VP of Sales (with path to Chief Commercial Officer) (New York)

At Interstellar Lab, we are building a future full of life, on Earth and beyond. We advance plant cultivation and science through AI‑powered autonomous greenhouse systems that enable precise and controlled plant growth. Our solution provides sustainable, high‑performance production of botanicals — enhancing terrestrial biodiversity, resource efficiency, and natural ingredient quality — while preparing life for multi‑planetary expansion.

On Earth, our BioPods provide optimized, low‑impact cultivation for the beauty, fragrance, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical industries. In space, we conduct microgravity plant research to reveal fundamental insights into growth, adaptation, and biochemistry, driving spin‑off innovations for Earth applications and supporting long‑duration missions in Space through partnerships with agencies and commercial providers.

About the Role

As Director or VP of Sales (poised to become Chief Commercial Officer), you will lead commercialization with a plant‑science‑driven strategy. You will manage two distinct yet synergistic commercial streams:

• Primary focus – Sustainable plant production on Earth : Drive sales of BioPods and recurring services to large enterprises in cosmetics, fragrance, perfume, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceuticals. Position BioPods as the leading solution for controlled‑environment, sustainable cultivation that boosts metabolite yields, ensures batch consistency, minimizes environmental footprint (near‑zero water/pesticide use), and delivers premium, traceable natural ingredients.
• Separate strategic track – Space program opportunities : Independently pursue customers and partners for microgravity plant research collaborations. Target the same industries (or their R&D divisions) plus space‑focused entities to fund and co‑develop experiments on upcoming orbital platforms—exploring low‑gravity effects on plant physiology, nutrient uptake, phenotyping, genetic responses, and bioactive enhancement—to unlock proprietary insights that accelerate Earth‑based optimization while building our space program revenue.

You will engage at the CEO and C‑level with confidence, own end‑to‑end commercial strategy across both tracks, and report directly to the CEO on segmented revenue, pipeline health, and growth metrics.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a high‑impact sales strategy for Earth‑based BioPod deployments, securing large‑scale contracts for sustainable, high‑value plant production.
• Separately cultivate a dedicated space‑program pipeline: identify and qualify partners interested in sponsoring or collaborating on microgravity plant science experiments, leveraging synergies for terrestrial R&D benefits.
• Qualify leads, negotiate, and close complex deals—including BioPod hardware + long‑term services on Earth, and research/partnership agreements for space‑based studies.
• Maintain a segmented, robust pipeline: lead generation through industry networks (beauty/pharma for Earth; R&D/innovation + space stakeholders for partnerships) to contract signature.
• Deliver accurate, trackable revenue forecasts and KPIs (split by Earth contracts vs. space milestones/partnership funding), with direct CEO reporting.
• Represent Interstellar Lab at targeted events: plant science, cosmetics, pharma, and ingredient conferences for Earth sales; life‑sciences and microgravity research forums (U.S. and Europe) for space opportunities.

Profile / Qualifications

• 7+ years of B2B sales leadership in cosmetics, fragrance, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, or plant‑derived ingredient supply chains—with strong knowledge of plant science, bioactive/metabolite production, and sustainable sourcing practices.
• Demonstrated success closing complex, seven‑figure+ deals with Fortune 500‑equivalent companies.
• Established C‑level network in target industries; proven ability to engage R&D/innovation leaders on advanced plant research and cross‑sector opportunities.
• Experience owning full commercial P&L and scaling revenue from <$5M to >$20M in tech‑enabled or high‑growth settings.
• Entrepreneurial mindset to establish scalable processes in a startup; adept at handling dual‑market strategies (mature terrestrial vs. emerging space).
• Fluent English (native/bilingual); Bachelor’s in Business, Life Sciences, Plant Biology, Agronomy, or related field; MBA a plus.
• Bonus: Background in agtech, space intersections, microgravity biology, or industry‑funded scientific partnerships.

Compensation

Competitive fixed salary + uncapped commission based on revenue milestones (Earth contracts + space partnership/funding achievements), plus equity in a mission‑driven, high‑growth company.

Equal Opportunity

Interstellar Lab is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected characteristics.