Contracts Strategy Lead, U.S. Government
- Location
- New York
- Workplace
- On-site
- Employment
- Full-time
About this role
About Nominal
Engineers today are building some of the most ambitious machines humanity has ever seen. They should have AI that’s purpose-built for them.
Nominal is building the Hardware Intelligence Platform that gives engineers increased visibility into complex physical systems, helps them make better decisions, and ultimately gets their products into the real world faster. It brings together the systems, data, intelligence, and applications hardware engineering requires to meet the AI moment. Hardware engineering teams use Nominal to simulate, test, manufacture, and operate the physical systems that keep the world moving, from spacecraft and autonomous vehicles to next-generation energy systems and robotics.
Our customers span aerospace, defense, manufacturing, transportation, energy, and robotics. They include Anduril, Shield AI, Wisk Aero, Pratt Miller Motorsports, Antares, and Shinkei Systems, amongst others, alongside programs within the U.S. Air Force and Navy. Our team draws from SpaceX, Palantir, Anduril, Applied Intuition, Tesla, and other leading companies, united by a common mission: giving hardware engineers the tools to build the future with speed, safety, and confidence. We're a fast-moving team that owns problems end-to-end, works across disciplines, and thrives at the intersection of hardware and software.
Some of the world’s leading technology investors, including Sequoia, Lightspeed, Founders Fund, General Catalyst, Lux Capital, and Insight Partners, are backing Nominal’s ambition to change how machines are built and operated. We’re looking for engineers who want to take on hard problems and help make a new generation of world-changing hardware possible.
🚀 About the role
Nominal is hiring a Contracts Strategy Lead, U.S. Government to help scale how we partner with government customers. You’ll work alongside our Government & Public Sector, Legal, Finance, Capture, and Program teams to structure complex opportunities, negotiate with acquisition organizations, and translate Nominal’s commercial software business into government-compatible acquisition strategies and contracts. As the lead individual contributor for U.S. Government contract strategy, you’ll bring deep acquisition expertise while partnering closely with experienced leaders across the company. You’ll own complex work from day one and help develop repeatable approaches that support the continued growth of our Government & Public Sector business. This is not a traditional contract administration role. We’re looking for someone who understands government acquisition, thinks commercially, and enjoys solving difficult contracting challenges alongside cross-functional teams.
✅ What You'll Do
Shape Government Opportunities
- Structure U.S. Government opportunities from proposal through award.
- Translate Nominal’s commercial software model into government-compatible pricing, licensing, and acquisition approaches.
- Review solicitations, agreements, and contract vehicles while identifying risks and recommending a path forward.
- Partner with Capture, Business Development, Finance, Legal, and Program teams on complex pursuits.
Lead Contract Negotiations
- Engage directly with Contracting Officers, acquisition teams, prime contractors, and strategic partners.
- Develop negotiation strategies that balance customer needs with Nominal’s commercial objectives.
- Educate government stakeholders on commercial software models and modern acquisition approaches.
- Support proposals, pricing submissions, statements of work, and contract negotiations.
Advance Our Contract Strategy
- Develop reusable contract language, negotiation guidance, and preferred positions.
- Improve contract-strategy frameworks, review processes, and workflows.
- Build internal best practices that make government contracting more consistent and scalable.
- Identify acquisition pathways and partnership structures that support future growth.
Support Program Execution
- Support contracts through execution, renewal, expansion, and modification.
- Partner with Program teams to ensure contractual requirements are understood and successfully delivered.
- Help resolve contracting questions that arise during program execution.
- Carry lessons from active programs into future acquisition and negotiation strategies.
🤓 About You
- You have a strong foundation in U.S. Government acquisition and apply procurement rules with sound business judgment.
- You enjoy solving ambiguous problems rather than simply following established playbooks.
- You communicate effectively with government, legal, technical, and business stakeholders.
- You can translate commercial software business models into practical government contracting approaches.
- You are comfortable independently owning complex work while collaborating across teams.
- You are excited to help build better ways of working as Nominal continues to scale.
📋 Qualifications
- 5+ years of experience supporting U.S. Government contracts, acquisitions, or contract strategy.
- Experience as a Contracting Officer, acquisition professional, contracts strategist, or in a comparable role.
- Strong working knowledge of FAR, DFARS, and common U.S. Government acquisition vehicles.
- Experience negotiating or supporting complex government contracts involving software or technology.
- Experience supporting programmatic acquisitions, multi-year programs, or larger-scale contract vehicles.
- Ability to translate commercial software pricing, licensing, and delivery models into government-compatible structures.
- Experience partnering with Legal, Capture, Finance, Program, and technical teams.
- Strong written, verbal, and customer-facing communication skills.
- This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance, in order to meet U.S. regulatory eligibility requirements for the access of classified work associated with the role.
- Willingness to travel up to 25%.
⚡ Skills that accelerate us
- Active Secret clearance is preferred, but not required.
- Experience in both DoD acquisition and commercial technology.
- Experience at a defense technology, dual-use, government SaaS, or growth-stage company.
- Experience with programmatic acquisition and sustained government programs.
- Experience with nontraditional acquisition pathways such as OTAs, CSOs, or SBIR/STTR.
- Experience helping pilots or prototype efforts transition into larger programs.
- Experience improving contract processes, playbooks, templates, or negotiation guidance.
- Experience working with prime contractors, resellers, teaming partners, or strategic partners.
✨ Benefits/Perks
- 🏥 100% coverage of medical, dental, and vision insurance
- 🏖️ Unlimited PTO and sick leave
- 🍽️ Free lunch, snacks, and coffee
- 🚀 Professional Development Stipend
- ✈️ Annual company retreat
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.
ITAR Requirements
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.
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