Senior Product Marketing Manager, Defense & Partnerships

Location: Remote within U.S. (regular travel)

About the Opportunity

As a Senior Product Marketing Manager, Defense & Partnerships, you'll shape how Palladyne AI brings advanced autonomy solutions to the defense market. You'll lead product marketing efforts across our defense portfolio while building collaborative marketing programs with strategic technology partners that strengthen our market presence and support business growth.

Palladyne AI (NASDAQ: PDYN) develops embodied AI software that enables robots and autonomous systems to observe, learn, reason, and act in complex real-world environments. Our technology powers intelligent autonomy across defense, industrial, and other mission-critical applications.

You'll thrive in this role if you enjoy translating complex technologies into compelling market stories, collaborating across technical and commercial teams, and balancing strategic thinking with hands-on execution. You're energized by building marketing from the ground up, comfortable wearing multiple hats, and motivated by seeing your work directly influence customer engagement and business outcomes.

What You'll Do

Defense Product Marketing

• Develop positioning, messaging, and value propositions for defense products and programs.
• Build competitive intelligence, market analyses, and sales enablement materials that help differentiate Palladyne AI in the marketplace.
• Translate customer, partner, and field insights into messaging frameworks, marketing briefs, and go-to-market assets.
• Partner with Marketing Communications to develop content, collateral, product launch materials, and campaign assets.

Partner Marketing

• Serve as the primary marketing contact for defense and commercial technology partners.
• Develop and execute joint marketing plans that align partner objectives with Palladyne AI's business goals.
• Coordinate partner marketing initiatives across trade shows, digital marketing, collateral, customer engagements, and industry events.
• Support marketing initiatives for international defense partnerships, including adapting messaging and coordinating event participation.

Sales Enablement

• Create battle cards, one-pagers, presentations, customer briefs, and other sales enablement tools.
• Collaborate closely with Business Development to understand customer needs and develop marketing resources that support field success.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner with Product Management, Engineering, Business Development, Program Management, and Marketing Communications to execute successful go-to-market initiatives.
• Manage multiple priorities while maintaining a high standard of quality and execution.

What Makes Someone Successful Here

• You have strong product marketing fundamentals and enjoy building positioning, messaging, and competitive insights from the ground up.
• You can quickly understand complex technical products and communicate their value to diverse audiences.
• You build trusted relationships across internal teams and external partners.
• You're comfortable working independently and taking ownership in a lean, fast-moving organization.
• You combine strategic thinking with a willingness to personally develop high-quality marketing deliverables.
• You adapt quickly to changing priorities while maintaining attention to detail and execution excellence.

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Communications, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Approximately 8–10 years of progressive marketing experience, including at least 5 years in product marketing.
• Demonstrated experience developing positioning, messaging, competitive intelligence, and sales enablement materials for complex technical products.
• Experience marketing to the U.S. defense market with an understanding of defense buyers, acquisition processes, and mission-focused messaging.
• Experience managing co-marketing initiatives with technology partners.
• Proven ability to translate complex technologies into compelling messaging for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, project management, and organizational skills.
• Experience collaborating cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, Business Development, and Marketing teams.
• Experience succeeding in startup, growth-stage, or similarly lean organizations where ownership and execution are expected.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience marketing autonomous systems, AI, robotics, UAS, aerospace technologies, mission software, or advanced defense technologies.
• Experience supporting defense trade shows, product launches, demonstrations, and industry events.
• MBA or other advanced degree.
• Familiarity with defense technology partnerships and joint go-to-market initiatives.

Why Join Palladyne AI?

• Help define the market for next-generation embodied AI and autonomous systems.
• Make a visible impact on products supporting mission-critical defense and industrial applications.
• Work alongside experienced technical and business leaders in a collaborative, high-performing environment.
• Own meaningful work with significant autonomy and opportunities for professional growth.
• Join a company where your ideas, initiative, and execution directly influence business success.

Location

Remote within the United States with regular travel for customer meetings, partner engagements, and industry events.

Benefits & Perks

• Competitive salary
• 401(k) with company match
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Paid time off and company holidays

Work Authorization & Clearance

This position requires the ability to work in the United States without current or future sponsorship.

Depending on the nature of the work, the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance may be required. Candidates may be asked to provide additional information relevant to clearance eligibility in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

The Fine Print

No third-party candidates will be accepted.

Palladyne AI is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.