Senior Corporate Development Associate
Position Title: Senior Corporate Development Associate (M&A and Strategy)
Organization: The AIRO Group (Nasdaq: AIRO)
Location: McLean, Virginia (HQ) / Hybrid
Reporting Structure: Vice President, AIRO Drones
The AIRO Advantage: Engineering the Aerospace Ecosystem
The AIRO Group is a rapidly scaling, publicly traded aerospace and defense platform targeting a combined $315 billion total addressable market. We are uniquely positioned at the convergence of four critical growth vectors: Advanced Avionics, Electric Air Mobility (eVTOL), Mission-Ready Training, and Uncrewed Air Systems - UAS (Drones).
Following our highly successful 2025 public listing and armed with robust liquidity, AIRO is aggressively executing a strategic "buy-and-build" ecosystem expansion. We are actively consolidating supply chains and acquiring next-generation capabilities through targeted M&A, cross-border joint ventures, and deep technology integrations. We are seeking a highly sophisticated, financially rigorous Senior Corporate Development Associate to help architect the future of our enterprise, driving the transactions that will solidify AIRO as a dominant, mid-tier prime contractor in the global aerospace defense market.
The Role: Architecting Inorganic Growth and Technology Convergence
As the Senior Corporate Development Associate, you will operate at the epicenter of AIRO’s strategic growth engine. You will be a key operator in identifying, evaluating, and executing complex mergers, acquisitions, strategic investments, and joint ventures. This is a high-visibility, execution-focused role requiring a professional who combines Wall Street-caliber financial rigor with a deep intellectual curiosity for aerospace technology, autonomous software networks, and global defense markets.
You will interface daily with AIRO’s C-suite, external investment bankers, private equity partners, and founders of cutting-edge technology startups. Your financial models and market intelligence will directly influence board-level capital allocation decisions, shaping how AIRO integrates hardware manufacturing with high-margin recurring revenue software and services.
Strategic Mandate (12-to-18 Month Outcomes)
In this role, your success will be measured by your ability to drive strategic capital deployment and ecosystem expansion. You will be evaluated against the following key objectives:
Strategic Objectives & Measurable Deliverables
M&A Pipeline Generation
- Source, evaluate, and progress a robust pipeline of acquisition targets, focusing, among others, on autonomous swarm software, sensor fusion technologies, and middle-mile cargo logistics hardware to bridge existing capability gaps.
Transaction Execution
- Support the end-to-end execution of 2 to 3 major transactions and partnerships annually (JVs, commercial, etc.). Serve as the central analytical node for all phases of deal execution, from initial NDA and term sheet structuring through binding definitive agreements.
Complex Financial Modeling
- Build and defend highly complex, dynamic valuation models (DCF, LBO, accretion/dilution, and sum-of-the-parts analysis) that accurately price defense contracting multiples, SaaS/RaaS recurring revenues, and cross-divisional operational synergies.
Rigorous Due Diligence
- Project manage comprehensive, multi-disciplinary due diligence processes. Coordinate seamlessly with internal leaders across engineering, legal, HR, and finance, as well as external Big Four accounting and top-tier legal advisors, to identify and mitigate transaction risks.
Post-Merger Integration (PMI)
- Transition seamlessly from deal closure to value realization by developing detailed 100-day integration plans, ensuring acquired technologies and teams are effectively assimilated into AIRO’s broader "system of systems" architecture.
Desired Qualifications & Expertise
To successfully execute this mandate, candidates must possess a unique blend of financial mastery, strategic vision, and industry-specific acumen.
Competency Areas & Required Qualifications
Educational Foundation
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Engineering, or a highly quantitative discipline. A Master’s degree (MBA, MS Finance) from a top-tier institution is strongly preferred.
Professional Pedigree
- 5 to 8 years of rigorous, transaction-heavy experience in Corporate Development, Investment Banking (M&A coverage), Private Equity, or Venture Capital.
Aerospace & Defense Acumen
- Demonstrated understanding of the aerospace, defense, and emerging technology sectors. Familiarity with defense acquisition multiples, public market valuations, and the unique dynamics of hardware/software convergence.
Technical Mastery
- Unimpeachable financial modeling skills. Ability to construct complex, error-free models from scratch with a high degree of speed and accuracy. Deep understanding of corporate finance, accounting principles, and deal structuring mechanics.
Executive Communication
- Exceptional ability to synthesize vast amounts of quantitative data and market intelligence into concise, compelling investment memos and board-level presentations.
Agility and Ownership
- Proven capacity to thrive in a high-growth, newly public company environment. A "founder’s mentality" characterized by relentless problem-solving, extreme attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple complex workflows simultaneously.
Why Join The AIRO Group?
This role offers unparalleled exposure to the highest levels of corporate strategy within a dynamic, well-capitalized public company. Your work will have a direct, measurable impact on the structural evolution of the aerospace and defense industry. AIRO provides a highly competitive compensation package (including base salary, performance bonuses, and equity participation), comprehensive benefits, and a clear trajectory for accelerated career growth within the executive ranks.
Physical and Mental Requirements:
- Standing and sitting for extended periods of time,
- Lifting up to 25 pounds in a safe and prudent manner,
- Ability to work and communicate well with other employees and management,
- Ability to perform work utilizing manual dexterity of the hands,
- Ability to push, pull, bend, stoop, reach above and below shoulders, and full use of upper extremities,
- Ability to easily move through an approximately 25,000 square foot warehouse building,
- Ability to read, write, and understand English,
- Correctable vision and hearing.
This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive, and the employee may also be asked to perform other reasonably related job duties as assigned by their immediate supervisor as required. All employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time as needed.
COMPANY BENEFITS
We offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support our employees and their families, including:
- Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Paid Holidays
- Parental Leave
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- Health Savings Account (HSA)
- 401(k) with company match
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- AFLAC hospital
- Basic Life Insurance – fully paid by the company for employees and their dependents
- Long-Term Disability Insurance – fully paid by the company
- Voluntary Short-Term Disability Insurance
- Supplemental Life Insurance options
Our goal is to provide benefits that promote health, financial security, and work-life balance.
The AIRO Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Pay: $130,000.00 - $150,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Work Location: Hybrid remote in McLean, VA 22103
