Director of Business Development - DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland)

Das ist der Job

You will work closely with our advisors in Brussels on all of it. /p pThis is not a representative office job.

Darum lohnt es sich

ppRainmaker is pioneering a modern cloud seeding system to solve water scarcity and inclement weather problems.

We develop and incorporate radar validation, weather‑resistant UAS, numerical weather modeling, and sustainable cloud seeds into an effective precipitation enhancement solution. /p pThe Rainmaker Business Development team identifies and pursues new domestic and international cloud‑seeding opportunities and fosters relationships with key officials and organizations focused on water and sustainability.

We are hiring three market leaders to open Europe, and this is the anchor role: you will own Rainmaker’s commercial and government strategy across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (DACH), and drive deals to signature from the Swiss hub our European team will operate from. /p pThis is an ambitious, founder‑style role with significant opportunities for growth.

The role is expected to grow as the market matures. /p h3What You’ll Do /h3 ul liBuild Rainmaker’s go‑to‑market and account strategy for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, owning every deal from qualification to signature. /li liBuild trusted relationships at federal, state, cantonal, and local levels, including water and agriculture ministries, meteorological services (MeteoSwiss, DWD, GeoSphere Austria), hail defense associations, agricultural insurers, ski resorts, and alpine hydropower operators. /li liMap the EU and national funding landscape with our Brussels advisors, spanning research, agriculture, and climate adaptation instruments, and make the call on which are worth our time. /li liCoordinate with Rainmaker’s international teams to establish the Swiss hub and direct the region’s regulatory and legal workstreams, including entity formation and UAV airspace access with national aviation authorities under EASA frameworks. /li liHire and lead the team that follows you, and build the playbooks the rest of Europe reuses. /li liRepresent Rainmaker in ministerial meetings, industry forums, and media across the region. /li /ul h3Required Qualifications /h3 ul li10+ years across business development, government affairs, commercial sales, or strategy, with material experience in both public‑sector and fast‑growing commercial settings. /li liProfessional fluency in German and English.

You can write the market entry thesis on Monday and run the negotiation on Friday. /li liProven public communicator: panels, high‑level roundtables, and on‑record national media. /li liHigh tolerance for ambiguity and willingness to travel frequently across the region, to Brussels, and to the U.S. /li /ul h3Preferred Qualifications /h3 ul liWorking knowledge of the EU funding and regulatory landscape: Horizon Europe, LIFE, EIC, EASA drone regulation, and how Brussels actually allocates money. /li liExisting network in Swiss climate and research circles, such as ETH Zurich, MeteoSwiss, or the Zurich reinsurance ecosystem. /li liExperience crafting and closing novel contracts. /li liSufficient scientific literacy to hold credible conversations with water officials, meteorologists, hydrologists, etc., or strong enough curiosity to get there quickly. /li /ul h3Using AI in Your Application /h3 pFluency with modern AI tools is an expectation for this role, and we encourage you to use them as you prepare your application.

Equity participation and benefits included.

If you are interested in working in an extremely innovative and fast‑paced environment where your work directly impacts our mission to position Rainmaker as a global leader in water abundance, apply here. /p h3About the Role /h3 pAfter successfully expanding across the U.S. and Middle East, Europe is Rainmaker’s next major expansion.

Beyond national and cantonal or state governments, you will need to understand how Brussels moves money and writes rules: which EU funding instruments are real for a company like ours, which regulations shape drone operations, and which EU entities matter.

We expect more outbound, more travel, and more direct selling than a typical corporate development position. You will be the link between Europe and Rainmaker’s HQ in El Segundo, California, representing the company to customers and feeding back signals so that product, science, and policy decisions reflect on‑ground conditions.

French or Italian is a strong plus given the linguistic range of the Swiss hub. /li liStrong existing industry and trade association relationships across one or more of Rainmaker’s adjacent sectors: water, agriculture, insurance, energy, environment, airspace or infrastructure. /li liTrack record of building something from zero: first deals, first regulatory clearances, first contracts in a new market or category. /li liComfortable operating at both strategic and operational altitude.

We are evaluating your own judgment, experience, and perspective, so human inputs should be the foundation of what you submit. /p p120,000 CHF - 240,000 CHF a year /p pAnnual base salary of CHF 120,000–160,000 with an annual performance bonus tied to company and individual objectives. Total target compensation is CHF 190,000–240,000.

Placement within range reflects experience, and bonus outcomes reflect performance. Final structure will follow Swiss employment law and market practice, including any applicable 13th‑month salary arrangement. /p /p #J-18808-Ljbffr