Business Developer Defense - 100%

Tethys Robotics creates cutting‑edge robotic systems for subsea inspection and investigation in demanding environments. As an ETH Zürich spin‑off, the company supplies governments, large asset operators and industrial service providers with technology that must perform reliably in mission‑critical settings. The Business Developer Defence will help scale the business by turning the firm's innovative portfolio into concrete opportunities within the defence market. In this role you will turn your network into qualified leads, co‑design go‑to‑market and partnership strategies together with the business team and senior management, and craft customised proposals in close collaboration with engineering. You will also navigate complex procurement processes, present technically sophisticated solutions to non‑expert decision‑makers, and travel to national and international customer sites to demonstrate the technology and attend trade shows. The position requires deep connections with key buyers and decision‑makers at defence primes and procuring organisations such as NATO member states. You must bring more than five years of customer‑facing experience in consulting, project management, B2B sales or similar roles involving advanced technology, and you need to communicate fluently in professional English, both written and spoken. A valid driver's licence and willingness to travel up to 50 % of the time (regularly around 25 %) are mandatory. The employer also expects strong negotiation and networking abilities, proven skill in explaining complex products to non‑technical audiences, and a persistent, structured approach to owning outcomes. A caring, curious and coachable attitude with a focus on continuous improvement rounds out the core profile. Tethys offers a key position in one of Europe's most ambitious underwater‑robotics start‑ups, a fast‑paced environment with flat hierarchies, real ownership and rapid decision‑making. The team values a builder mentality and encourages diversity and inclusion. You will work from a modern office near Zurich's city centre and lake, while also enjoying frequent international travel, field demonstrations and trade‑show participation. Bonus points are given for prior sales experience in defence, maritime, robotics or offshore sectors, experience with sales‑pipeline or CRM tools such as HubSpot, and fluency in professional German. What the role asks for: - Existing connections with key defence buyers and decision‑makers - Over 5 years customer‑facing experience with advanced technology - Proven ability to present complex products to non‑experts - Excellent communication, negotiation and networking skills - Fluent professional English, written and spoken - Valid driver's licence - Flexibility for spontaneous national and international travel - Persistent, structured, outcome‑oriented work style - Caring, curious, coachable attitude with continuous‑improvement focus - Nice‑to‑have: background in project management or technical consulting - Nice‑to‑have: sales experience in defence, maritime, robotics or offshore - Nice‑to‑have: experience managing sales pipelines or CRM (e.g., HubSpot) - Nice‑to‑have: fluent professional German