Head of Commercial Strategy

About Oceanus Oceanus Marine Technologies is building the operating platform for the modern maritime world. Global trade runs on ships, and we’re redefining what’s possible at sea by leveraging modern technology. We’re a small, hands-on team based in El Segundo building full-stack systems that perform in real operating conditions across vessels, ports, and fleets. We focus on practical, deployable technology that brings safety oversight, automation, and coordination to complex maritime environments. Our founding team previously built and operated SpaceX’s Autonomous Spaceport Droneships, which are among the most advanced autonomous maritime systems ever deployed. Today, we work with leading U.S. operators to bring that same rigor and systems thinking to the next generation of maritime infrastructure. About the Role Oceanus is looking for an exceptional early leader to help shape how our platform reaches the market and creates real operational value. This is a highly strategic, deeply cross-functional role at the intersection of customer operations, product strategy, engineering, and company growth. You will work directly with early customers and design partners, spending meaningful time in the field to understand how maritime and adjacent operational environments actually function. Your job is to identify where Oceanus creates the most value, translate operational complexity into product and market insight, and help define how the company scales from early deployments into repeatable market traction. This is a systems-oriented leadership role for someone who loves complex environments, strategic ambiguity, customer discovery, and shaping company direction from first principles. The right person may also help define Oceanus’s early government engagement strategy across relevant federal stakeholders. Key Responsibilities Become deeply embedded with early customers, design partners, and operational stakeholders Spend significant time in the field understanding workflows, infrastructure, operational constraints, and real-world user behavior Translate customer pain points, feature requests, and operational insights into clear product requirements and strategic recommendations Partner closely with engineering and leadership to prioritize the highest-leverage opportunities Distinguish bespoke customer asks from scalable platform opportunities Build and formalize the customer learning and feedback loop Help shape market segmentation, customer prioritization, and go-to-market sequencing Identify high-potential adjacent markets and expansion opportunities Support strategic customer development and early commercial relationships Help define how Oceanus scales from pilot deployments into repeatable commercial success Contribute to long-term product positioning, commercial strategy, and market development Help establish the company’s early government engagement roadmap across relevant federal agencies and strategic programs Minimum Qualifications 8+ years of relevant experience in strategic product, customer strategy, technical business development, deployment, commercial strategy, systems engineering, or adjacent leadership roles Strong technical credibility and comfort operating in engineering-heavy environments Experience working with complex operational systems, infrastructure, or mission-critical technologies Proven ability to translate ambiguous customer needs into structured product, operational, or strategic outcomes Strong strategic judgment and systems thinking Excellent communication skills, including the ability to bridge technical and non-technical stakeholders High ownership, strong execution instincts, and comfort operating in fast-moving early-stage environments Willingness to spend significant time with customers in operational environments Preferred Skills and Experience Engineering degree strongly preferred; MBA or equivalent business experience can be additive Experience in Maritime systems, Autonomy systems, Industrial infrastructure, Aerospace, Logistics or transportation infrastructure, Offshore energy, or Defense technology Experience deploying integrated hardware + software platforms into real-world environments Vessel operations or offshore operational experience Experience with early-stage government engagement or public sector strategy Military, Navy, Coast Guard, or defense operational background Work Environment On-site with the team at our office in El Segundo, CA Regular travel to customer sites and operator locations as needed Compensation and Benefits We are open to a wide range of experience levels. The expected salary range for this role is $160,000 - $240,000. Final compensation will be determined based on experience, skills, and scope of the role. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage Generous Equity participation Fully stocked kitchen and catered lunch every day Onsite EV charging Flex Paid time off and company holidays 401(k) traditional and roth options Additional benefits that support your health, growth, and well-being Why Now — Why Oceanus Maritime operations are at the edge of a revolution — new connectivity and compute are finally unlocking remote monitoring, autonomy, and digitization. Regulatory, economic, and geopolitical pressure is accelerating technology adoption, and U.S.-aligned infrastructure is more valuable than ever. Oceanus is not just another vendor — we are building on hard-won operational experience, including work on autonomous maritime systems supporting missions like SpaceX droneships, and have deep operator engagement with strong product-market alignment. You will help form the technical core of a team transforming an industry that quite literally moves the world. Why Oceanus, Why Now Maritime operations are at the edge of a revolution. New connectivity and compute are finally unlocking remote monitoring, autonomy, and digitization. Regulatory, economic, and geopolitical pressure is accelerating technology adoption, and U.S.-aligned infrastructure is more valuable than ever. Oceanus is building on hard-won operational experience, including work on autonomous maritime systems supporting missions like SpaceX droneships, and have deep operator engagement with strong product-market alignment. You will help form the technical core of a team transforming an industry that quite literally moves the world.