5-10 years in federal policy or government relations, with relevant experience in departments like DoD, DOE, or Commerce.
Knowledge of DPA Title III and DFARS, preferably with experience in critical-minerals contracts.
Entrepreneurial mindset, eager to establish and grow a new function rather than just maintain existing operations.
Strong viewpoint on critical minerals and U.S.-China relations, with the ability to articulate and defend it.
Located in Washington D.C. with flexibility for monthly travel to the Alameda facility.
Responsibilities
Own the complete federal strategy for Solcoa, engaging with relevant governmental branches.
Build and maintain strategic relationships with key policymakers and stakeholders.
Identify and secure government-backed financing opportunities as they arise.
Monitor and influence trade and industrial policy for commercial benefits.
Engage at state and local governance levels to bolster company interests.
Collaborate with business development and lobbying teams to convert policy developments into tangible customer gains.
Benefits
Competitive base salary.
Meaningful equity package.
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
Relocation support available.
Access to an office in Washington D.C.
Visa sponsorship available if needed.
Full Job Description
Why this role, and why now
The policy moment for this company is the largest one in a generation. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act put roughly $8 billion of capital behind the U.S. critical minerals industrial base - $5B of the new Industrial Base Fund carved out for critical minerals, $2B for the National Defense Stockpile, $500M of OSC credit subsidy translating into billions of loan authority, and $1B of fresh DPA Title III appropriation through FY2027. DFARS [redacted] takes effect on January 1, 2027, banning Chinese rare earth magnets from the U.S. defense supply chain.
Solcoa has to win in this environment. We're hiring a Head of Government Relations to make sure we do. This person will own our entire government-facing surface area, and will report directly to the CEO.
What you'll do
Own Solcoa's federal strategy end-to-end - across the executive branch, the Hill, and the agencies that matter most to the critical minerals industrial base.
Build and maintain relationships with the policymakers, staffers, and operators whose decisions shape our market.
Pursue and structure government-backed financing and procurement opportunities as they emerge.
Track and shape the trade and industrial policy landscape - China export controls, allied-sourcing frameworks, defense supply chain rules - and translate it into commercial advantage for Solcoa.
Engage at the state and local level where it matters, including California.
Work with the BD and lobbying team to turn policy momentum into customer wins.
Who you are
We're looking for someone early-to-mid career who has already done real work in this space and is ready to own a function. Specifically:
5-10 years in federal policy, lobbying, or government - some combination of executive branch (DoD, DOE, Commerce, USTR, NSC, NEC), the Hill (SASC, HASC, ENR, Natural Resources, Select Committee on China), a top think tank (CSIS, CNAS, SAFE), or a critical-minerals-focused government affairs practice.
Real working knowledge of DPA Title III, the OSC, DFARS, and how DoD writes critical-minerals contracts. You don't need to have closed one of these deals yourself, but you need to know exactly who to call and what diligence looks like.
The instinct of a founder, not a staffer. You want to build a function from scratch, not inherit one. You'd rather close a deal than write a memo about closing a deal.
A strong point of view on China, critical minerals, and the defense industrial base you can defend.
D.C.-based, with a willingness to travel to our Alameda facility at least monthly.
What we offer
Competitive base salary.
A meaningful equity package.
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
