Partnerships Manager

The role

You will build and manage a pipeline of R&D, materials, and chemicals teams at US industrial companies. You will negotiate commercial terms, close B2B deals, and help shape the company's go-to-market strategy.

What you will do

• Identify and reach R&D, materials and chemicals teams at US industrial companies.
• Own the pipeline from first conversation to signed agreement.
• Use network and market knowledge to open doors in innovation hubs.
• Turn materials challenges into proposals with scientists and Technical Program Managers.
• Negotiate commercial terms and bring agreements to signature.
• Turn first engagements into lasting relationships.
• Help decide which customer types and sectors to focus on first.
• Bring market feedback back to product, research and leadership teams.
• Help build processes, materials and the playbook for the wider team.
• Represent CuspAI at industry events and conferences.

Required qualifications

• 8+ years in partnerships, business development or sales roles selling to industrial R&D, materials, chemicals or semiconductor organizations.
• Experience bringing digital R&D tools to scientific teams, for example materials informatics, lab data platforms (ELN, LIMS) or simulation software.
• A track record of sourcing and closing B2B deals with multiple stakeholders and long sales cycles.
• A network among R&D and business leaders at US industrial companies.
• The ability to explain AI and computational concepts clearly to scientists and business leaders alike.
• Comfort with ambiguity, and the drive to build structure from scratch in a fast-growing startup.
• Willingness to travel regularly within the US and to Europe.

Nice to have

• An advanced degree in chemistry, materials science, physics, chemical engineering or a related field.
• Experience at a company working in materials informatics, scientific software or AI for R&D.
• Experience building a market or commercial function from the ground up.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Equity in CuspAI
• 21 days holiday (US), in addition to local public holidays
• 26 weeks parental leave for primary caregiver at full pay
• 12 weeks parental leave for secondary caregiver at full pay
• Professional development budget

About the company

CuspAI is a frontier AI company on a mission to solve the breakthrough materials needed to power human progress. The founding team is comprised of researchers in AI, chemistry and engineering.