Head of Federal Programs

About Zap Energy

Zap is advancing nuclear power across fission, hybrid, and fusion technologies. Our integrated platform brings together high-energy-density physics, pulsed power, liquid metals, advanced materials, and compact, modular systems to deliver reliable, scalable energy.

About the Role

As Head of Federal Programs, you will build and lead Zap’s federal programs function, from shaping opportunities and winning awards through negotiation, execution, and delivery.

You will develop federal partnerships that advance Zap’s technical and commercial priorities while protecting its intellectual property, data rights, and commercial flexibility. A trusted advisor to the CEO and leadership team, you will help determine which opportunities warrant investment, what commitments Zap can support, and how federal work can accelerate commercialization.

This role requires someone who understands how federal programs are developed, funded, awarded, and executed. You must be credible with agency leaders, program managers, national laboratory partners, and contracting officers, and able to work effectively with scientists and engineers.

Based in either Washington, DC, or Everrett, WA, this is a hands-on role requiring regular in-person engagement with federal partners and travel to Zap’s facilities and partner locations.

Responsibilities

Federal Strategy & Portfolio

· Develop and own Zap’s federal programs strategy, aligned with the company’s technical roadmap and commercialization priorities.

· Build a prioritized portfolio of funding, procurement, demonstration, and laboratory partnership opportunities.

· Evaluate opportunities against their strategic value, probability of success, resource requirements, cost-share obligations, IP terms, and schedule commitments.

· Lead recommendations to executive leadership on which opportunities to pursue, shape, or decline.

· Track agency priorities, budgets, appropriations, and policy developments in coordination with government affairs.

Capture & Proposal Development

· Lead capture planning from early agency engagement and opportunity identification through go/no-go decisions, proposal submission, and award negotiation.

· Translate federal mission needs into compelling proposals grounded in Zap’s capabilities and technical plans.

· Direct proposal development with science, engineering, finance, legal, and external contributors, establishing clear ownership, schedules, and review processes.

· Develop teaming arrangements with national laboratories, universities, prime contractors, and industry partners.

· Build repeatable capture and proposal practices that improve quality, efficiency, and win rates.

Agency & Laboratory Relationships

· Build sustained relationships with relevant leaders and program managers across DOE, DoW, DARPA, ARPA-E, national laboratories, and other relevant agencies.

· Develop a practical understanding of agency missions, technical needs, funding pathways, and decision processes.

· Represent Zap in technical workshops, requests for information, industry engagements, and public-private initiatives.

Establish laboratory collaborations, including CRADAs and access to facilities, expertise, and user programs.

· Coordinate agency engagement with government affairs and technical leadership to maintain consistent priorities and commitments.

Program Execution & Delivery

· Establish clear scope, budgets, milestones, deliverables, reporting requirements, and internal accountability for each federal award.

· Partner with technical leaders to integrate federally funded work into Zap’s broader development plans and available resources.

· Maintain visibility into program performance, spending, risks, and obligations, escalating issues early.

Lead relationships with program officers, contracting officers, and technical monitors throughout each award.

· Coordinate customer reporting, milestone reviews, award modifications, and closeout with the responsible internal teams.

Award Negotiation, Compliance & Risk

· Partner with legal and finance to negotiate award terms, including IP and data rights, cost share, payment provisions, subawards, and teaming agreements.

· Establish processes with finance and legal to meet applicable acquisition, assistance, accounting, reporting, and audit requirements.

· Ensure leadership understands the financial, operational, and commercial implications of federal commitments before accepting them.

· Engage internal specialists and external advisors as needed to support compliant, efficient execution.

Building the Function & Advancing the Platform

• Build a federal programs function appropriate to Zap’s stage and priorities, using internal resources and external expertise effectively.

• Manage proposal consultants and other advisors supporting federal capture and program delivery.

• Work with communications and government affairs to explain how Zap’s fission, hybrid, and fusion capabilities address federal energy and national security needs.

• Identify opportunities for partnerships and programs that support emerging technologies across the integrated platform.

• Foster clear ownership and effective collaboration across science, engineering, finance, legal, and government affairs.

Qualifications

Required Experience

• 10+ years of relevant experience in federal programs, business development, or program execution within advanced energy, aerospace, defense, scientific research, or other technology-intensive sectors.

• Demonstrated success securing significant federal awards, with clear ownership of capture strategy and proposal development.

• Experience taking federal awards from negotiation into execution, including managing milestones, budgets, reporting, and customer relationships.

• Working knowledge of federal funding and acquisition mechanisms, including contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, and Other Transaction Agreements.

• Ability to evaluate award economics, resource commitments, IP and data rights, and execution risks in partnership with finance, legal, and technical leaders.</span