Business Development Intern – USAF / Space Force

Job Summary

NALEJ.ai is seeking a motivated Business Development Intern to support its go-to-market strategy within the United States Air Force (USAF) and United States Space Force (USSF) customer segments. This intern will play a key role in identifying, researching, and nurturing potential contract opportunities with relevant program offices, contracting commands, and acquisition hubs. Working closely with Corporate Operations leadership, the intern will gain hands-on experience in defense business development, government contracting, and CRM-driven pipeline management.

Responsibilities

• Focus BD outreach and opportunity research on USAF and USSF program offices, including AFRL, AFWERX, SpaceWERX, and Space Systems Command.

• Identify and research prospective government contract opportunities within the assigned branch focus area using GovTribe, SAM.gov, and open-source intelligence.

• Build and maintain a pipeline of leads and opportunities within HubSpot CRM, ensuring accurate and up-to-date records.

• Support the development of capability briefs, white papers, and introductory materials tailored to the assigned branch's priorities and procurement language.

• Assist in scheduling and preparing for government outreach meetings, industry days, and pre-solicitation engagements.

• Monitor solicitations, Sources Sought notices, and Requests for Information (RFIs) relevant to the assigned branch.

• Collaborate with the GTM Ops Intern and BD team to ensure consistent pipeline reporting and follow-up cadence.

• Research key stakeholders, program offices, and contracting vehicles relevant to the assigned branch.

• Provide weekly status updates and pipeline summaries to the Corporate Operations and CEO.

Job Requirements / Skills

• Currently enrolled in a Business, Public Policy, National Security, or related undergraduate/graduate program; George Mason University students preferred.

• Foundational understanding of or strong interest in U.S. defense and government contracting.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); CRM experience a plus.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to produce clear, concise professional materials.

• Ability to work independently and manage multiple research tasks simultaneously.

• Security clearance not required; ability and willingness to pursue clearance upon potential conversion to FTE/PTE is preferred.

• Comfort working in a fast-paced, startup-like environment within the defense technology sector.

Key Tasks

• Map key USAF and Space Force acquisition programs, contracting vehicles, and innovation hubs (e.g., AFWERX, SpaceWERX, DIU) relevant to NALEJ's capabilities.

• Conduct weekly opportunity scanning on SAM.gov and GovTribe for new solicitations and pre-solicitation notices.

• Log and update all leads, contacts, and opportunities in HubSpot CRM on a regular cadence.

• Draft one-pagers and capability summaries tailored to specific program office requirements.

• Research and map relevant contracting vehicles (e.g., GWACs, IDIQs, OTAs) applicable to the assigned branch.

• Attend and summarize relevant industry days, webinars, and government engagement events.

• Prepare weekly pipeline reports for review by the Corporate Operations lead and CEO.

Learning Outcomes

1. Gain hands-on experience in defense business development, government contracting research, and opportunity qualification for USAF and Space Force customer segments.

2. Develop a working understanding of USAF and USSF acquisition organizations, including AFRL, AFWERX, SpaceWERX, Space Systems Command, and related innovation pathways.

3. Build practical skills in GovTribe, SAM.gov, HubSpot CRM, open-source market research, stakeholder mapping, and pipeline documentation.

4. Practice translating air and space mission priorities into concise capability summaries, one-pagers, and executive-ready opportunity briefs.

5. Learn how disciplined CRM hygiene, weekly reporting, and cross-team coordination support a scalable go-to-market function.

Measures of Success

1. A current and usable USAF/Space Force opportunity pipeline is maintained in HubSpot with accurate contacts, opportunity notes, next steps, and follow-up status.

2. Key USAF and Space Force organizations, acquisition channels, innovation programs, and contracting vehicles are mapped in a way that supports leadership decision-making.

3. Weekly opportunity scans and pipeline summaries are delivered on time and include clear prioritization, not just raw listings.

4. Capability summaries and one-pagers are tailored to relevant USAF/Space Force mission needs and procurement language.

5. The intern demonstrates reliability, sound judgment, strong writing, and the ability to operate in a fast-moving defense technology environment.