Director of Defense Tech Department

Огляд

Snake Island Institute (SII) is an independent Ukrainian defense analytics and innovation NGO working at the intersection of battlefield experience, strategic research, and international security cooperation.

SII translates Ukraine’s combat-validated knowledge into policy recommendations, partnerships, and defense technology initiatives for governments, militaries, and industry partners across the US, UK, and Europe.

SII is seeking a Director of Defense Tech to build and lead the Institute’s defense technology department. This is an ecosystem-building and facilitation role for someone who deeply understands the needs of the Ukrainian military, knows the defense tech landscape, and has the relationships and drive to connect the right people, test the right solutions, and build a functioning bridge between innovation and the battlefield.

The Director of Defense Tech will serve as SII’s primary interface between military end users, defense technology producers, and international partners — facilitating battle tests, building the defense innovation ecosystem, and ensuring that the most relevant solutions reach the people who need them.

Обов'язки

Military Needs Intelligence

• development and maintenance of a deep, current understanding of the Ukrainian military’s unmet needs for innovative technological solutions
• relationship building and management with military units, commanders, and frontline practitioners to identify priority gaps
• translation of frontline needs into structured requirements for technology producers and international partners
• representation of the military’s actual operational needs within SII

Battle Testing & Field Validation

• design and facilitation of battle testing programs for defense innovations in partnership with military units
• coordination of logistics, methodologies, and reporting for field tests and pilot deployments
• collaboration with producers and military units to establish effective feedback loops based on operational experience
• strengthening SII’s reputation as a trusted facilitator of battlefield-grounded validation

Ecosystem Building & Events

• development and leadership of events connecting defense technology producers, military end users, investors, and government representatives
• expansion of SII’s defense tech ecosystem programming, including working sessions and industry forums
• positioning SII as a key connector within Ukraine’s defense innovation ecosystem domestically and internationally

Producer–End User Matchmaking

• identification of relevant Ukrainian and international defense tech companies, startups, and research programs aligned with military needs
• facilitation of introductions and working relationships between producers and military end users
• support of due diligence processes to assess operational relevance, maturity, and applicability of proposed solutions
• development and maintenance of SII’s network of trusted defense tech producers across Ukraine, the US, UK, EU, and partner countries

Due Diligence & Quality Assessment

• leadership of SII’s due diligence framework for evaluating defense innovations
• preparation of structured assessments supporting decision-making for military partners, government programs, and international funders
• maintenance of SII’s credibility and rigor as a trusted intermediary

Вимоги

• substantial experience in defense technology, military innovation, defense industry, or a closely related field
• deep firsthand understanding of the Ukrainian military’s operational environment and technology needs, ideally through military service or sustained collaboration with frontline units
• established network within the Ukrainian defense tech ecosystem, including producers, startups, Brave1, and military innovation programs
• proven ability to facilitate complex multi-stakeholder processes and build trust across military, industry, and government sectors
• strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to drive programs from concept to execution
• fluent English and Ukrainian
• high-energy, entrepreneurial mindset and comfort working in ambiguous environments
• direct military service experience or experience embedded with frontline units will be an advantage
• experience with defense tech accelerators, procurement, or international defense cooperation programs will be an advantage
• existing relationships with international defense industry stakeholders in the US, UK, Israel, or NATO partner countries will be an advantage
• experience designing or managing field testing or pilot programs will be an advantage

Умови

• opportunity to build a defense tech ecosystem role from the ground up with direct operational impact
• access to Ukrainian military leadership, international defense industry stakeholders, and government partners
• platform to shape how Ukraine’s battlefield innovations reach domestic and international audiences
• dynamic, mission-driven team culture
• competitive compensation based on experience