Business Development & Grant Manager

About Us

At GATE Space, we develop green, chemical in-space propulsion solutions for the NewSpace economy. Drawing on years of experience developing rocket engines, our team is chasing the dream of a thriving economy in space and tackling space engineering problems with a rapid prototyping philosophy. We focus on the development of two products: The GATE Jetpack – a plug-and-play mobility solution for satellite missions – and the GATE Thruster – the world’s first chemical propulsion system capable of highly responsive deep throttling and differential thrust stabilization.

At GATE Space, we are committed to workforce diversity, equality and inclusion. We want to build a diverse team and welcome and value all applications irrespective of social and cultural background, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation or religious belief.

About Your Role

As a Business Development & Grant Manager at GATE Space, you will play a key role in securing and managing public funding that accelerates the development of next-generation space technologies.

You will be responsible for identifying funding opportunities, coordinating proposal development, managing the reporting of funded projects, and maintaining relationships with funding agencies, research institutions and institutional stakeholders. Working closely with engineering, business development, and executive leadership, you will support the entire funding lifecycle—from opportunity identification and proposal preparation to reporting, and successful project closure.

This versatile role offers the opportunity to contribute directly to the growth of a fast-moving space technology company while enabling ambitious research, development, and commercialization activities.

Your Primary Tasks

• Identify and evaluate national, European, and international funding and institutional project opportunities relevant to GATE Space.
• Lead and coordinate the preparation of grant proposals, funding applications, and consortium submissions.
• Manage complex institutional projects throughout their lifecycle, including planning, execution, reporting, and compliance.
• Develop and maintain project schedules, milestones, deliverables, budgets, and risk assessments.
• Coordinate internal teams and external project partners to ensure successful project execution.
• Manage relationships with space agencies (ALR, ESA, NASA, …), public authorities, research institutions, and consortium partners.
• Prepare technical and administrative reports required by funding organizations.
• Support contract negotiations, consortium agreements, and project governance activities.
• Ensure compliance with funding requirements, reporting obligations, and applicable regulations.

Qualifications

Required

• Technical degree in Engineering such as mechanical or aerospace Engineering, Natural Sciences, or a related field.
• Minimum 6 years of experience in project management within the space sector, or 10 years of experience in complex project and program management.
• Demonstrated experience winning publicly funded projects.
• Demonstrated experience managing and reporting publicly funded projects, innovation programs, research initiatives, or similar activities.
• Experience with European or international funding programs.
• Strong project management skills and experience with modern project management methodologies and tools.
• Excellent planning, scheduling, and organizational capabilities.
• Proven stakeholder management and coordination experience.
• Strong negotiation, communication, and presentation skills.
• Experience working with multidisciplinary teams and external partners.
• German language skills at C1 level or above.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.

Preferred

• Demonstrated success in delivering ESA and NASA projects.
• Experience coordinating multi-partner consortia and collaborative projects.
• Familiarity with grant management, proposal writing, budgeting, and reporting.
• PMP, PRINCE2, IPMA, or equivalent project management certification.
• Experience within the aerospace, space, deep-tech, or high-tech sectors.
• EU citizenship.

About Your Employment

We are looking for a full-time team member to join us as soon as possible. This position is based on-site in Vienna, Austria, with occasional travel to partner organizations, customers, conferences, and industry events across Europe and internationally.

What We Offer

• Minimum annual gross salary of EUR 75,000. A higher salary can be offered depending on qualifications, experience, and professional background.
• A front-row seat in the development and implementation of innovative space missions and technologies.
• The opportunity to help shape a rapidly growing European space company.
• Competitive compensation package depending on qualifications and experience.
• Employee Stock Option Program (ESOP), ensuring you participate directly in the company's success.
• Daily company-sponsored lunch.
• Public transportation ticket.
• Flexible working hours.
• Direct collaboration with leading industrial, scientific, and institutional partners.
• A highly motivated and ambitious international team working to redefine in-space mobility.

Join us in shaping the future of in-space mobility. If you're excited about pioneering technology, passionate about space exploration, and driven by business growth, apply now to become a key member of our dynamic team at GATE Space. Together, we'll enable the next generation of space travel and exploration.