chief engineers, and program managers on the first call. You don't need to run CFD; you need to understand what's hard about it.
- Experience selling engineering software, simulation software, or AI/ML tools into aerospace, defense, or adjacent technical buyers. CAE, CFD, FEA, PLM, HPC, or digital twin experience is directly relevant.
- Comfort with technical complexity - Physics AI is not a commodity; you can translate physics-based modeling into business value and vice versa.
- U.S. Person required.
- CRM rigor and pipeline discipline - you build, manage, and close your own pipeline.
- Collaborative orientation - Luminary's GTM motion is tightly coupled with delivery; you work seamlessly with LDEs and technical teams throughout the sales cycle.
- Self-starter mentality, persistent through long cycles, willing to travel 25-40% to customer sites and industry events.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS- Prior experience selling to aerospace OEMs (Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier, Embraer, Textron), eVTOL/UAM (Joby, Archer, Wisk, Beta, Lilium), space (SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, Relativity, Stoke), or propulsion (GE Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, Safran).
- Prior experience selling to defense primes (Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing Defense, Raytheon/RTX, General Dynamics, L3Harris) or defense agencies (DARPA, AFRL, NRL, ONR).
- Background in, or deep familiarity with, high-fidelity simulation: CFD, FEA, aeroelasticity, MDO, or certification-relevant analysis.
- Experience navigating ITAR/EAR, DFARS, or government acquisition frameworks in commercial engagements.
- Active or obtainable U.S. security clearance preferred for accounts with cleared program requirements.
- Track record of building net new pipeline in greenfield or early-market technical verticals where education is part of the sale.
