Head of Federal

Location: Flexible (preferably Washington, DC)
Travel: Up to 40–50%, including regular visits to government agencies, industry events, and partner sites

About Mersenne

Mersenne is designing compact, long-duration nuclear generators designed for radically autonomous, resilient energy. Our flagship product, STARFALL, is a high-efficiency, modular microreactor designed to deliver years uninterrupted power and laying the groundwork for our vision of decentralized energy for Earth and beyond.

Our go-to-market begins with the U.S. federal government, where resilient energy is mission-critical and regulatory frameworks are rapidly evolving to support next-gen nuclear. Incubated and self-funded by a founding team of serial entrepreneurs with deep expertise in software, hard tech, and nuclear engineering, Mersenne is at the forefront of a once-in-a-generation energy transition.

We’re looking for an exceptional federal go-to-market leader — someone who can lead Mersenne’s entry into the public sector and architect our strategic relationships with DoD, DOE, NASA, and other key federal stakeholders. This is not a traditional sales role: it blends early-stage BD, federal strategy, partnerships, regulatory coordination, and policy intelligence.

As our first GTM hire, you’ll build and lead our federal engagement strategy, navigate complex regulatory and procurement pathways, and help position STARFALL as a category-defining energy technology.

• Drive early federal traction: Own the development of BD pipelines with DoD, NASA, DOE, and other federal agencies

• Lead proposals and contracting strategy: Shape responses to OTAs, SBIR/STTR, BAAs, and other acquisition vehicles for prototype technologies

• Engage decision-makers and program leads: Build deep, trusted relationships across federal energy, defense, and R&D institutions

• Coordinate internal + external stakeholders: Manage consultants, lobbyists, grant writers, and regulatory affairs teams as needed

• Act as a market intelligence engine: Translate developments in nuclear regulation , federal energy policy, and agency budgets into strategic direction

• Contribute to product-market fit: Work with technical teams to shape the STARFALL roadmap around real-world federal use cases

• Be the face of Mersenne in DC and beyond: Represent us at key conferences, hearings, working groups, and white-paper collaborations
  

• 8+ years of federal BD experience in national security, defense tech, energy, or dual-use startups

• Demonstrated success closing complex deals or securing multi-million-dollar contracts with federal agencies (P&L ownership)

• Deep familiarity with federal acquisition paths, including OTAs, FAR, CRADAs, and prototype pathways

• Experience working with or within agencies like DoD, DOE, NASA, DHS, or national labs

• Comfort operating in pre-Series A or startup environments — wearing multiple hats, navigating ambiguity, and building systems from scratch

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to synthesize technical narratives into strategic, policy-aligned messages

• Networked in the DC/federal energy ecosystem, or with stakeholders in defense innovation and nuclear regulatory reform
  

• Background in nuclear energy, microreactors, or advanced energy systems

• Experience working with or advising the National Labs, NRC, or legislative staff on energy-related policy

• Familiarity with lunar and space-based energy initiatives (NASA, DARPA LunA-10, etc.)

• Previous experience building early-stage GTM or federal programs at Anduril, Palantir, Oklo, Radiant, X-energy, Kairos, etc.

• Public affairs or policy advisory experience, especially in energy resilience, climate tech, or national security

• TS/SCI Eligible

The stars are aligned — nuclear is being re-embraced, regulatory pathways are opening, and private + public demand for resilient power is surging. This is your chance to help bring autonomous nuclear energy to Earth, the Moon, and Mars — not someday, but soon.

You’ll be joining at the ground floor of a company that intends to redefine the nuclear industry and unlock new frontiers of energy sovereignty.