Head of growth - health

Avalanche Energy is a Seattle-based advanced energy company developing compact fusion power systems, neutron generators, and related technologies that will enable resilient power and multi-domain mobility from the deep sea to the lunar surface and beyond.

We are seeking a Go-to-Market & Growth Strategy Lead to identify, evaluate, and develop the markets and business models that will turn Avalanche Energy's technology portfolio into scalable government and commercial businesses. This role sits at the front end of growth, combining market intelligence, customer discovery, commercialization strategy, business case development, and financial modeling to determine where the company should invest, which opportunities warrant pursuit, and how products and services should be positioned, priced, partnered, and brought to market.

You will report to the Director of Strategy and work closely with business development, executive leadership, science & engineering, finance, regulatory, and program teams to connect customer needs and market evidence to product strategy, R&D priorities, investment decisions, and go-to-market plans. You will size opportunities, build decision-grade financial models, test commercialization hypotheses with customers and partners, assess technical and economic feasibility, and develop the analyses and executive materials required to move new concepts from promising technology to validated business opportunity. As opportunities mature, you will help define the customer value proposition, solution concept, commercial model, and pursuit rationale before qualified opportunities are transitioned into capture and proposal execution.

GTM Strategy, Market Intelligence, and Business Cases

Support the definition and activation of go-to-market strategies for Avalanche technologies, including priority use cases, market segments, target accounts, key buyers, acquisition pathways, route-to-market, partner strategy, and commercialization sequencing.

Conduct federal and commercial market research, market sizing, customer and competitor analysis, policy and budget analysis, and pricing research to identify attractive markets and synchronize growth activities.

Build decision‑grade business cases and financial models for new products, services, partnerships, demonstrations, and programs, including revenue, margin, cost, pricing, capital requirements, unit economics, ROI, NPV, and sensitivity or scenario analyses.

Translate market evidence and customer demand into clear recommendations for R&D priorities, product roadmaps, investment decisions, make‑buy‑partner choices, and commercialization plans.

Develop market theses, growth plans, account strategies, and executive decision materials that connect long‑term company strategy to near‑term actions and measurable outcomes.

Evaluate alternative commercialization and business‑model pathways and recommend the path that best balances speed, capital efficiency, risk, and long‑term value.

Customer Discovery and Technical Solutioning

Serve as a bridge between customers, business development, finance, regulatory, and Avalanche's science & engineering teams during early‑stage engagements.

Translate customer mission needs, performance objectives, interfaces, constraints, schedules, budgets, and acquisition requirements into clear internal requirements, assumptions, trade studies, and decision points.

Collaborate with scientists and engineers to investigate feasibility, assess technical approaches, identify development gaps and risks, and formulate solutions for government customers, commercial prime contractors, and strategic partners.

Develop and communicate recommended solution concepts, configurations, development plans, prototyping, demonstrations, trials/pilots, and proof‑of‑capability activities, clearly distinguishing current capability from proposed development and future commitments.

Capture customer feedback, technical observations, and competitive insights and convert them into actionable inputs for product development, R&D, positioning, and pursuit strategy.

Conduct structured customer‑discovery efforts that test market hypotheses, quantify customer value, validate willingness to pay, and identify barriers to adoption or deployment.

Synthesize customer, technical, regulatory, competitive, and financial evidence into executive‑ready commercialization recommendations and investment decisions.

Pricing, Commercial Structuring, and Growth Decisions

Support pricing and negotiation activities by integrating business‑case assumptions, technical inputs, cost and schedule estimates, bases of estimate, risk positions, and expected value with finance and technical teams.

Develop pricing architectures, deal economics, revenue models, and scenario analyses for products, services, demonstrations, licensing structures, and strategic partnerships.

Assess capital requirements, development funding needs, production economics, and commercialization risk to support internal investment decisions and external negotiations.

Provide market, technical, and financial analysis to business development and capture teams for customer engagements, pricing decisions, teaming discussions, and pursuit strategies.

10+ years of experience in defense, space, or energy growth strategy, management consulting, technical business development, or a related role in a technology sector.

Bachelor's degree in engineering, science, economics, finance, business, or a related field.

Demonstrated ability to take ambiguous technical or market opportunities from initial hypothesis through research, customer discovery, business case, financial model, solution narrative, proposal, and executable plan.

Very strong financial and analytical skills, including market sizing, pricing, revenue and margin modeling, unit economics, ROI, scenario analysis, and clear presentation of assumptions and sensitivities.

Demonstrated ability to translate customer needs into technical solution concepts in collaboration with scientists and engineers and explain complex technologies to executive and non‑technical audiences.

Demonstrated experience building decision‑grade business cases, investment models, market‑entry analyses, or commercialization plans for complex hardware, energy, aerospace, defense, or other deep‑technology products.

Ability to independently structure ambiguous analytical problems, identify the critical assumptions and data needed to resolve them, and communicate recommendations clearly to executive and technical stakeholders.

Startup “builder” mindset: comfortable moving between strategy and execution, creating new processes, working through ambiguity, and managing multiple high‑priority workstreams.

Preferred / Bonus:

MBA, advanced technical degree, or equivalent experience.

Direct experience with fusion, nuclear, isotopes, radiation systems, high‑voltage tech, semiconductors, aerospace, defense tech, or an adjacent deep‑technology sector.

Experience working with the DoW, DOE, NNSA, NASA, Intelligence Community, national laboratories, or regulated commercial customers.

Experience evaluating business models for capital‑intensive or regulated technologies, including product, service, licensing, infrastructure, or public‑private partnership models.

Experience supporting corporate strategy, strategic finance, management consulting, investment analysis, or new‑venture commercialization in an R&D‑intensive company.

Experience developing cost and schedule estimates, bases of estimate, pricing strategies, and price‑to‑win analyses for proposals.

Working knowledge of nuclear or fusion regulatory frameworks.

Experience with CRM software, business‑intelligence, financial‑modeling, and data‑visualization tools.

Active DoW security clearance.

10 paid holidays and company‑wide December holiday break.

Meaningful equity in the form of stock options.

This position may require access to export‑controlled information. S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual).

Stock Options. We are embarking on an unrealistically ambitious project that will change the course of life on earth. Flexible Schedule. We are a start‑up with constraints, but we take care of our people.

Health Insurance. We provide 100% employer paid health, dental and vision insurance premiums, with one of the best plans available.