Account Executive, Air Force

Scale is building AI for the world's most important decisions. From the front lines of national defense to the core of global enterprise, we provide the data engine and agentic infrastructure that powers the next generation of American and allied interests. The Role As an Account Executive (AE) supporting the Air Force, you will bridge the gap between cutting-edge AI research and mission-critical production in the Air Force domain. You will lead the charge in deploying agentic AI, meaning autonomous, reasoning systems, into operational workflows. We are looking for an executive account leader who understands that winning at the Air Force is not about a successful six-month prototype. It is about getting into program budgets. Scale already has proven programs across the Department of War (DoW) and in Air-Force-adjacent work. Your mandate is to take what works, bring it to your buying centers, and convert it into funded, multi-year Air-Force business. This is an individual contributor role with heavy leadership expectations. You are the CEO of your territory: one accountable owner for the customer and the commercial result. Responsibilities - Own the territory and the number. Carry and exceed an annual bookings target tied to your territory. You own the full lifecycle: identifying opportunity, shaping requirements, converting to a funded award, and expanding. You build and maintain a qualified pipeline of at least 3x your target. - Replicate what is proven. Bring proven Scale offers to new Air Force buying centers instead of starting custom pilots. You qualify hard: we pursue work that expands or connects an existing program, or that has a clear funding path. - Turn proof into programs. Secure executive sponsorship and programmed funding (POM, program-office, and production vehicles) so prototypes survive the valley of death and become deployed capability. - Tactical execution. You don't just delegate. You personally draft white papers and OTA responses, lead complex proposal development, architect deal structures, and navigate the nuances of defense acquisition. - Renewal, expansion, and growth. Own the long-term account strategy across the Air Force. Defend renewals, maintain executive relationships, identify the next use case, and secure follow-on funding that turns a single deployment into an enterprise standard. - Partner with delivery. Delivery owns execution; you own the commercial relationship. You stay close to mission outcomes and customer health, and you surface risk early, working with Engagement Managers, Technical PMs, Engineers, Product, and Customer Success. - Direct agentic solutioning. Work with your Solutions Engineer and operators to co-design agentic AI workflows. You translate a warfighter's mission problem into a specific technical requirement our engineers can build against. - SI and prime orchestration. With Scale's Partner Managers, negotiate with Tier 1 systems integrators and primes so Scale is the agentic AI engine inside their larger programs. You are the lead negotiator on subcontracting and teaming agreements. - Team selling. Work with Capture, who shape demand ahead of you, and with peer AEs in adjacent territories. You deconflict before engaging an account a peer owns. Requirements - Experience: 7+ years across Air Force operations, government acquisitions, complex enterprise IT sales, or defense business development. Time in uniform or as a government civilian in the Air Force counts heavily. - Proven track record: You have closed and implemented multi-year deals and know how to get a line item into the budget. - Domain expertise: Deep understanding of the Air Force's modernization priorities and where AI/ML, computer vision, and autonomy apply. - Valley of Death navigator: Demonstrated ability to move technology from "cool demo" to "deployed capability" inside a major PEO or program office. - Strategic network: Existing relationships across HAF, AFLCMC, PEOs, and DAF CDAO, plus relationships at the major primes and integrators. - Clearance: Active TS/SCI is strongly desired; active Secret at a minimum. - Education: BS/BA required; technical degree or MBA preferred. - Geography: Washington, DC, Colorado Springs, CO, and Dayton, OH, with the ability to work on-site or with the customer three days a week. - Travel: Ability to travel at least 30% of the time. Who You Are - Mission-driven: You believe whoever wins in AI wins the next century, and you want that to be the United States and its allies. - Relentless: You thrive in the long game of defense procurement. Bureaucracy doesn't discourage you; you see it as a puzzle to be solved. - Adaptive: You can operate in the high-velocity environment of a fast-growing company while keeping the polish required in front of a general officer. - The closer-operator: You have the executive presence to brief a PEO and the stamina to spend 10 hours in a SCIF on a proposal response. - Radically accountable: You don't wait for a marketing lead or a BD specialist to hand you a deal. You build your own funnel, navigate the "no's," and find the creative path to "yes." - Technically credible: You aren't a software engineer, but you can explain the difference between RAG and agentic reasoning to a skeptical technical evaluator. Compensation packages at Scale for eligible roles include base salary, equity, and benefits. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position and may be inclusive of several career levels at Scale; it will be determined during the interview process based on work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, qualifications, interview performance, and relevant education or training. Scale employees in eligible roles are also granted equity based compensation, subject to Board of Director approval. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process, and confirm whether the hired role will be eligible for equity grant. You'll also receive benefits including, but not limited to: comprehensive health, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, a learning and development stipend, and generous PTO. Additionally, this role may be eligible for additional benefits such as a commuter stipend. Please reference the job posting's subtitle for where this position will be located. For pay transparency purposes, the base salary range for this full-time position in the locations of Washington DC and Colorado is: $203,200-$254,000 USD Compensation packages at Scale for eligible roles include base salary, equity, and benefits. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position and may be inclusive of several career levels at Scale; it will be determined during the interview process based on work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, qualifications, interview performance, and relevant education or training. Scale employees in eligible roles are also granted equity based compensation, subject to Board of Director approval. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process, and confirm whether the hired role will be eligible for equity grant. You'll also receive benefits including, but not limited to: comprehensive health, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, a learning and development stipend, and generous PTO. Additionally, this role may be eligible for additional benefits such as a commuter stipend. Please reference the job posting's subtitle for where this position will be located. For pay transparency purposes, the base salary range for this full-time position in the locations of Dayton, OH is: $203,200-$254,000 USD PLEASE NOTE: Our policy requires a 90-day waiting period before reconsidering candidates for the same role. This allows us to ensure a fair and thorough evaluation of all applicants. About Us: At Scale, our mission is to develop reliable AI systems for the world's most important decisions. Our products provide the high-quality data and full-stack technologies that power the world's leading models, and help enterprises and governments build, deploy, and oversee AI applications that deliver real impact. We work closely with industry leaders like Meta, Ernst & Young, Mayo Clinic, Time Inc., the Government of Qatar, and U.S. government agencies including the Army and Air Force. We are expanding our team to accelerate the development of AI applications. We believe that everyone should be able to bring their whole selves to work, which is why we are proud to be an inclusive and equal opportunity workplace. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability status, gender identity or Veteran status. We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with physical and mental disabilities. 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