---
title: 'Business Development Intern at wardstone.space'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/business-development-intern-wardstone-space-el-segundo-62ac1psa2yb8'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-05'
---

# Business Development Intern at wardstone.space

- **Company:** wardstone.space
- **Location:** El Segundo, CA
- **Compensation:** $6k–$10k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-07-26
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-05
- **Apply:** https://jobs.gem.com/wardstone-space/am9icG9zdDrdJlYmVk2tXAdl43wpRkhL

## Job description

## Overview

Wardstone is a defense-tech startup building next-generation space and missile defense systems to protect the United States and its allies. We work closely with the Space Force and Air Force to move fast from concept to deployed capability. We are looking for a Business Development Intern to support customer discovery, government engagement, and strategic partnerships. We have a strong preference for candidates with prior military service working within the Air Force, Navy, or any other missile defense experience. Bonus points for graduates of U.S. military academies.

## What You’ll Work On

- Support engagement with DoD customers, labs, and program offices
- Help prepare briefing materials, whitepapers, and proposals (SBIR, BAAs, RFPs)
- Track and analyze defense programs, budgets, and acquisition pathways
- Assist with partner and prime contractor outreach
- Conduct market and competitive analysis across defense and space domains
- Sit in on real customer calls, strategy discussions, and reviews
- Potential travel to military bases and conferences domestically
- Bonus points for active clearance This is a hands-on role with direct exposure to how early-stage defense companies work with government customers.

Who We’re Looking For

- Prior service members strongly preferred, especially graduates of:- U.S. Air Force Academy
- U.S. Military Academy (West Point)
- U.S. Naval Academy
- Currently pursuing or recently completed a degree in engineering, policy, economics, business, or a related field
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Comfortable with ambiguity and fast-moving environments
- Interest in national security, defense acquisition, and emerging technology
- Ability to work in the U.S. (citizenship required)

Bonus points for experience with:

- DoD acquisition processes or program offices
- SBIR / STTR or government contracting
- Strategy, consulting, or defense policy
- Engineering background and ability to engage with engineers

## Why Wardstone

- Work on real national security problems with real customers
- Learn how defense startups engage with the DoD from the inside
- Direct mentorship from founders
- High ownership, real responsibility, no busywork
- Competitive compensation for interns

## About wardstone.space

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Wardstone builds a modular, low-cost interceptor platform for air and missile defense, designed to counter threats from Group 4 UAS to medium-range ballistic missiles.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Seed stage; raised $5M)
- **Headquarters**: El Segundo, California, USA
- **Founded**: 2025
- **Founders**: Sebastian Fischer (CEO) and Tobias Fischer

## Core Business
- **Primary industries**: Aerospace & Defense, Missile Defense, Space-Based Interceptors
- **Target customers**: U.S. Department of Defense (Space Force, Missile Defense Agency, Air Force Research Labs), allied nations
- **Mission or purpose**: To out-produce, out-innovate, and out-perform adversaries by building a modular interceptor platform that can be mass-produced, rapidly adapted, and fielded at the pace of evolving threats.

## Products & Services
- **Hailstorm (Ground-Based Interceptor)**: A right-sized, modular surface-based interceptor demonstrated in the Mojave (Mach 2.5, 40,000 ft). Uses a large particle cloud (1 km diameter) to kinetically neutralize hypersonic and ballistic missiles, reducing cost and sensing requirements.
- **Space-Based Interceptor Constellation**: Satellites equipped with kinetic interceptors designed to counter hypersonic and ballistic missiles from orbit. Part of the “Golden Dome” concept.
- **Modular Platform Architecture**: Interchangeable components allow mission-specific configuration, rapid upgrades, and parallel production across multiple suppliers.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Total Funding — $5M seed round (raised from Nova Threshold, Liquid 2 Ventures, Bow Capital, B5 Capital, Allegis Capital)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Y Combinator (fall 2025 cohort), relationships with AFWERX, Space Systems Command, Air Force Research Labs, Navy Joint Special Operations Command
- **Growth Signals**: Accepted into Y Combinator; first prototype (Hailstorm-Ground) successfully flown; letters of support for a $3M SBIR grant; inbound requests for additional use cases; hiring multiple engineering roles.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Modularity**: Standardized, interchangeable components decouple production from single bottlenecks, enabling surge manufacturing and supply chain resilience.
- **Cost advantage**: Interceptors are designed to be “right-sized” to the threat, drastically reducing per-unit cost compared to traditional “exquisite” interceptors (e.g., THAAD, GMD).
- **Unique kill mechanism**: Large particle cloud increases probability of intercept without requiring precise hit-to-kill, reducing sensor and actuator costs.
- **Incremental path**: Starting with ground-based interceptors before scaling to space-based systems, allowing technology maturation and customer validation.

## Strategic Focus
- Near-term: Deliver ground-based interceptors to fill the “missing middle” threat band (Group 4 UAS to MRBMs) and secure SBIR/IRAD contracts.
- Medium-term: Deploy space-based interceptors as part of the U.S. “Golden Dome” missile defense architecture.
- Continuous improvement: Open architecture to integrate new technologies without redesigning the entire platform.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-driven**: Direct impact on national security and countering hypersonic threats.
- **Early-stage startup**: Opportunity to shape the company’s technology and culture from the ground up.
- **Engineering focus**: Roles span mechanical, electrical, avionics, propulsion, GNC, simulation, and sensing.
- **Compensation & equity**: Competitive salaries ($100k–$160k for engineers) plus equity grants.
- **Location**: El Segundo, CA — a growing aerospace startup hub near LA Air Force Base and Space Force facilities.
- **Work environment**: Likely on-site/hybrid (El Segundo office); YC alumni culture with fast iteration and hands-on testing (e.g., Mojave flight tests).

## Sources
1. [wardstone.space](https://wardstone.space/)
2. [wardstone.space/careers](https://wardstone.space/careers)
3. [wardstone.space/ourstory](https://wardstone.space/ourstory)
4. [spacenews.com](https://spacenews.com/startup-bets-on-new-approach-to-space-based-missile-defense/)
5. [ycombinator.com](https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/wardstone)

## Other roles at wardstone.space

- [RF Sensing Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/rf-sensing-engineer-wardstone-space-el-segundo-sn8m2hqgqmy2) — El Segundo, CA
- [Engineering Intern](https://feeny.ai/job/engineering-intern-wardstone-space-el-segundo-rdcvr3c95qf3) — El Segundo, CA
- [Electrical Engineer - Avionics](https://feeny.ai/job/electrical-engineer-avionics-wardstone-space-el-segundo-k8h27tze6sg3) — El Segundo, CA
- [Simulation and Modeling Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/simulation-and-modeling-engineer-wardstone-space-el-segundo-7j963gyyqhar) — El Segundo, CA
- [Guidance, Navigation, and Controls Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/guidance-navigation-and-controls-engineer-wardstone-space-el-segundo-af4nyczss525) — El Segundo, CA
- [Propulsion Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/propulsion-engineer-wardstone-space-el-segundo-5ez4q6jh0mr1) — El Segundo, CA
- [Mechanical and Structural Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-and-structural-engineer-wardstone-space-el-segundo-wbe6s5wqvcn0) — El Segundo, CA
- [Business Development Intern](https://feeny.ai/job/business-development-intern-newsbreak-remote-qc3jgr0s661k)
- [Business Development Intern](https://feeny.ai/job/business-development-intern-newform-new-york-vqc88j3w5krm) — New York, NY
- [Business Development Intern](https://feeny.ai/job/business-development-intern-too-lost-los-angeles-rzhnrqpfn7kt) — Los Angeles, CA